goofyfish
03-12-04, 05:50 AM
Today’s New York Times has two stories from Venezuela: one that arouses hope and one that promises to snuff it out.
The first tells (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/11/business/worldbusiness/11pdvsa.html) how Venezuela’s state-owned oil company is spending $1.7 billion this year on social programs such as schools, home-building for the poor, and agricultural development:The new spending measures are transforming a state company long run like a private concern into President Hugo Chávez’s primary vehicle for social change in the world’s fifth-largest oil exporter.In the second story (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/11/international/americas/11VENE.html), the Venezuelan president presents evidence of George W. Bush’s campaign to drive him from office. These began two years ago with a Bush-backed coup that fizzled, and have continued unabated ever since. Chávez made public reams of U.S. government documents showing that the drive to remove him from office in a referendum is being funded by the comically named U.S. National Endowment for Democracy. So far Bush has funneled $350,000 American tax dollars through the Endowment to groups working to topple the man whom Venezuela’s voters inconveniently keep on electing by huge majorities.
One of the marvels of the age is listening to our appointed president go on about his love of democracy even as he does his best to delay, deny or overthrow it in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti and Venezuela.
:m: Peace.
The first tells (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/11/business/worldbusiness/11pdvsa.html) how Venezuela’s state-owned oil company is spending $1.7 billion this year on social programs such as schools, home-building for the poor, and agricultural development:The new spending measures are transforming a state company long run like a private concern into President Hugo Chávez’s primary vehicle for social change in the world’s fifth-largest oil exporter.In the second story (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/11/international/americas/11VENE.html), the Venezuelan president presents evidence of George W. Bush’s campaign to drive him from office. These began two years ago with a Bush-backed coup that fizzled, and have continued unabated ever since. Chávez made public reams of U.S. government documents showing that the drive to remove him from office in a referendum is being funded by the comically named U.S. National Endowment for Democracy. So far Bush has funneled $350,000 American tax dollars through the Endowment to groups working to topple the man whom Venezuela’s voters inconveniently keep on electing by huge majorities.
One of the marvels of the age is listening to our appointed president go on about his love of democracy even as he does his best to delay, deny or overthrow it in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti and Venezuela.
:m: Peace.