Chavez Not Nice Guy?

[Mule]

It appears that the hero of lefties everywhere, including on this board, Hugo Chavez, is stealing food from businesses to try & stem food shortages plaguing his oil rich socialist nation. Dottore, Shaun of the dead, all the rest of you rabid lefties, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

[legion]

Mule, I'm going to beat the "lefties" to this one and ask where you heard this and to provide a article. While this kind of action from Chavez wouldn't surprise me in the least, it will at least cut off the first round of denial at the pass.

Why is it that communists/socialists think that businesses have unlimited resources and that there is no limit to what can be stolen without consequence?

[Overpaid Slacker]

Hugo Chavez recently started a state-owned food distributorship. In the past three days, Venezuelan troops started stocking their warehouses with product. Unfortunately for Venezuela's private-sector distributor, the troops simply confiscated Alimentos Polar trucks and their shipments to do so:

Venezuela's top food company has accused troops of illegally seizing more than 500 tonnes of food from its trucks as part of President Hugo Chavez's campaign to stem shortages.

The leftist Chavez this week created a state food distributor and loosened some price controls, seeking to end months of shortages for staples like milk and eggs that have caused long lines and upset his supporters in the OPEC nation. ...

"Anyone who is distributing food ... and is speculating, we must intervene and we must expropriate (the business) and put it in the hands of the state and the communities," Chavez said during the inauguration of a new state-run market in Caracas. From: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1555965

Hugo's Zimbabwe strategy continues apace. Instead of directly nationalizing these industries, Chavez has looked for excuses to confiscate property a little at a time. With price controls keeping private production low, he has decided to raise prices just as the state enters the market on its own -- and then keeps his cost of production low by simply stealing the product.

It's actually more clever than just the simple theft it is on the surface. By forcing producers to sell below cost for so long, he's weakened the production capability of the private sector so that fewer targets remain. The shortages artificially increase demand and desperation. In raising prices, the root producers now have hope of earning and produce more -- just in time for the state to steal it and take credit for meeting the demand.

What do Venezuelans see from this process? Hugo steals from the rich and gives to the poor, without noting the manipulations necessary for him to succeed in doing so. At least Hugo hopes that's all they see. If Venezuelans start figuring this out, he'll have to have that last flight out of Caracas on standby.

Why can people not see this guy for the mass-suicidal shytbag that he manifestly, evidently and obviously is? Is it again that certain leftists can't bring themselves to be honest about someone that hates the US at least as much as they do?

JP

[Mule]

Venezuelan troops seize food
Jan 24, 2008 12:14 PM

Venezuela's top food company has accused troops of illegally seizing more than 500 tonnes of food from its trucks as part of President Hugo Chavez's campaign to stem shortages.

The leftist Chavez this week created a state food distributor and loosened some price controls, seeking to end months of shortages for staples like milk and eggs that have caused long lines and upset his supporters in the OPEC nation.

The highly publicised campaign has also included government crackdowns on accused smuggling, with the military seizing 1,600 tonnes of food and sending 1,200 troops to the border with Colombia.

Jose Anzola, a director of food company Alimentos Polar, told reporters that troops stopped 27 of its trucks over the last three days and described the seizures as "illegal, arbitrary and irresponsible."

Troops said they halted the transport of 350 tonnes of food to states along the Colombian border on suspicion of smuggling, he said. Another 165 tonnes were impounded in an eastern state on accusations of hoarding, he added.

Venezuela's National Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Polar's statements.

Polar, one of the country's largest private employers and best-known brands, produces and distributes grocery products including corn flour, a central element of Venezuelan cooking, and the country's most popular beer.

Business leaders say shortages of these products are caused by strict price controls, which have lagged inflation that is Latin America's highest.

Chavez is focusing on practical issues like food supply and crime after losing a December referendum that would have let him run for re-election indefinitely and expand his self-styled revolution.

He announced an increase of more than 30% in the retail price of milk in an effort to ease shortages that have created headaches for consumers of all social classes.

He also threatened to expropriate companies selling food above regulated prices.

"Anyone who is distributing food ... and is speculating, we must intervene and we must expropriate (the business) and put it in the hands of the state and the communities," Chavez said during the inauguration of a new state-run market in Caracas.
Source: Reuters

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Overpaid Slacker

Why can people not see this guy for the mass-suicidal shytbag that he manifestly, evidently and obviously is? Is it again that certain leftists can't bring themselves to be honest about someone that hates the US at least as much as they do?

JP

You're kidding right? We have clowns here on PPOT, with educations, who think this guy is cool. Hell Sean Penn was just there swing on his crank!

[Rearden]

Yea, but he sells discounted heating oil to poor Northeasterners ;-)

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Rearden

Yea, but he sells discounted heating oil to poor Northeasterners ;-)

Maybe the democrats can trot him out? He'll win the "blue" states.

[ls23h]

Originally Posted by Mule

Maybe the democrats can trot him out? He'll win the "blue" states.

Hillary has similar plans ......

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by ls23h

Hillary has similar plans ......

Yep, Hillary said she would take some of Big Oil's money to pay for hillarycare.

She's nice too.

[Mule]

I think Chavez is using the money for Chavezcare.

[Mule]

Hillary / Chavez '08? Dottore'd have so much wood he couldn't get in the voting booth.

[rouxroux]

Well, I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later....Seems that Hill is now copping Obama's line that he copped from ANOTHER Chavez: "Si se puede"

[legion]

"If you can"?

[Moneyguy1]

(Laughing)

A regular "right wing" lovefest!!!

And, of course, particularly in mule's mind, this makes me a "leftie" just because I see the humor in this thread.

[dhoward]

Polar is pretty good beer....