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Socialists Lie, People Die
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Joe Cooper
May 11, 2017, 8:15:25 AM5/11/17
to
Last weekend's Wall Street Journal featured yet another article about
Venezuela. Titled simply, "Venezuela is starving," the article starts
with a subhead about how Venezuela was "once Latin America's richest
country." It goes on to describe how Venezuela has degenerated into a
hellhole of widespread starvation: Venezuelans are forced to forage
through garbage looking for anything edible.
Farmers, already decimated by shortages and government price controls,
have their meager crops stolen right out of the ground. Eleven percent of
the children in some of the poorest areas are at risk of death from
severe acute malnutrition. Nearly 20 percent of children under five
across the country are chronically malnourished. The situation for adults
is not much better.
The food shortage is one of many crises facing the country. Last May, The
New York Times wrote about the disastrous collapse of Venezuela's health
care system: the complete lack of medicines, shortages of basic items
like surgical gloves and soap, broken X-ray and dialysis machines,
patients without beds lying in pools of their own blood, and people dying
because the electricity needed for respirators is cut off.
The socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro is, of course, in
denial. Maduro defiantly refused international medical aid last year,
saying, "I doubt that anywhere in the world, except in Cuba, there exists
a better health system than this one." One physician interviewed by the
Journal said, "Here, for the government, there are no malnourished
children. The reality is this is an epidemic."
After a century of proof of collectivism's failure -- and the destruction
and misery that it leaves in its wake -- it is hard to know whether to
weep or curse at headlines like this. It is always heartbreaking to see
people suffer. It is unfathomable that they continue to suffer because
another generation has been taken in by the same empty promises trotted
out by the next iteration of lying leftist politicians.
Hugo Chavez, Maduro's predecessor, originally bought Venezuelans' loyalty
with spending on social programs paid for by the country's oil revenues.
But he also lured them into his socialist "Bolivarian Revolution" with a
stereotypical siren song, demonizing business and accusing private
industry of greed. Chavez' proposed solution was nationalization. He
started with the oil industry, followed by agriculture, finance,
manufacturing, finance, steel, telecommunications, transportation and
tourism.
The country is now reaping the results. A pig farmer, Alberto Troiani,
explained that price controls imposed by the government made it
impossible for him to pay his bills. He is not alone; 82 percent of
Venezuela's pig farms have shut down in just five years. "The government
thinks its survival is in communism," Troiani said, "Not in us, not with
production. And that's where they're wrong."
Oscar Wilde once described second marriages as "the triumph of hope over
experience." The same could be said (with bloodier consequences) of
statism and collectivism. And leftists are still hoping. When the
failures of collectivism are pointed out, its defenders insist that it
"just hasn't been implemented properly."
Au contraire. Collectivism is perhaps the one area where progressives
have achieved perfect equality and diversity; it has been murderous and
economically disastrous in Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa.
How many times must this be tried? How many people have to suffer, starve
and die under systems which are touted by ideologues and ivory tower
academics? Scholars estimate that anywhere from 90 million to 150 million
people died under collectivist regimes in the 20th century alone. This
does not take into account the human suffering from impoverishment,
illness, hunger and other privations.
Progressives in the United States often insist that what we have seen
happen elsewhere could not happen in the United States. Most don't want
communism, they say (though some do, and their numbers are growing); they
just want the government to take over certain segments of the American
economy, starting with health care, which they argue is a "right," not
merely a "good."
Nonsense. It isn't necessary to look around the globe to see the failures
of government control over what is better done by the private sector --
including and especially healthcare. Two government-provided health care
programs -- Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service -- are
notoriously, abysmally bad. Government can neither pay nor effectively
provide for 23 million individuals in those two programs, and yet we are
to believe that it will magically develop compassion and competence when
dealing with over 320 million people.
The United States is one of the freest and most prosperous countries on
the planet. For all our problems, we are proof of the successes possible
with free market capitalism. By contrast, Venezuela -- and a long list of
other countries -- should stand as an important lesson: Collectivism
doesn't work. It destroys lives. Claims to the contrary are lies. And
when people believe those lies, millions die.
