Voters reject Chavez's referendum

[Pookie]

He took that pretty well:

CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN) -- Venezuelan voters narrowly rejected a constitutional referendum that would have bolstered President Hugo Chavez's embrace of socialism and granted an indefinite extension of his eligibility to serve as president, the National Electoral Council reported early Monday.


Voters Sunday search for their names on lists at a polling station in Caracas.

more photos » About 51 percent of voters opposed the amendments, while approximately 49 percent were in favor of them.

"Don't feel sad. Don't feel burdened," Chavez told supporters immediately after the results were announced.

More than nine million of Venezuelan's 16 million eligible voters went to the polls Sunday.

Read more here:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/12/03/venezuela.referendum/index.html

I bet he's not a happy camper. Let's see what he does now. Think he'll demand a recount or another election? Can he call another election? This is going to be interesting.
Purrs,
Pookie

[PatrickHenry]

It shows that the elections are not manipulated. At least not well enough.

If the last US presidential election had been so honest, there would be a Democrat in the White House.

[K-D-K-D-K]

The last election WAS HONEST. BUSH won fair and square over Kerry.

[Pookie]

There are people who would, in fact, dispute those statements, KDKDK.
Stick to the topic. Now that Chavez's referendum sank like a rock, I wonder what he's going to do next. The Venezuelan election was indeed fair.
Purrs,
Pookie

[K-D-K-D-K]

There are people who would, in fact, dispute those statements, KDKDK.
Stick to the topic. Now that Chavez's referendum sank like a rock, I wonder what he's going to do next. The Venezuelan election was indeed fair.
Purrs,
Pookie
Chavez is a humanitarian and offered heating oil to the poor in America who couldnt afford it.

[preservanation]

I am somewhat shocked that this was defeated. It seems Chavez has some learning to do on how to fix referendums, elections he's pretty good at but he's still got some work to do in this area. He should consult his "How to be an Effective Dictator" manual or invite Ahmadinejad back, or better yet, the Iranian Clerics and Mullahs to Venezuela to get some pointers.

What's yet to be seen is whether Chavez will honor this referendum. I don't think there is anything in place to ultimately prevent him from just ignoring this and going on his merry way.

[PatrickHenry]

It's never good enuff for you, preserva.

If he manipulates the election he's a dictator.

If he doesn't he's plotting something else.

I love a guy with an open mind...

[AlanC]

He still has exceptional powers and a completely compliant legislature. He will find some subtle ways to punish both those that organized the opposition and those on his side that failed to deliver the votes he wanted. When that is done, he will be back with the most important of the provisions, his ability to run again, and then he will follow on with the rest in a more incremental fashion until he has what he wanted in the first place.

He still holds both the power and the means to buy compliance from his people. The euphoric affect of this won't last too long.

[preservanation]

It's never good enuff for you, preserva.

If he manipulates the election he's a dictator.

If he doesn't he's plotting something else.

I love a guy with an open mind...
I think he manipulated, just not good enough.
With the bugs worked out, organizers and media personalities jailed, look for a second referendum.
Practice makes perfect.

"Dictator for Life" is still a real possibility for our amigo bueno, Chavez.
Don't give up hope, you libs might still get you wish.

[Elrathin]

"Dictator for Life" is still a real possibility for our amigo bueno, Chavez.
Don't give up hope, you libs might still get you wish.


I am a liberal or (lib) as you like to call it, where have I ever called for Chavez to be a dictator?

And PH is right, you villify the guy to the point no matter what he does, he is still a villain to you.

[preservanation]

Sorry El, I forgot to exclude you from my blanket lib generalization.
I will be more careful in the future.

[Elrathin]

Sorry El, I forgot to exclude you from my blanket lib generalization.
I will be more careful in the future.


You're gonna have a lot of exclusions from your blanket statement because I'm pretty sure most if not all liberals on this board have not said anything along those lines either.

[preservanation]

Is "some libs" acceptable to you?
Most of my rants about libs are directed to elected Dems and the lib-mind-set anyway.
If you are going to target me over this, it will make it much harder to effectively express myself on this forum...or is that your intention?
Hmmm.....?
Vellly Innnnteresting.

