An excellent Rebuttal to Kerry's attack on democracy in Venezuela

[markus]

Check it out.

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=16662

[Jim Sagle]

1. Yeah - that's what we need. Let's have more attacks on our candidate.

[Terry_M]

2. Or we could blindly, unquestioningly follow our candidate...

Yeah, let's do that.

[Jim Sagle]

6. Or we could instead stay home and let w sneak in again.

THAT would fix Venezuela.

[Terry_M]

7. And

By not questioning and criticizing Our Great Candidate when appropriate, we could allow him to become the next w (however unlikely that is).

[markus]

8. No one is suggesting that

I will tell you after doing a lot of work through the local peace movement with past Nader supportes (many of whom were back in the Democratic fold in the Kucinch camp) that, if Kerry keeps up this sort of neo-Liberal crap, expect Kucinich to get 5% and another four years of Bush.

And it'll be Kerry's own damn fault. I'm not going to list to four more years of people blaming voters for rejecting defective Democratic candidates.

I'm donating to and working for and voting for the Democratic ticket. But others will not, and it will be *Kerry's* fault and not theirs if they do so, and he loses.

[markus]

3. Wow. You read it in five minutes

Very good.

Now, please explain *our* candidate's point?

Man, Kucinich has brought a lot of people who were out with Nader four years ago back into the party.

So, let's make a big jump out to the right-of-center to appeal to, well, who exactly? No one who is going to vote for Kerry. But, if Kerry keeps this sort of of nonsense up, I'm guessing Nader at 5% and Bush still in office come next February.

[TinaTyson]

4. An "Open Letter" someone (JudiLyn?) posted earlier today.

You Are Wrong on Venezuela, Senator
http://counterpunch.com/golinger03242004.html

As a registered Democrat who supports major changes to current US governance, I must express my utmost disappointment and disillusionment with your March 19, 2004 Statement on Venezuela. I am a US citizen of Venezuelan origin. I have voted on the democratic bill since I was first legally permitted to vote many years ago. Along with many other residents and citizens in this country, I believe the current US administration has acted in ways contrary to my beliefs and perceptions of democracy and progress, and has betrayed notions of what the United States of America should truly represent and pursue in the world community.

Up until Friday's statement, I had hope that you, as a presidential candidate, could offer the American people a true alternative and change from the brutal, insensitive and interventionist government we have had during the past four years. As a Venezuelan-American, I must tell you that your statement on Venezuela is not only highly misplaced, but also demonstrates how truly uninformed you are about the situation in Venezuela. It also leads me to believe that you have been influenced by interested parties insisting you take a stand on this issue in their favor.

You declare that international pressure should bear on President Chavez to allow the referendum to proceed, which clearly demonstrates your ignorance of the referendum process in Venezuela. As per the Venezuelan Constitution, certain procedures must first be completed before a recall referendum can be held on President Chavez' mandate, and those clamoring for the referendum have yet to fulfill the necessary requirements that would permit such a vote to take place. It may be easy for you to make a statement on an issue you do not fully understand or care about, merely to acquire approval from a targeted voting pool, yet I would warn you to not make such whimsical declarations without first examining the entire situation.

(more)

[teryang]

5. That was troubling

I guess he needs to prove his credentials with the bad guys who really run policy in DC. This is the signal: forget Iran-Contra I'm ready to play dirty pool.