Source: http://bit.ly/2r3qa6X
--
"The only people who can't recognize that our nation has a 'smug
liberal' problem are smug liberals." (David French)
Venezuela. Titled simply, "Venezuela is starving," the article starts
with a subhead about how Venezuela was "once Latin America's richest
country." It goes on to describe how Venezuela has degenerated into a
hellhole of widespread starvation: Venezuelans are forced to forage
through garbage looking for anything edible.
Farmers, already decimated by shortages and government price controls,
have their meager crops stolen right out of the ground. Eleven percent of
the children in some of the poorest areas are at risk of death from
severe acute malnutrition. Nearly 20 percent of children under five
across the country are chronically malnourished. The situation for adults
is not much better.
The food shortage is one of many crises facing the country. Last May, The
New York Times wrote about the disastrous collapse of Venezuela's health
care system: the complete lack of medicines, shortages of basic items
like surgical gloves and soap, broken X-ray and dialysis machines,
patients without beds lying in pools of their own blood, and people dying
because the electricity needed for respirators is cut off.
The socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro is, of course, in
denial. Maduro defiantly refused international medical aid last year,
saying, "I doubt that anywhere in the world, except in Cuba, there exists
a better health system than this one." One physician interviewed by the
Journal said, "Here, for the government, there are no malnourished
children. The reality is this is an epidemic."
After a century of proof of collectivism's failure -- and the destruction
and misery that it leaves in its wake -- it is hard to know whether to
weep or curse at headlines like this. It is always heartbreaking to see
people suffer. It is unfathomable that they continue to suffer because
another generation has been taken in by the same empty promises trotted
out by the next iteration of lying leftist politicians.
Hugo Chavez, Maduro's predecessor, originally bought Venezuelans' loyalty
with spending on social programs paid for by the country's oil revenues.
But he also lured them into his socialist "Bolivarian Revolution" with a
stereotypical siren song, demonizing business and accusing private
industry of greed. Chavez' proposed solution was nationalization. He
started with the oil industry, followed by agriculture, finance,
manufacturing, finance, steel, telecommunications, transportation and
tourism.
The country is now reaping the results. A pig farmer, Alberto Troiani,
explained that price controls imposed by the government made it
impossible for him to pay his bills. He is not alone; 82 percent of
Venezuela's pig farms have shut down in just five years. "The government
thinks its survival is in communism," Troiani said, "Not in us, not with
production. And that's where they're wrong."
Oscar Wilde once described second marriages as "the triumph of hope over
experience." The same could be said (with bloodier consequences) of
statism and collectivism. And leftists are still hoping. When the
failures of collectivism are pointed out, its defenders insist that it
"just hasn't been implemented properly."
Au contraire. Collectivism is perhaps the one area where progressives
have achieved perfect equality and diversity; it has been murderous and
economically disastrous in Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa.
How many times must this be tried? How many people have to suffer, starve
and die under systems which are touted by ideologues and ivory tower
academics? Scholars estimate that anywhere from 90 million to 150 million
people died under collectivist regimes in the 20th century alone. This
does not take into account the human suffering from impoverishment,
illness, hunger and other privations.
Progressives in the United States often insist that what we have seen
happen elsewhere could not happen in the United States. Most don't want
communism, they say (though some do, and their numbers are growing); they
just want the government to take over certain segments of the American
economy, starting with health care, which they argue is a "right," not
merely a "good."
Nonsense. It isn't necessary to look around the globe to see the failures
of government control over what is better done by the private sector --
including and especially healthcare. Two government-provided health care
programs -- Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service -- are
notoriously, abysmally bad. Government can neither pay nor effectively
provide for 23 million individuals in those two programs, and yet we are
to believe that it will magically develop compassion and competence when
dealing with over 320 million people.
The United States is one of the freest and most prosperous countries on
the planet. For all our problems, we are proof of the successes possible
with free market capitalism. By contrast, Venezuela -- and a long list of
other countries -- should stand as an important lesson: Collectivism
doesn't work. It destroys lives. Claims to the contrary are lies. And
when people believe those lies, millions die.
