VENEZUELA: Fiesta y complejidades de la democracia

anarkismo.net

Emilio Ichikawa

La última vez que conversé con el periodista Adolfo Rivero Caro dedicó la mayor parte del tiempo a cuestionar que la democracia fuera un valor político absoluto. De algún modo esto era algo osado en el menú intelectual de un anticastrista, pues deshabilitaba uno de los argumentos más esgrimidos contra el régimen de La Habana. Si de pronto el anticastrismo empezaba a asumir la crítica de la democracia “burguesa” (Rivero Caro conocía la teoría y la praxis comunista), perdía sentido que se objetara a Fidel Castro por dictador.

Rivero Caro había entendido la trampa de la democracia chavista en su trato frecuente con exiliados venezolanos en Miami. Aquel día habló más de Venezuela que de Cuba, al parecer porque creía que ayudar a sacar a Chávez del poder era más útil que seguir intentándolo con Castro a la altura de medio siglo de aquel 1959. Sucede que si la democracia no es lo suficientemente próspera para que la sumatoria de clase media y alta funcione como mayoría, los pobres o los humildes se impondrán políticamente por neta preponderancia cuantitativa. [negritas y subrayados -lg]

Claro que esto lo habían comprendido antes Truman y Mr. Marshall, que tuvieron que llenar Europa de mulas, papas y dólares para evitar que el comunismo (incluso el stalinismo) sedujera a la geografía oeste de la postguerra: “Nadie le gana a los comunistas si hay que competir en un contexto de pobreza”, era el presupuesto del plan Marshall. Así y todo, los rojos casi se llevan a Italia tras la cortina de hierro.  Mas >>

Iran's goverment controlling national cyberspace

AlJazeeraEnglish 

With presidential elections coming up in 2013, the Iranian government is determined to win the information battle.

Deadly shooting mars new Quebec premier’s victory rally

Paul Chiasson / The Canadian Press via AP

Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois is whisked off stage as she delivers her victory speech in Montreal on Tuesday.

By NBC News staff and wire reports

MONTREAL -- A masked gunman opened fire during a midnight victory rally where the leader of Quebec's separatist Parti Quebecois was celebrating a narrow election win in the Canadian province, killing one person and wounding another.

Pauline Marois, newly elected as the first female premier of Quebec, was whisked off the stage by guards while giving her speech and was uninjured. It was not clear if the gunman was trying to shoot Marois, whose party favors separation for the French-speaking province from Canada.

Montreal police Cmdr. Ian Lafreniere identified the gunman only as a 50-year-old man and said he opened fire in the back of the hall while Marois was giving her victory speech to hundreds of supporters at the Metropolis auditorium. She had just declared her firm conviction that Quebec needs to be a sovereign country before she was pulled off the stage.More >>

The Mexican elections and their impact on the drug war

Just the Facts/  By intern

Vázquez Mota, Peña Nieto y López Obrador

During the second and final presidential debate on June 10, the three main candidates in the Mexican election discussed how they would move forward in the continuing drug war. All three pledged a different strategy to that which has been carried out by current president Felipe Calderón, who has focused on using the armed forces as the main form of attack during his tenure. This has led to a death toll "which has spiraled out of control during Mr. Calderón's six-year tenure." Each candidate has mentioned reducing the body count, although the manner in which they plan to achieve this differs.

Below is an overview of the three candidates' strategies for combating the violence in Mexico.

The three candidates:

Enrique Peña Nieto: The current front-runner, for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), stated recently in an interview with the New York Times that

The adjustment in the strategy is to focus on decreasing violence [as opposed to reducing drug trafficking]. And that means that the whole Mexican state, jointly between the three levels of government‚ - state, federal and municipal‚ - should really focus its efforts on combating homicide and the impunity that is a given in many of the homicides committed, as with kidnapping and extortion.

Peña Nieto's promises include:

• Bringing more police to less populated areas. "There are too few police, sometimes without equipment, without weapons, and organized crime . . . ends up easily getting there and taking over these places with small populations."
• Focusing on "combating homicide and the impunity that is a given in many of the homicides committed, as with kidnapping and extortion" primarily through cutting corruption.
• While Peña Nieto says he will continue to work with the United States, he has made clear that Mexico should not be "subordinate to the strategies of other countries."
• Peña Nieto has said he would hire former Colombian police chief, Oscar Naranjo, as a security advisor. A move which could mean continued strong U.S.-Mexican cooperation, according to the Washington Post.

