Venezuela's Chavez wins vote to allow re-election

[toomuchtime_]

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez won the right to stay in power for as long as he keeps winning elections in a referendum vote on Sunday that bolsters support for his socialist and anti-U.S. policies.

Electoral authorities said 54 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment to remove limits on re-election and allow Chavez to stay in office until he is defeated at the ballot box in the OPEC nation. Forty-six percent voted "No."

The margin of victory was larger than expected after opinion polls before the vote had given Chavez only a slim lead.

Chavez, whose current term ends in 2013, has already been in power for 10 years and his win in this referendum win helps clear the way for him to fulfill stated his declared goal of ruling for decades.

The victory on Sunday allows Chavez, 54, to put behind him a damaging vote loss in 2007, when his first attempt to remove constitutional restraints on his extended rule was defeated.

Venezuela's Chavez wins vote to allow re-election | International | Reuters

 

[Avatar4321]

in other words he cheated.

 

[dilloduck]

in other words he cheated.

diebold

 

[Modbert]

diebold

Even better, guys with guns at the ballot box. Who needs machines when you can be so open about it?

 

[HBWilsonDdg7]

So then, will our new leader have the political will to deal with the now ruler of Venezuela? I highly doubt it. In fact I will bet that Chavez will be lauded in some circles of the left wing.

 

[garyd]

Anyone that hates Bush is - with a few exceptions - fine by the American left however much of a thug he is otherwise.

 

[auditor0007]

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez won the right to stay in power for as long as he keeps winning elections in a referendum vote on Sunday that bolsters support for his socialist and anti-U.S. policies.

Electoral authorities said 54 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment to remove limits on re-election and allow Chavez to stay in office until he is defeated at the ballot box in the OPEC nation. Forty-six percent voted "No."

The margin of victory was larger than expected after opinion polls before the vote had given Chavez only a slim lead.

Chavez, whose current term ends in 2013, has already been in power for 10 years and his win in this referendum win helps clear the way for him to fulfill stated his declared goal of ruling for decades.

The victory on Sunday allows Chavez, 54, to put behind him a damaging vote loss in 2007, when his first attempt to remove constitutional restraints on his extended rule was defeated.

Venezuela's Chavez wins vote to allow re-election | International | Reuters

There is a reason our rules make it very hard to amend the Constitution. This is how countries elect dictators. Venezuelans will find this out in time.

 

[xsited1]

So when are we going to hear about the Chavez death squads? I see mass graves for the dissenters in Venezuela's future.

 

[Agnapostate]

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez won the right to stay in power for as long as he keeps winning elections in a referendum vote on Sunday that bolsters support for his socialist and anti-U.S. policies.

Electoral authorities said 54 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment to remove limits on re-election and allow Chavez to stay in office until he is defeated at the ballot box in the OPEC nation. Forty-six percent voted "No."

The margin of victory was larger than expected after opinion polls before the vote had given Chavez only a slim lead.

Chavez, whose current term ends in 2013, has already been in power for 10 years and his win in this referendum win helps clear the way for him to fulfill stated his declared goal of ruling for decades.

The victory on Sunday allows Chavez, 54, to put behind him a damaging vote loss in 2007, when his first attempt to remove constitutional restraints on his extended rule was defeated.

Venezuela's Chavez wins vote to allow re-election | International | Reuters

I've bolded the biased terms used in the article to imply that Chavez is a dictator. Of course, what's most ironic is that Chavez was elected to his office (while Bush's "elections" were dubious, to say the least), and survived a recall election, while most political analysts agree that Bush would not have survived a recall late in his term. But the U.S., the allegedly shining beacon of democracy, has no option to recall a president. Chavez won a vote of the citizenry in a national referendum (there are no national referendums in the U.S., of course), to permit the people to elect him in the future, thereby removing a restriction on democracy.

 

[elvis]

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez won the right to stay in power for as long as he keeps winning elections in a referendum vote on Sunday that bolsters support for his socialist and anti-U.S. policies.

Electoral authorities said 54 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment to remove limits on re-election and allow Chavez to stay in office until he is defeated at the ballot box in the OPEC nation. Forty-six percent voted "No."

The margin of victory was larger than expected after opinion polls before the vote had given Chavez only a slim lead.

Chavez, whose current term ends in 2013, has already been in power for 10 years and his win in this referendum win helps clear the way for him to fulfill stated his declared goal of ruling for decades.

The victory on Sunday allows Chavez, 54, to put behind him a damaging vote loss in 2007, when his first attempt to remove constitutional restraints on his extended rule was defeated.