Source: http://bit.ly/2r3qa6X
--
"The only people who can't recognize that our nation has a 'smug
liberal' problem are smug liberals." (David French)
#BeamMeUpScotty
May 11, 2017, 9:43:32 AM5/11/17
to
On 05/11/2017 08:12 AM, Joe Cooper wrote:
> Last weekend's Wall Street Journal featured yet another article about
> Venezuela. Titled simply, "Venezuela is starving," the article starts
> with a subhead about how Venezuela was "once Latin America's richest
> country." It goes on to describe how Venezuela has degenerated into a
> hellhole of widespread starvation: Venezuelans are forced to forage
> through garbage looking for anything edible.
Vote for Democrats if that what you want in the United States.
> Last weekend's Wall Street Journal featured yet another article about
> Venezuela. Titled simply, "Venezuela is starving," the article starts
> with a subhead about how Venezuela was "once Latin America's richest
> country." It goes on to describe how Venezuela has degenerated into a
> hellhole of widespread starvation: Venezuelans are forced to forage
> through garbage looking for anything edible.
Obama started us down that same Socialist road.
--
That's Karma
Joe Cooper
May 11, 2017, 11:29:19 AM5/11/17
to
#BeamMeUpScotty <CommunityOrganizers&Communist...@Marxist.Shadow.gov>
wrote in news:7UZQA.76110$4a5....@fx01.iad:
I think Trump should send Red Bern down there to straighten those peasants
out where the wonderfulness of "democratic socialism" is concerned.
It would serve the nation by getting rid of an old commie, too.
wrote in news:7UZQA.76110$4a5....@fx01.iad:
out where the wonderfulness of "democratic socialism" is concerned.
It would serve the nation by getting rid of an old commie, too.
Byker
May 12, 2017, 10:26:59 AM5/12/17
to
"Joe Cooper" wrote in message
news:XnsA7723578464...@213.239.209.88...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Protesters fling feces at soldiers in 'Shit March'
May 10, 2017
Anti-government rally in Caracas turns messy while two people are killed in
separate incidents.
Protesters in Venezuela have lobbed bottles and bags of feces at soldiers
who fought back with tear gas to block the latest march in more than a month
of nationwide protests against President Nicolas Maduro.
The so-called "Shit March" was held on Wednesday on the main highway through
Caracas came as thousands of opposition supporters again poured onto the
streets decrying Venezuela's economic crisis and demanding elections.
"These kids live in a dictatorship, they have no other option but to protest
however they see fit," said Maria Montilla, 49, behind lines of youths with
masks, slingshots and makeshift wooden shields.
Many carried stones and so-called "Poopootov cocktails" - feces stuffed into
small glass bottles - which they threw when National Guard troops blocked
their path, firing gas and turning water cannons on the crowds.
"There's nothing explosive here. It's our way of saying 'get lost Maduro,
you're useless!'," said one young protester, who asked not to be named,
between tossing bottles of feces.
Messages giving step-by-step instructions and advice on putting together the
Poopootov cocktails went viral on Venezuelan WhatsApp groups before the
protest.
Some opposition sympathizers were appalled at the use of feces, both animal
and human, calling it an unsanitary and inappropriate tactic even in the
face of a government they despise.
They noted that throwing feces could increase cases of infectious diseases
which are soaring due to the lack of medicine as well as basic cleaning
materials such as soaps and disinfectant.
Two deaths
Wednesday's chaos in Caracas claimed another life, with 27-year-old Miguel
Castillo killed during the protests, the state prosecutor's office said
without giving more details.
With trouble flaring in various parts of Venezuela, there was also another
death in the Andean city of Merida.
Motorbike taxi driver Anderson Dugarte, 32, died on Wednesday after being
injured in a protest, the state prosecutor's office said.
Local media said he was shot in the head.
The unrest has killed at least 39 people since early April, including
protesters, government sympathizers, bystanders, and security forces.
Hundreds have also been hurt and arrested.
Maduro says foes are seeking a coup with US encouragement.
The opposition, which enjoys majority support after years in the shadow of
the ruling Socialist Party, says authorities are denying a solution to
Venezuela's crisis by thwarting a referendum, delaying local elections and
refusing to bring forward the 2018 presidential vote.
They are seeking to vary tactics to keep momentum going and supporters
energized.
