Do you agree with John Edwards that Hugo Chavez's policies are "increasingly authoritarian?"

[Freddie Stubbs]

Last week a group of Venezuelan-American activists criticized John Edwards for campaigning with Danny Glover, citing Glover's friendship with Hugo Chavez. Edwards campaign responded:

"Of course John Edwards rejects Hugo Chavez's increasingly authoritarian policies," Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz said in a written statement. "However, John Edwards does agree with Danny Glover that workers need rights, 37 million people in this country should not live in poverty and we need real, universal health care. John Edwards doesn't have to agree with someone on every issue to stand with them on the ones that he does."

source: http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=68494

Do you agree with John Edwards that Chavez's policies are "increasingly authoritarian?"

[BobRossi]

1. Yes but..

Still much less so than El Dictator shrub.

[Old and In the Way]

2. Let's worry about our increasingly authoritarian regime before we

start trying to reform Venezuala. If this is happening, you know it's a direct result of our meddling in their internal economic affairs (ie Oil). Without that, would we be paying attention?


If a populist like Chavez is erring on protecting the assets of Vewnezuala for the vast majority, is that a bad thing? We certainly have seen enough RW authoritarian governments in SA over the past 50 years, why not allow the LW a little slack?

[MonkeyFunk]

24. I don't buy that argument when bush uses it...

that external threats are the "reason" for increasing authoritarianism.

[txaslftist]

25. Exactly. Worry about the beam in our own eye.

[Freddie Stubbs]

28. So, we should also ignore Darfur too?

:shrug:

[ComerPerro]

3. What would a TV psychic know about Chavez and Venezuela anyway?

[name not needed]

4. He can predict the future, duh.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. D'oh!

Nice catch there. Is that guy still on TV?

[ComerPerro]

8. Wouldn't suprise me if he was still on the air.

[jsamuel]

6. yes, I said this a while ago. I am glad to hear Edwards say this.

Like the programs Chavez is doing, but the authoritarian nature of his government recently is a little disconcerting.

[Selatius]

7. I don't agree with Venezuela on those enabling laws or a lack of public oversight over...

broadcast licensing. As their constitution stands, it remains mute on whether there should be a public hearing or a fair hearing about the renewal of television broadcast licenses. It simply leaves it up to the executive to decide the issue. I think that's a flawed process and that it should be changed, but I believe even if RCTV did get a fair hearing, it would've been shut down anyway, as they denied opposition viewpoints to be aired during the 2002 coup.

With the enabling law where congress can give the power of decree over several areas of government jurisdiction, I don't much care for that.

Regardless, I generally don't find it worthwhile for us to be meddling in the internal affairs of other countries.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

9. Oh ABSOLUTELY. And Good On John For Saying It Too!

[KG]

10. chavez is coming down hard on the oligarchs.

those are the ones one who are whining, because chavez is taking authority away from them.

oh, and those that want to watch a cetain TV station.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. Do you believe Edwards said this because of the oligarchs, or

because he likes to watch a cetain TV station?

[Vidar]

11. Hell no!

[Freddie Stubbs]

41. Why not?

:shrug:

[wuushew]

13. Why is it always YOU who posts these polls?

I get it you don't like Chavez...and your other political interests are?

[Kingofalldems]

15. Because Chavez criticizes Bush?

Only answer I can come up with.

[Freddie Stubbs]

32. Wrong!

Try again.

[Freddie Stubbs]

19. It would seem by the results of this poll I am not the only DUer who isn't a Chavez fan

BTW, how many other polls have I posted about Chavez?

[Clark2008]

14. Actually, I really don't listen to John Edwards on much of anything.

He's known to change his mind as soon as the latest polls come out.

[Blackhatjack]

22. (jotting down post title for future use) ... however, I knew this already...

So when it comes to debating what Edwards' positions are and what he has said I guess that lets you out since you 'don't listen to John Edwards on much of anything.'

[Freddie Stubbs]

34. How do you know he changes his mind if you don't listen to him?

:shrug:

[LSK]

16. I dont know anything about Chavez

So I cant answer the question.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Yes, he shares many personalithy traits with

Bush, Stalin, Hitler and other autbhoritarian personalities across history

Just because he is a populist does not mean he is not an authoritarian personality

[Pastiche423]

18. I agree that john edwards' views are increasingly irrelevant

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. Have ANY presidential candidates (or potential candidates) spoken favorably of Chavez?

:shrug:

[Pastiche423]

26. If that was your question

why din't you post it that way?

[Freddie Stubbs]

30. Edwards' campaign provided a very succinct quote on the subject

[Blackhatjack]

23. to you? Certainly not to the millions of people polled favoring him. Like Iowa....

... where he is leading all Democratic Candidates.

[Pastiche423]

27. lol

Have you any idea WHERE we are in the primaries? Do you even remember the 2004 primaries? Those numbers mean jack at this point.

johnnyboy ain't going anywhere. He's a finger in the wind poseur.

[MalloyLiberal]

37. He means something to me

So bite me. I have an opinion too and it's just as important as yours.

[Chemical Bill]

21. I have enough to think about at home. n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

42. Fortunately most DUers can multi-task

[tritsofme]

29. Its refreshing to see that the Chavez-bots

are really just a very vocal minority on this site. I never would have guessed.

[cobalt1999]

31. It's hard for them to that see that their hero has feet of clay.

But they make up for it with a lot of noise though.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

33. Yes. So? Most people who attain power abuse it.

Even "democratically' elected ones like Chavez, or Bush, or LBJ, or Abraham Lincoln.

[Freddie Stubbs]

35. Does that make it an acceptable practice?

:shrug:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

36. No. But, picking out Chavez as some sort of example is naive, at best.

The world is loaded with various forms of government in which power is abused. Ours included. Why Chavez?

[Freddie Stubbs]

38. Because Chavez had been quite skillful in fooling a small but vocal minority of

DUers that his abuse of power is for the greater good.

[chaska]

39. Whatever happened to DEMOCRATIC Underground?

Half of us here don't even know what it means to be a Democrat.

You yes people should read more.

[Freddie Stubbs]

40. Democratic is not the same as Authoritarian

People are wising up to Chavez's game.