Venezuela's Chavez wins vote to allow re-election | International | Reuters

There is a reason our rules make it very hard to amend the Constitution. This is how countries elect dictators. Venezuelans will find this out in time.

It's interesting you say that when you consider that the government AMENDED the constitution to get term limits.

 

[Diuretic]

How is he a dictator when he was elected?

And how has he corrupted this referendum?

The referendum was about lifting the limits on other offices as well. No doubt that was a ploy to make the president's ability to keep getting elected sweeter but if the referendum was carried out properly then there shouldn't be a problem with it.

 

[Modbert]

It's interesting you say that when you consider that the government AMENDED the constitution to get term limits.

The government giveth and the government taketh. We have no real rights in this country. Go ask the Japanese Americans rounded up by FDR around 1945 into the internment camps for the simple fact they were Japanese as well as American if they had rights.

The only right they had? "Right this way" while being lead into the camps.

 

[Modbert]

How is he a dictator when he was elected?

And how has he corrupted this referendum?

The referendum was about lifting the limits on other offices as well. No doubt that was a ploy to make the president's ability to keep getting elected sweeter but if the referendum was carried out properly then there shouldn't be a problem with it.

If he won fairly then it's the people's choice really.

 

[elvis]

How is he a dictator when he was elected?

And how has he corrupted this referendum?

The referendum was about lifting the limits on other offices as well. No doubt that was a ploy to make the president's ability to keep getting elected sweeter but if the referendum was carried out properly then there shouldn't be a problem with it.

He may have been implying that the elections are fixed.
The US was worried about FDR getting too much power even though he was elected four times.

 

[Agnapostate]

"Fixed" elections in Venezuela? Florida isn't a member state of the Bolivarian Republic.

 

[elvis]

"Fixed" elections in Venezuela? Florida isn't a member state of the Bolivarian Republic.

Neither is Illinois.

 

[Agnapostate]

Neither is Illinois.

No. No, it isn't.

 

[Toro]

With oil bouncing around $40, Hugh is going to be too busy with his hands tied at home since he is spending way more than he was bringing in, and that was when the price of oil was double from here.

I'm more worried about a re-run of the Latin American 1980s-style hyperinflation in Venezuela than anything.

 

[elvis]

With oil bouncing around $40, Hugh is going to be too busy with his hands tied at home since he is spending way more than he was bringing in, and that was when the price of oil was double from here.

I'm more worried about a re-run of the Latin American 1980s-style hyperinflation in Venezuela than anything.

What about this summer? What do you see oil doing then?

 

[Gunny]

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez won the right to stay in power for as long as he keeps winning elections in a referendum vote on Sunday that bolsters support for his socialist and anti-U.S. policies.

Electoral authorities said 54 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment to remove limits on re-election and allow Chavez to stay in office until he is defeated at the ballot box in the OPEC nation. Forty-six percent voted "No."

The margin of victory was larger than expected after opinion polls before the vote had given Chavez only a slim lead.

Chavez, whose current term ends in 2013, has already been in power for 10 years and his win in this referendum win helps clear the way for him to fulfill stated his declared goal of ruling for decades.

The victory on Sunday allows Chavez, 54, to put behind him a damaging vote loss in 2007, when his first attempt to remove constitutional restraints on his extended rule was defeated.

Venezuela's Chavez wins vote to allow re-election | International | Reuters

I've bolded the biased terms used in the article to imply that Chavez is a dictator. Of course, what's most ironic is that Chavez was elected to his office (while Bush's "elections" were dubious, to say the least), and survived a recall election, while most political analysts agree that Bush would not have survived a recall late in his term. But the U.S., the allegedly shining beacon of democracy, has no option to recall a president. Chavez won a vote of the citizenry in a national referendum (there are no national referendums in the U.S., of course), to permit the people to elect him in the future, thereby removing a restriction on democracy.

The usual twisted crap from you. Chavez is a thug. Period. He has manipulated a system that has more loopholes than ours does to keep himself in office as long as he desires.

Anyone that cannot or will not see that for what it is isn't fooling anyone but themselves. I really don't see why you even bother trying to blow this twisted smoke up anyone else's asses.

In 2000, Gore tried to backdoor the system and got beat by Bush using proper legal recourse within the system. In 2004, Kerry conceded defeat. Nothing "dubious" about either outcome.

There IS an option to remove the President of the US from office.

Referendum voting is a double-edged sword. Careful what you wish for. Yes, it is more true democracy than our current, republican system. It can also be used just as Chavez is using it ... continue holding referendum votes until "I win."

Then there is the fact you would be screwing the minority out of any voice whatsoever in goverment. Your idealism blinds you to the fact that your unpopular viewpoints would be squashed every time.