The Chris Moeller Archives

Six more years

The votes were counted this past weekend, and Hugo Chavez is victorious in his bid for a fourth term as the President of Venezuela. A hearty congratulations are in order. Over a decade and more, South America's most highly-profiled Bolivarian socialist has caused neoliberal economists and militarists to project an ocean of spittle in their whiny invectives and mistruths, and his re-election, barring a C.I.A. coup attempt more successful than the one in 2002, ensures that the vast oil reserves that the nation of Venezuela possesses will stay in the hands of the Venezuelan people, and out of the hands of multinational oil companies for at least six more years.

The presidential election that just took place in Venezuelan should be the envy of every American voter. As U.S. politicians and behind-the-scenes operatives attempt to purge the voter rolls in districts all across this country, and as corporations attempt, with building success, to purchase American elections outright, the Venezuelan election took place with total transparency and record-breaking participation. Every election-governing body was there to witness, from the U.N. to the European Union to the Organization of American States. Chavez won because he had the numbers fully in his favor, numbers he has maintained with the overwhelming support of Venezuela's poorest citizens, since his ascent to power in 1999. More than 80% of voters turned out for the election, an astonishing percentage, and though there are legitimate political divisions in the country, 54% of voters chose Chavez, compared to 45% for his American-backed opponent. There was no electoral college results to report because, evidently, Venezuelans realize that idea is stupid.

Under Chavez, the Venezuelan government spends 43% of its budget on social programs. There have been 22 public universities built in Venezuela in the last 10 years, and the unemployment rate there has dropped from 20% to 7%. (Though I'm sure Jack Welch doesn't believe it.) Illiteracy has become almost non-existent, and in a 2010 Gallup poll, Venezuela was rated the fifth happiest country on the planet, ahead of the nations of Israel, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Ireland. (The U.S. finished twelfth.)

Chavez is a thorn in the side of the United States imperial government because he espouses economic independence for the people of his country and for all of South America. He's threatening as hell to the Empire because his political success, and in his wake, the success of other socialist leaders coming to power in countries like Bolivia and Ecuador, reveals the timid grasp that the corporatists of the United States and Western Europe still hold over that continent. There are few political developments occurring anywhere on the globe that can rival the excitement of the modern Bolivarian movement.

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Naturally, the Air Force did a fly-over at Nationals Park on Wednesday prior to the first postseason baseball game played in Washington D.C. since 1933. But if we're serious about showing off our nation's armed forces at these events, and displaying an accurate representation of the modern military, at what point do we replace the F-16's with drones?

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One rarely comes across really interesting and well-written reviews of a comedy concert. I'm going to see Bill Maher on stage Saturday night, for example, and I predict the local paper doesn't even send a reviewer to the show. However, this is one of those great-- albeit not particularly positive-- reviews.

posted by CM @ 9:27 PM