[lawless168]

If the last US presidential election had been so honest, there would be a Democrat in the White House.


ROTFLMAO :lmao:

[Elrathin]

Is "some libs" acceptable to you?


See, that's not so hard now is it? :)



If you are going to target me over this, it will make it much harder to effectively express myself on this forum...or is that your intention?
Hmmm.....?
Vellly Innnnteresting.


The lib-mind set as a whole is not to allow Chavez to be a dictator either so you lost there as well.

I'm confused how debating without generalizations all the time makes it harder to express yourself?

[preservanation]

I know of no Cons who support Chavez,(do you?) only libs.

[Elrathin]

I know of no Cons who support Chavez,(do you?) only libs.


I know of no liberal that supports Chavez appointing himself dictator for life do you?

[preservanation]

What do some libs think Dictators do?....Sheesh.
A rudimentary understanding of what a dictatorial autocrat is would clear that one up.
When is the last time one heard of a socialist dictator relinquishing power willingly?
There are well established ways of getting around that pesky situation, and none of them are pretty.

[Elrathin]

What do some libs think Dictators do?....Sheesh.
A rudimentary understanding of what a dictatorial autocrat is would clear that one up.
When is the last time one heard of a socialist dictator relinquishing power willingly?
There are well established ways of getting around that pesky situation, and none of them are pretty.


Again you want to claim he can BECOME a dictator. The thing is right NOW he is not. Nor are there liberals in the U.S. that would support him if he became a dictator.

Using your logic, Bush could BECOME a dictator himself and declare martial law, so we should all be against Bush. That isn't the case though and it isn't the case for Chavez at the moment whether you like it or not.

Sorry but your generalizations are not correct.

In fact to add, I have seen more conservatives support Pakistan's President when he declared martial law and taking over the country than liberals that support Chavez.

[Truth_and_Power]

What do some libs think Dictators do?....Sheesh.
A rudimentary understanding of what a dictatorial autocrat is would clear that one up.
When is the last time one heard of a socialist dictator relinquishing power willingly?
There are well established ways of getting around that pesky situation, and none of them are pretty.


I think what you mean to say is that SOME libs think chavez is not intending to be a dictator. Not that I agree with them, but there is a difference. Call SOME libs naive if you want, but tyrannical they are not. If you want to rant on and on about "one lib to rule them all, one lib to bind them" stop by Clay's postssss.

[preservanation]

[hr]

What do some libs think Dictators do?....Sheesh.
A rudimentary understanding of what a dictatorial autocrat is would clear that one up.
When is the last time one heard of a socialist dictator relinquishing power willingly?
There are well established ways of getting around that pesky situation, and none of them are pretty.


I think what you mean to say is that SOME libs think chavez is not intending to be a dictator. Not that I agree with them, but there is a difference. Call SOME libs naive if you want, but tyrannical they are not. If you want to rant on and on about "one lib to rule them all, one lib to bind them" stop by Clay's postssss.
Now what did I do wrong?...Sheesh.
You guys are worse than the FCC.

[December]

The last election WAS HONEST. BUSH won fair and square over Kerry.


Hey...That was really funny. :madlaugh: :madlaugh: :madlaugh:
You can get a job at the Commedy Central.

[I Like Beer]

What do some libs think Dictators do?....Sheesh.
A rudimentary understanding of what a dictatorial autocrat is would clear that one up.
When is the last time one heard of a socialist dictator relinquishing power willingly?
There are well established ways of getting around that pesky situation, and none of them are pretty.


Again you want to claim he can BECOME a dictator. The thing is right NOW he is not. Nor are there liberals in the U.S. that would support him if he became a dictator.

Using your logic, Bush could BECOME a dictator himself and declare martial law, so we should all be against Bush. That isn't the case though and it isn't the case for Chavez at the moment whether you like it or not.

Sorry but your generalizations are not correct.

In fact to add, I have seen more conservatives support Pakistan's President when he declared martial law and taking over the country than liberals that support Chavez.


You said it, El.

[Pookie]

I never said anything about Chavez one way or another.
Interesting.
Purrs,
Pookie