One question being asked is whether Mr. Peña Nieto really would be a new leader for the PRI or simply a return to the old guard which ruled the country for 71 years and which many allege allowed the cartels to exist in return for benefits for the government.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador: AMLO, as he is often known, represents a leftist, three-party coalition called the Progressive Movement. He is a returning candidate who narrowly lost the 2006 election to current president Calderón. López Obrador has had to change his campaign strategy for this election and distance himself from his failed attempt at the presidency, although his attitude towards the drug war has not changed hugely.

AMLO's promises include:

• A holistic strategy he has dubbed "Abrazos, no balazos," or "Hugs, not bullets," which focuses on reducing unemployment and fostering economic growth to end the drug war.
• A new federal police force to replace the army in the streets, though he has not elaborated on how this would be organized.
• He has not ruled out legalizing drugs, but will consult with experts and local governments.
• On collaboration with the U.S.: Rather than increased or continued U.S. military aid, AMLO argues that Mexico would benefit more from receiving economic credits that could be used for social programs.

Although polls present differing views of how close the election is currently, López Obrador is generally agreed to be in second place.

Josefina Vázquez Mota: Vázquez Mota is the first female presidential candidate fielded by a major political party in Mexico, representing the Partido Acción Nacional or PAN, the party of current president Calderón.

Her promises include:

• A return to law and order by establishing a well paid, well-trained police force from within the community.
• A four-pillar approach focusing on security, well-being, productivity, and a sustainable Mexico.
• On collaboration with the U.S.: "We have to continue strengthening our relationship with the United States" in an effort to move forward with the drug war.

This is markedly different from Calderón's increased use of the army in an attempt to tackle corruption within the police force. Although Vázquez Mota was second in the polls at one point, in the past month she has slipped down to third place behind López Obrador.

The election outcome

Only one of these candidates will have the opportunity to take their proposed policies forward past the July 1st election. Although polls currently suggest Peña Nieto is the favorite to win, there has been some indication that the Yarrington scandal, in which President Calderón has accused a former governor and member of the PRI for alleged links with drug cartels and corruption, has damaged the perception of Peña Nieto by association. With just under two weeks remaining, it remains to be seen if he can hold his lead.

People Power in Bolivia Hits the Internet

Why Nations Fail/

In our last post on Bolivia, we argued that a broad coalition, the type of movement with the potential to create real institutional change, could have formed in Bolivia. One of our pieces of evidence was that the grassroots politics which helped Evo Morales and his movement MAS to come to power could not easily be controlled — not even by Morales himself. As a result, grassroots movements may have started not only wrestling power from the old elites but also disciplining MAS. We gave the example of the campaign to “Anulo su Voto” last year, where people cast empty ballots to protest the MAS’s domination of the appointment of candidates to different judicial bodies.  More >>

Pro-bailout party wins Greek election

By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services

Updated at 4:49 p.m. ET: ATHENS - The pro-bailout New Democracy party came in first Sunday in Greece's national election, and its leader has proposed forming a pro-euro coalition government.

"The Greek people voted today to stay on the European course and remain in the euro zone... there will be no more adventures, Greece's place in Europe will not be put in doubt," New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said.

He said voters chose "policies that will bring jobs, growth, justice and security."

His party beat the anti-bailout Syriza party, which wanted to cancel Greece's international bailouts.

Syriza chief Alexis Tsipras conceded the election but vowed to continue its fight against the punishing terms of an EU/IMF bailout saving the country from bankruptcy.

"From Monday, we will continue the fight," Tsipras told supporters. "A new day for Greece has already dawned.

An official projection released by the interior ministry showed conservative New Democracy taking 29.5 percent, with the radical leftist Syriza bloc just behind at 27.1 percent. The PASOK Socialists were set to take 12.3 percent.

Because of a 50-seat bonus given to the party which comes first, that result would give New Democracy and PASOK 161 seats in the 300-seat parliament, in an alliance committed to a 130 billion euro ($164 billion) EU/IMF bailout keeping the country from bankruptcy.   More >>

The Irish referendum: A battle of conflicting emotions

EconomistMagazine

400 protesters arrested hours before Vladimir Putin’s return to Russian presidency

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 Read >>

Sarkozy concedes defeat to Hollande in French presidential vote

they get what they are looking for but enjoy it and  shut out your mounth.

Read >>

Boris Johnson Re-Elected Mayor of London

By EconomistMagazine

Read >>

Also >>

 

Child actors shame Mexico's politicians with mockumentary

Read >>

Bob Rae Liberals look for money from public to save them from Big Bad Tories

CFP/ Judi McLeod 

Little did the Obama Team’s Director of Communications Jason Rosenbaum know when he passed along Number 7041885, falsely naming Canada Free Press (CFP) as a ‘Friend’ and ‘Supporter’  to Canadian Liberals,  that it would shine the light on the direct link that exists between the Obama Democrats and the Canadian Liberals.

