Chávez dead

[MadImmortalMan]

Goldman Sachs is in mourning.

[Admiral Yi]

I think the protocol has been to not shit in specifically eulogy (eulogic?) threads.

So for example if Mongers started a "RIP Kim Jong-un" thread, or if if Marty started a "RIP Wiktor Kzlkswki, Most Famous Polish Gay Activist" thread, it would be bad form to shit in those.

But this was started as a breaking news thread (I assume).

[Iormlund]

Correct.

[Josephus]

 

[CountDeMoney]

"RIP Wiktor Kzlkswki, Most Famous Polish Gay Activist"

LOL, "Wiktor"

[Sheilbh]

I find I've no opinion in the burgeoning 'I'm more progressive' fans v haters competition on the left over this. He always seemed to me like a leftist Latin American variation on Putin.

[Barrister]

I guess some of the more 'enthusiastic' contributors to this thread will demanding the utmost respect is shown in the future Thatcher RIP thread ?

I think people have been very restrained in this thread.

[mongers]

I find I've no opinion in the burgeoning 'I'm more progressive' fans v haters competition on the left over this. He always seemed to me like a leftist Latin American variation on Putin.

But you say that as an avowed blairite, so your disdain for the left and centre is inherent in your post. 

[Sheilbh]

But you say that as an avowed blairite, so your disdain for the left and centre is inherent in your post. 

Blairism's beyond left or right. It's forward!

[Razgovory]

I find I've no opinion in the burgeoning 'I'm more progressive' fans v haters competition on the left over this. He always seemed to me like a leftist Latin American variation on Putin.

Well Chavez took a fairly prosperous S. American country and managed to wrecked the economy.  Mostly he seems to be a blowhard who said incendiary things that pleased some of the anti-American kooks and warmed many a right wing heart with the idea there might still be dangerous leftists hiding in the jungles of South America planning the destruction of the US.

[Jaron]

Too soon?

[Admiral Yi]

   Too late.

[mongers]

I find I've no opinion in the burgeoning 'I'm more progressive' fans v haters competition on the left over this. He always seemed to me like a leftist Latin American variation on Putin.

Well Chavez took a fairly prosperous S. American country and managed to wrecked the economy.  Mostly he seems to be a blowhard who said incendiary things that pleased some of the anti-American kooks and warmed many a right wing heart with the idea there might still be dangerous leftists hiding in the jungles of South America planning the destruction of the US.

Depends how you define prosperous, if you mean a country with massive income and wealth inequalities, even by US standards, then perhaps. Previously a hell of a lot of the Venezuelan people didn't get much if anything out of their state.

Now you can bang on about the relative decline of the oil industry/economy, but some of his social policies have made some real impacts with the some of the country's poor.  Aren't governments supposed to do stuff like that or do you favour a Darwinian struggle for survival as a model for political structures ? 

Of course, GDP has declined, supposedly corrupt has got worse, from an already bad position, but he was after all the democratic choice of their system, let them do what they want and accept the consequences. 

But do carry on, as I find the more idealogical driven North American commentators in this thread rather amusing.   

[Ed Anger]

Oh, we find you equally as amusing. 

[Razgovory]

Well, a falling tide lowers all boats.  Now I'll admit that a lot of American right wingers had a weird fascination with the man, but let's not pretend he did a lot of good.