The government accused the opposition of breaking international treaties on
biological and chemical weapons by throwing feces.
Maduro is seeking to create a new super body called a "constituent
assembly," with authority to rewrite the constitution and shake up public
powers. Foes dismiss it as an attempt to keep the socialists in power by
establishing a biased new assembly.
IN PICTURES: Hardship and political theatre in Venezuela
In downtown Caracas, government supporters also rallied, dancing salsa and
waving pictures of Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez who remains venerated by
many, especially the poor.
"I'm here to support the constituent process, which brings opportunities to
resolve the crisis," said agriculture worker Ilian Leon, 40. "We're faithful
to Chavez's legacy."
The protests so far have failed to garner massive support from poorer,
traditionally pro-Chavez sectors of Venezuela's 30 million people.
But a bigger cross-section of society has been apparent at recent marches,
some of which drew hundreds of thousands.
Looting has been breaking out in some cities, especially at night.
Chavez's former spy-master Miguel Torres has broken with Maduro's
government, despite having served as interior minister and fighting against
protests in 2014. He warned on Wednesday that the violence in Venezuela may
be getting out of control.
"What is happening may be the starting point for a huge armed confrontation
between Venezuelans," he told Reuters.
"Nobody wants that."
http://tinyurl.com/m2ro9zp
news:XnsA7723578464...@213.239.209.88...
>
> Last weekend's Wall Street Journal featured yet another article about
> Venezuela. Titled simply, "Venezuela is starving," the article starts with
> a subhead about how Venezuela was "once Latin America's richest country."
> It goes on to describe how Venezuela has degenerated into a hellhole of
> widespread starvation: Venezuelans are forced to forage through garbage
> looking for anything edible.
Soon they'll be foraging for shit to throw...
> Last weekend's Wall Street Journal featured yet another article about
> Venezuela. Titled simply, "Venezuela is starving," the article starts with
> a subhead about how Venezuela was "once Latin America's richest country."
> It goes on to describe how Venezuela has degenerated into a hellhole of
> widespread starvation: Venezuelans are forced to forage through garbage
> looking for anything edible.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Protesters fling feces at soldiers in 'Shit March'
May 10, 2017
Anti-government rally in Caracas turns messy while two people are killed in
separate incidents.
Protesters in Venezuela have lobbed bottles and bags of feces at soldiers
who fought back with tear gas to block the latest march in more than a month
of nationwide protests against President Nicolas Maduro.
The so-called "Shit March" was held on Wednesday on the main highway through
Caracas came as thousands of opposition supporters again poured onto the
streets decrying Venezuela's economic crisis and demanding elections.
"These kids live in a dictatorship, they have no other option but to protest
however they see fit," said Maria Montilla, 49, behind lines of youths with
masks, slingshots and makeshift wooden shields.
Many carried stones and so-called "Poopootov cocktails" - feces stuffed into
small glass bottles - which they threw when National Guard troops blocked
their path, firing gas and turning water cannons on the crowds.
"There's nothing explosive here. It's our way of saying 'get lost Maduro,
you're useless!'," said one young protester, who asked not to be named,
between tossing bottles of feces.
Messages giving step-by-step instructions and advice on putting together the
Poopootov cocktails went viral on Venezuelan WhatsApp groups before the
protest.
Some opposition sympathizers were appalled at the use of feces, both animal
and human, calling it an unsanitary and inappropriate tactic even in the
face of a government they despise.
They noted that throwing feces could increase cases of infectious diseases
which are soaring due to the lack of medicine as well as basic cleaning
materials such as soaps and disinfectant.
Two deaths
Wednesday's chaos in Caracas claimed another life, with 27-year-old Miguel
Castillo killed during the protests, the state prosecutor's office said
without giving more details.
With trouble flaring in various parts of Venezuela, there was also another
death in the Andean city of Merida.
Motorbike taxi driver Anderson Dugarte, 32, died on Wednesday after being
injured in a protest, the state prosecutor's office said.
Local media said he was shot in the head.
The unrest has killed at least 39 people since early April, including
protesters, government sympathizers, bystanders, and security forces.
Hundreds have also been hurt and arrested.
Maduro says foes are seeking a coup with US encouragement.