Liberal MP Justin Trudeau included CFP on a nation-wide call for donations in an email yesterday.  Trudeau (yes, the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the same one that eliminated property rights in the repatriated Canadian Constitution)  lists CFP as ‘Friend’ and ‘Supporter—just like Rosenbaum.

Number 7041885 is getting tired of hits for money we would never send the Lib/Left.

When it comes to both fundraising technique and computer software, the Obama Dems and Canadian Liberals are playing ‘toesies’ in the same plumped up feather bed.

The Obama Team pesters ‘supporters’ for “just $5” from lists shared by representatives and senators to save them from yet another fundraising deadline.  The Canadian Liberals pare it down to $4.

And get this for blatant Canadian Liberal hypocrisy: “With just 12 hours left on the clock and $53,613 needed to reach our $200,000 goal—it’s time to decide if you will stand up to the Republican-style attacks that are cheapening Canada’s politics.” (See below).

That’s the opening of the email Justin Trudeau sent Monday.

“2,667 Liberals—more than half first-time donors—have already made their choice, and they’re hoping you, too, will stand with them against these poisonous politics.”

It’s “cheapening Canadian politics” and “poisonous politics” alright when the Liberals expect the Canadian public to pay for attack ads for Liberals just to get even with Conservatives.

When the going gets tough, the Liberals run to the public at large to pay for the challenging business of being in politics.  At the departure of failed Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, successor Bob Rae went on line asking the public to pay for the Liberal website.  That was back in early January.  Now the Liberals want public funds to pay for television ads responding to the Conservative ones reminding people that Liberal Leader Bob Rae and the Socialist Premier who left a legacy of high deficits in Ontario are one and the same.

Even after a lifetime in politics, Rae, who once turned over control of Ontario Hydro to UN Poster Boy Maurice Strong, who in turn wanted Ontario to invest in Costa Rican rain forests, does not seem to know that he should pay his own way.

“The federal Liberals are vowing to “fight fire with fire” in response to a new Conservative ad attacking interim Liberal leader Bob Rae that will hit television screens this week.” (thestar.com, March 19, 2012). “The ad, posted to YouTube on Monday, criticizes Rae’s record when he was premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995—a period marked by high deficits and one of the worst recessionary periods in the province’s history.” 

“If he couldn’t run a province, why does he think he can run Canada?” says the announcer in the ad, which also claims that Rae turned Ontario into the “welfare capital of Canada”.

“Liberal spokesperson Daniel Lauzon said in an email that his party will be asking Canadians to contribute financially to its response to the Tory ad—a notable departure from previous policy that saw former party leaders Michael Ignatieff and Stéphane Dion largely ignore such attacks.”

If the idea that sees the Liberals running to Canadian taxpayers to cover their “fight fire with fire” battle against the Tories is ludicrous, their being caught red-handed in using Obama Team fundraising tactics and software is high comedy.   More >>

After 15 years of house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi campaigns

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Canada - What did Jack Layton mean?

"But instead of taking a solid gain for working families, Layton concentrated on developing the NDP around his own personality. The result? Rather than functional, technocratic socialism, today we have Raffi socialism".   More >>

More than 20,000 on Anti-Putin Rally in Moscow

Obama working on the Fundamental Transformation of Canada

Canadian Free Press/ By Judi McLeod 

News guaranteed to shake Canadians off their duffs: Obama covets Canada.

King-of-the-World-Legend-in-his-own-Mind Barack Obama sees Canada not as a Parliamentary Democracy, but as part of his Marxist-inspired empire.

Nine months after Canada’s May 2011 federal election where Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper took 40% of the vote winning 166 seats for his first majority, the same groups that put Obama in the office to which they are hellbent to return him come November 6,  work to overturn the results of the Canadian election. 

The coming battle for the protection of Canadian sovereignty could be called the People’s War against a North American Union on Steroids.

Overturning Canadian democracy is being aided and abetted by the leaders of documented Obama groups,  including Ben Brandzei, a former advocacy director for Moveon.org, as well as Ross McGregor, Director of the Tides Canada Foundation.  And yes, that is the Canadian branch of George Soros’ Tides Foundation. 

Virtually and almost overnight,  Arab Spring has become Canadian Spring.

Glenn Beck boosted Sun Media’s exposé on the attack on Canadian democracy on GBTV last night.

Canadian alert: Spooky Dude has come to Dodge.

