The New York Times (and taco stand) is at it again. This time with a really shameful attempt to deflect what is going on in Venezuela just to try and stick it to the President.
Because no Socialist regime EVER has committed the sins of corruption and absence of democratic process, that is something unheard of in the former Soviet Union, in Cuba, Zimbabwe, etc. As fo the rule of law, Maduro has followed the law plenty, but then again he had it written on his favor.
I am so for the NTY to sell its building and have it redesigned as unchecked homeless shelter and shooting gallery. At least the quality of people inside would be better.
Maybe rather than selling it, they should do the Socialist thing and donate it, right?
“But analysts say that corruption, lack of the rule of law and the absence of democracy–all the hallmarks of a dictatorship–have played just as big or larger roles.”
Those are features, not bugs. Since when (except in the minds of the true believers) have socialist societies NOT became dictatorships?
How do these assholes sleep at night? They know damn well that the article is a load of crap — that’s why they wrote it. They know that it will cause borderline socialists, who were beginning to open their minds to get the true picture, to shut up and go, “Oh, OK. Those sneaky Republicans are at it again. I read it in the NYT, so it has to be true!”
It’s funny- the only time one can honestly say “That’s Not Real Socialism” is when they bring up Scandinavia.
“the absence of democracy”? Wait a minute. Weren’t they just screaming the other day that opposition to the Ven. gov’t was wrong because it WAS a democracy?
They’re not keeping their talking points straight.
The ghost of Walter Duranty still wanders the halls of the NYT.
The fact is that real socialism IS corruption. It cannot be anything else.
Let’s examine this for a few seconds.
Socialism replaces money with political influence as the asset used to get ahead in society. They do this by promising, and to a certain extent delivering on the living wage, basic income, everyone gets a good place to live and free healthcare.
What does anyone “really” need? My 20+ year old car provides me 90% of the utility of that rich guy’s brand new 7 series. It gets me to where I want to go, it keeps the elements away from me, and it provides protection in the event of a crash.
My 1,200 sq ft house also provides about the same utility as Mr. Rich Guy’s 10,000 sqft mansion. Shelter, warmth, privacy.
That guys computer does not work any better than mine does.
So, one would think that if I can get, without working, 90% of what that schmuck has with a high stress job, I would be perfectly happy.
Too bad, humans do not, as a group, work that way.
Let’s consider a socialist paradise. Everyone has all their basics provided, food, utilities, housing, entertainment, etc… Is everyone happy? No. Why not? Because that person has more, or that person’s apartment has a better view, or whatever. But, you decided that not working was better than working so you took what the government provided. In other words, you are lazy.
And, when lazy people are not happy, they do what? They petition the government to take from those that earn and give it to those that do not earn. Oh… wait. We already have that, and I still do not have everything I want.
Well, a hard working person would go out and earn more, but we have already established that socialists are lazy, so instead of trying to earn more money and improve my life, I will try to gain more political influence. It is a lot easier than working. (Or thinking for that matter).
Thus, political influence becomes the new currency. The more political influence you have, the better your life becomes in a socialist country, Run for office, not because you want to help the little guy, but because you want to get a nicer car, or a better place to live. And, the camel’s nose is under the tent flap. Corruption is not a bug of socialism, it is a feature.