The opposition, which enjoys majority support after years in the shadow of
the ruling Socialist Party, says authorities are denying a solution to
Venezuela's crisis by thwarting a referendum, delaying local elections and
refusing to bring forward the 2018 presidential vote.
They are seeking to vary tactics to keep momentum going and supporters
energized.
The government accused the opposition of breaking international treaties on
biological and chemical weapons by throwing feces.
Maduro is seeking to create a new super body called a "constituent
assembly," with authority to rewrite the constitution and shake up public
powers. Foes dismiss it as an attempt to keep the socialists in power by
establishing a biased new assembly.
IN PICTURES: Hardship and political theatre in Venezuela
In downtown Caracas, government supporters also rallied, dancing salsa and
waving pictures of Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez who remains venerated by
many, especially the poor.
"I'm here to support the constituent process, which brings opportunities to
resolve the crisis," said agriculture worker Ilian Leon, 40. "We're faithful
to Chavez's legacy."
The protests so far have failed to garner massive support from poorer,
traditionally pro-Chavez sectors of Venezuela's 30 million people.
But a bigger cross-section of society has been apparent at recent marches,
some of which drew hundreds of thousands.
Looting has been breaking out in some cities, especially at night.
Chavez's former spy-master Miguel Torres has broken with Maduro's
government, despite having served as interior minister and fighting against
protests in 2014. He warned on Wednesday that the violence in Venezuela may
be getting out of control.
"What is happening may be the starting point for a huge armed confrontation
between Venezuelans," he told Reuters.
"Nobody wants that."
http://tinyurl.com/m2ro9zp
#BeamMeUpScotty
May 12, 2017, 12:48:02 PM5/12/17
to
--
That's Karma
Byker
May 12, 2017, 2:02:12 PM5/12/17
to
"#BeamMeUpScotty" wrote in message news:5HlRA.35588$J16....@fx05.iad...
gone..."
--------------------------------------------------------------
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Venezuela
https://mises.org/blog/venezuela-chavez-prelude-socialist-failure
http://reason.com/blog/2017/05/08/socialism-the-view-from-venezuela
https://lfb.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/LFT4-2-e1459355554502.png
http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/tom-blumer/2017/05/07/venezuela-implodes-nbc-avoids-naming-cause-socialism
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/commentary-venezuela-rich-country-ruined-socialist-dictators/PEelMZv1EyrF5Ub0eCbeZK/
>
> Remember the good old days before Socialism?
"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's
> Remember the good old days before Socialism?
gone..."
--------------------------------------------------------------
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Venezuela
https://mises.org/blog/venezuela-chavez-prelude-socialist-failure
http://reason.com/blog/2017/05/08/socialism-the-view-from-venezuela
https://lfb.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/LFT4-2-e1459355554502.png
http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/tom-blumer/2017/05/07/venezuela-implodes-nbc-avoids-naming-cause-socialism
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/commentary-venezuela-rich-country-ruined-socialist-dictators/PEelMZv1EyrF5Ub0eCbeZK/
#BeamMeUpScotty
May 12, 2017, 2:33:46 PM5/12/17
to
On 05/12/2017 02:02 PM, Byker wrote:
> "#BeamMeUpScotty" wrote in message news:5HlRA.35588$J16....@fx05.iad...
>>
>> Remember the good old days before Socialism?
>
> "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til
> it's gone..."
Venezuela might make an excellent parking lot. ;)
> "#BeamMeUpScotty" wrote in message news:5HlRA.35588$J16....@fx05.iad...
>>
>> Remember the good old days before Socialism?
>
> "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til
> it's gone..."
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Venezuela
>
> https://mises.org/blog/venezuela-chavez-prelude-socialist-failure
>
> http://reason.com/blog/2017/05/08/socialism-the-view-from-venezuela
>
> https://lfb.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/LFT4-2-e1459355554502.png
>
> http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/tom-blumer/2017/05/07/venezuela-implodes-nbc-avoids-naming-cause-socialism
>
>
> http://www.statesman.com/news/local/commentary-venezuela-rich-country-ruined-socialist-dictators/PEelMZv1EyrF5Ub0eCbeZK/
>
>
That's Karma
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