Thanks to the Andrew Breitbarts of Canada at Sun News Network, the stealth attack on Canadian democracy didn’t go down without a shot to Canadian adrenaline: “While the United States presidential election is raging on, several Canadian politicians are complaining about what they call “American-style dirty tricks” up north—specifically, the increasing use of robocalls.  The problem is that many of the politicians complaining about this behavior are themselves working closely with American left-wing groups closely affiliated with the Obama campaign. (Sun News Network’s Brian Lilley).

 

“What has happened is that the left has imported what they claim they hate…

“This group has an entire campaign to push people to contact Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the other party leaders, RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson and William Corbett, the Commissioner of Canada Elections—he’s the lead investigator for any wrongdoing in the election…

“These are high level Americans with deep ties to the left wing of the Democratic Party now trying to overturn Canadian democracy.”

Activists behind the move are claiming that an online petition represents a “grassroots” move of the Canadian people.  Social media has become Socialist media in this Web grassroots petition.

In short, the “grassroots” is the same group of New Democrat Party, Liberals and the Greens who tried to form the coalition to take down the Stephen Harper Government when it was still in its second minority status.

They may sound new on the latest news-bite, but they are the same old-same old.

Canadians who care about sovereignty should know that the NDP, the Liberals and the Greens are now working in tandem with Obama on what boils down to the Fundamental Transformation of Canada.

While Obama and his activists have worked an agenda that will push America into the abyss, the Canadian far left have been working their way out of the nine-month-old tizzy the last federal election left them in. 

The far-left dubbed “Scary” Stephen Harper got his majority leaving the left with no battle ground from which to con Canadian voters.  Well regulated Canadian banks are safe and Canada is one of the few western countries not headed towards certain bankruptcy.

When Obama threw Israel under the bus, Harper took a strong stand to support it, which he continues to the present day.

When Obama turned up his imperious nose at the 30,000-plus job-providing Keystone Pipeline, Harper looked to China as a customer for Canadian oil.

Obama tries to force world-failed Socialism on the USA.  Harper leads Canada from the values of small-c conservatism.

The once preposterous warning that the US would annex Canada is now reality with Obama in the White House.

Meanwhile, there’s no better time than today for Canadians to kickstart the ‘Back Off Baraka’ Campaign.

Sarkozy: France has too many immigrants

By Reuters

French President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed during a TV debate on Tuesday to halve the number of immigrants and impose a minimum tax on profits of big listed companies as he sought to bolster support for his re-election bid in April.

Sarkozy, grilled by veteran Socialist Laurent Fabius and journalists for three hours on the primetime show, defended his record on tax reform, public finances, and unemployment - which rose on his watch as economic crisis battered the world.

The conservative leader, lagging behind Socialist challenger Francois Hollande in the polls, was also made to apologize for old gaffes and explain his personality traits in a lengthy section about awkward moments in his early presidency.

Sarkozy, said by critics to pander too much to the far right as he seeks to maximize support for the April 22 first round, said he would cut the number of immigrants to 100,000 a year from 180,000 and tighten up the rules on foreigners' access to French nationality and benefits.

The debate with Fabius - a former finance and prime minister who is destined for a top job if Hollande wins - comes as Sarkozy is struggling in opinion polls. Having gained a few points at the start of his campaign, Sarkozy slipped back last week as he suffered setbacks on the campaign trail.

Hollande, who launched his campaign months before Sarkozy, regained momentum by proposing a 75 percent tax rate on earnings above a million euros, a move 61 percent of French people would support, a poll by TNS Sofres and Mediaprism showed.

Quizzed about the economy, Sarkozy said that while Germany remained a model to be emulated, France had held up better than much of Europe in the crisis. More >>

Canada: "Robocall" at the House

By Aaron Wherry 

From QP this afternoon, a classic of the genre

Bob Rae. Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives cannot even answer an interesting, clear, factual question. A poll was commissioned by the Conservative Party. The Conservative candidate said, “It was not me; it was the party”. The government House leader said, “It is okay, it is just free speech”, and the Speaker of this House said, “It is reprehensible”. I am asking a very simple, direct question to the Government of Canada. Does it agree with the Speaker of this House that such a tactic, spreading false information, carrying out a poll based on a false assumption, is reprehensible? Does the government agree with that, yes or no?
Dean Del Mastro. Mr. Speaker, it is reprehensible to make baseless, unsubstantiated smears in this House. That is what the leader of the Liberal Party has undertaken for more than the past week. The leader of the Liberal Party knows full well, every household that they called, every originating phone number they called them from, and in fact when those calls were made. When will he make those phone records public, because I believe when those phone records are made public, the Liberal Party will have fingered itself for each and every one of these calls that they allege had taken place.

Mass arrests as anti-govt protesters stage Moscow sit-in

Russia Spring: ‘iPads have replaced rifles,’ says blogger

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