DU link for "Take that Venezuela"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3169674Here are some of my responses on that thread:
''Take that, Venezuela." Hillary is either clueless or downright evil. ''I turn off a light and say, 'Take that, Iran,' and ''Take that, Venezuela.' We should not be sending our money to people who are not going to support our values,'' she said
Hillary is not talking about my values, or the values of the working class in America or in Venezuela. Hillary is speaking of her values, the values of the American and Venezuelan elites, the values of John Negroponte and Otto Reich, the values that led to a US instigated coup in Venezuela which thankfully failed.
We must redouble our effort to prevent this neolib/PPI imperialist version of a PNAC neocon from becoming President. Hillary will try to reconquer Latin America by either stealth or military force.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3169674#3169692 Hillary's recent statements, or lack of them, on LGBT rights, keeping a US footprint of troops and bases in Iraq past 2009, Venezuela, and other issues dear to progressives, are a big warning sign that she will split the party and polarize the Left were she to become the nominee.
In the event Hillary is elected President, be prepared for antiwar demonstrations to commemorate the start of the Iraq war to take place on March 2009, March 2010, and beyond.
Remember when Nixon turned a Democratic war into a Republican one?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3169674#3170211Hillary should read this 2004 open letter to John Kerry regarding Venezuela President Chavez’ goal, and the goal of peaceful Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela is to invest the country’s oil wealth in the people of the nation. Already many social reforms and programs have produced impressive benefits to the great majority of the population, many of whom have lived in dire poverty for decades. For example since 1998, 3 million people have received access to potable water for the first time and another 1 million have received sewage service. The military has built or refurbished over 30 thousand homes, built 700 new schools and refurbished over 2 thousand--employing 36 thousand new teachers. Over the past year 8 hundred thousand illiterates have graduated from the second phase of a 3 phase literacy program, 28 thousand children have received free vaccinations, and 18 million patients have been seen by clinic doctors in areas that had no medical facilities just 2 years ago. Thanks to micro-credits and grassroots empowerment, there are over 10 thousand cooperatives with over 6.5 thousand members. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of dollars have gone into the hands of women-owned, small businesses and cooperatives through the Women’s Bank. Landless campesinos have received over 2.5 million acres of productive land and over 30 thousand titles have been given to urban squatters. The airwaves have been opened up to accommodate dozens of independent radio and TV broadcasters who provide much needed uncensored news. These are just some of the current national programs; there are also tens of thousands of state, local, and community projects in complement. Mr. Kerry, in the past a minority of elite controlled the oil revenues of Venezuela; now the wealth of Venezuela belongs to all Venezuelans.
On May 27 you stated, “When the referendum process presented a legitimate challenge to his leadership, President Chavez lost an opportunity to demonstrate the popular support he claims to enjoy, instead showing a troubling disregard for the rule of law.” First, we would like to ask if you know of any other country, including our own, that has provided a Presidential recall referendum measure in their Constitution? Let us point out that it was President Chavez himself who proposed that a referendum be included in the Constitution in 1999. Second we would ask you to read the rule of law. The text of the 1999 Constitution in English can be found at:
http://cybercircle.org/english/constitution.html . It clearly spells out the steps for arriving at a referendum.
Chavez has followed these steps to the letter. Because this is a new Constitution and because the referendum process had never been tried before, there were many legal details that had to be worked out in court. These proceedings were absolutely necessary for defining the process and setting precedence for the future. Those advocating that Chavez “call for” a referendum vote were in effect advocating that he take a dictatorial stance over the judicial branch and diverge from the Constitution. This is the 26th Constitution of Venezuela. It is a fragile document that cannot afford to be undermined by political pressure. The Chavez government chose to stick by the Constitution and the rule of law instead of bowing to political pressure.
The signature drive for the recall came up short. Due to countless irregularities thousands of signatures were of undeterminable validity. Instead of throwing these out, the Chavez administration agreed to a repair process through which those whose signature was considered controversial, could verify their signature, thus allowing several thousands of suspect signatures to be included in the final count as well as tens of thousands of signatures to be proven fraudulent. The November 2000 elections in the US may have ended quite differently for us if a repair process had been invoked
http://wwww.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1198http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3169674#3169726 
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