Stop Me Before I Vote Again

I'm not sure about this. Sure, Chavez is popular because the ruling elites (supported by the United States, of course) are corrupt, self-serving, etc. etc. etc.

I'm not sure a Maximum Leader, "socialist" or not, is the solution, though.

Not my decision, of course.

Maximums derived via national referenda (wut dat?) and regular fair elections = QEDs. Calculus CAN be open to all, despite its usually restricted distribution to snobs alone...

Meanwhile, curious, this talk of the troubling difficulty of Maximums...

I remember an old Trierian post-Jewish prof of mine pointing out that some Schools of Calculation impose their own mis-figured Maxes even better than the sternest and unfairest of Answer Shouters...

If you are so popular with a majority of the citizens that you are virtually assured of re-election without term limits, are you a dictator? Seems to me that as long as you are holding free and fair elections in accordance with your country's constitution and have a strong legislative branch, the answer is no.

If you gain executive office in spite of losing the election and retain power through rigging election, have a weak and ineffective legislative branch and spineless judiciary, but have term limits, is that a democracy? I'd say no.

Brian, the changes to the constitution are a mixed bag.

On one hand, a lot of decision-making power is devolved down to the local level and previously unrecognized rights are acknowledged. There are also reforms aimed at improving the lot of labor. Term limits are not a democratic institution. For better or worse, people have a right to keep electing the same politicians.

On the other hand, the provisions for dealing with emergencies could easily be abused. I could easily understand an argument that some of them are an overreaction to the anti-democratic movements sponsored by the NED and the rich wingnut reactionaries.

As for socialism, they're not there by a long shot. It's a steadily improving social democracy with real elections. The lot of the people who have been screwed badly is getting better. The wingnuts there may have the hysterical vapors, but fears are not facts.

Your last paragraph summarizes why I still have a sneaking admiration for Hugo, despite the relentless propaganda agaisnt him. My proaganda is not only from the media, but from friends who have visited and spent time with the very upper middle class who hate Hugo. On the one hand, I understand (the UMC professional classes) their position. On the other hand....

its fun to miss the whole deal
about to go down

i never figured hugo would be spared the rumble
because he lost the referendum

ahh the vox electori
full of occasional surprises

the heart of the people
pounds an irregular beat

hugo--ismo
hubr-u-ismo ??

chastened bolivarismo ???

recall arnold's
clever
post cal bash
referendum defeat
a season or so back

"mess-edge receeeeeeived "

this calls for a ditto from chav-o ??

...er let us hope

something here reminds me of fdr's
court pack

evil knivel is dead

an inverted
portent
for his antipodals ???

warning warning

all contra-imperial-- teo amigo style ---
stunt riders
beware the last bus on the jump line

that extra addition for the thrill of it all
may prove
to be one bus too many

asnd you ain't got
a state of the art ambulance waiting
only ....vultures