Comments on: Inflation and Corruption on the Horizon as an Endangered Chávez Gambles to Retain Popularity http://www.coha.org/inflation-and-corruption-on-the-horizon-as-an-endangered-chavez-gambles-to-retain-popularity/ COHA is an NGO specialized in monitoring Latin American and Canadian Relations for more than 30 years... Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:22:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Henry McDonald http://www.coha.org/inflation-and-corruption-on-the-horizon-as-an-endangered-chavez-gambles-to-retain-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-35472 Henry McDonald Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:46:44 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=7795#comment-35472 Mr. Lackey, your attempt to find any justification for Chavez Economics does a great disservice to your readers like Mr. Arnold (see his sadly pollyanna-like comments above). Currency devaluation accompanied by domestic price controls simply exacerbates the existing economic disaster. The dictator's policies have already decimated domestic production, most pointedly in the agriculture sector, but in all sectors including even energy. Please explain to Mr. Arnold and me how the poor will benefit from price controls if there is no food to buy in the first place. Explain how the economy will miraculously diversify when there is no investment capital, private producers are prohibited from making a profit, and government-managed businesses are predictably corrupt. Poor Venezuela. They have no new electricity infrastructure, but at least they still have the bonds that Chavez bought from Argentina, the $5 billion in Russian military equipment, and enduring friendships with Evo, Fidel and Mahmoud. Oh well, another banana republic dictator bites the dust. That is, unless he pulls a Castro and retains power by force - hey wait - maybe those Russian guns were never intended to stop a Yankee invasion. Mr. Lackey, your attempt to find any justification for Chavez Economics does a great disservice to your readers like Mr. Arnold (see his sadly pollyanna-like comments above). Currency devaluation accompanied by domestic price controls simply exacerbates the existing economic disaster. The dictator's policies have already decimated domestic production, most pointedly in the agriculture sector, but in all sectors including even energy. Please explain to Mr. Arnold and me how the poor will benefit from price controls if there is no food to buy in the first place. Explain how the economy will miraculously diversify when there is no investment capital, private producers are prohibited from making a profit, and government-managed businesses are predictably corrupt. Poor Venezuela. They have no new electricity infrastructure, but at least they still have the bonds that Chavez bought from Argentina, the $5 billion in Russian military equipment, and enduring friendships with Evo, Fidel and Mahmoud. Oh well, another banana republic dictator bites the dust. That is, unless he pulls a Castro and retains power by force – hey wait – maybe those Russian guns were never intended to stop a Yankee invasion.

]]> By: Greg Arnold http://www.coha.org/inflation-and-corruption-on-the-horizon-as-an-endangered-chavez-gambles-to-retain-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-35464 Greg Arnold Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:36:07 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=7795#comment-35464 From what I can understand in the article, Chavez is making these changes to diversify his country's economy and provide a long-term decreased reliance on oil ("The devaluation, then, should discourage imports, which will be more expensive, and allow domestic industries to compete in their native markets. The development of domestic industries will, most likely, diversify the economy and reduce its dependence on oil") and to help keep the poorer sections of the population from going into worsening poverty ("The government will receive increased revenue from the export of oil, while the more valuable rate for essential goods will protect the interests of the nation’s poor."). When's the last time ANY U.S. politician did that? All our politicians do is bail out banks. Kudos to Chavez for thinking about his people, not the corporations. From what I can understand in the article, Chavez is making these changes to diversify his country's economy and provide a long-term decreased reliance on oil ("The devaluation, then, should discourage imports, which will be more expensive, and allow domestic industries to compete in their native markets. The development of domestic industries will, most likely, diversify the economy and reduce its dependence on oil")

and

to help keep the poorer sections of the population from going into worsening poverty ("The government will receive increased revenue from the export of oil, while the more valuable rate for essential goods will protect the interests of the nation’s poor.").

When's the last time ANY U.S. politician did that? All our politicians do is bail out banks. Kudos to Chavez for thinking about his people, not the corporations.

]]> By: Mike http://www.coha.org/inflation-and-corruption-on-the-horizon-as-an-endangered-chavez-gambles-to-retain-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-35463 Mike Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:19:16 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=7795#comment-35463 This is an mazing recognition of reality..was not Chavez Larry Birns favorite leader? Please explain This is an mazing recognition of reality..was not Chavez Larry Birns favorite leader? Please explain

]]> By: S-Cubed http://www.coha.org/inflation-and-corruption-on-the-horizon-as-an-endangered-chavez-gambles-to-retain-popularity/comment-page-1/#comment-35459 S-Cubed Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:23:26 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=7795#comment-35459 A thorough analysis. Objective. Professional. Very well done. A thorough analysis. Objective. Professional. Very well done.

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