If you had to live in one NON WHITE country in the world...

[Ant]

Virtuso.  It's not exactly on this issue, but here is a relevant link

[King Tech Quadafi]

.  He is also doing many things that are bad for his country.  Like nationalizing industry.

i agree with u on the minimum wage, but again, I dont understand why you insist we dont speak definitively but then you do. you cannot say wholeheartedly that nationalizing industry is a completely bad move. like you said it has its tradeoffs. it makes foreign investment risky, but it also increases venezuelas share of that oil. but from what i know, he hasnt nationalized EVERTYHING nor does he plan on,.

and im sure no one here thought for one second venezuela is a paradise just cuz we think his leader recites great speeches.

as for the rest of ur points, fair enough u make a solid argument. although do understand, ALOT of the anti chavez talk coming out of venezuela is mainly the business class bitchin. now do they have a right to bitch, sure, but there is alot of skewed information out there,

[Suga Foot]

I was gonna come in here and read some replies, but it's looks like I've entered a full blown article fight, so I'll just leave.

[King Tech Quadafi]

I was gonna come in here and read some replies, but it's looks like I've entered a full blown article fight, so I'll just leave.

actually there was no articles here....just some good ole fashioned science droppin

[Diabolical]

Bradford.

[Ant]

.  He is also doing many things that are bad for his country.  Like nationalizing industry.

i agree with u on the minimum wage, but again, I dont understand why you insist we dont speak definitively but then you do. you cannot say wholeheartedly that nationalizing industry is a completely bad move. like you said it has its tradeoffs. it makes foreign investment risky, but it also increases venezuelas share of that oil. but from what i know, he hasnt nationalized EVERTYHING nor does he plan on,.

and im sure no one here thought for one second venezuela is a paradise just cuz we think his leader recites great speeches.

as for the rest of ur points, fair enough u make a solid argument. although do understand, ALOT of the anti chavez talk coming out of venezuela is mainly the business class bitchin. now do they have a right to bitch, sure, but there is alot of skewed information out there,

A few things...

- It's difficult not to speak with certainty, so we're all prone to it.  We wouldn't be saying stuff if we didn't believe its true, and its time consuming to lead every statement with "this is just what I believe, it may not be accurate"  Anyways, my point is, most of my opinions are the result of substantail self-criticism.  I'm always trying to get things right, and frequently flip flop when presented with new information that seems relevant.  On the other hand, virtuoso and others seem to often speak with certainty when they've made minimal effort to contemplate the opposing viewpoint.

- No one thinks venezuela is a paradise.  But Chavez is inappropriately worshipped as a liberal hero based on very limited information.  Most liberals love him because he talks bad about Bush, but have limited knowledge of his actual policies.  People cite random statistics that are in his favor, but obviously took little time to consider what information may disagree with the view of Chavez as a liberal hero. 

- Actually, I'm keenly aware a lot of the Chavez bitching comes from the business class. And, this is exactly the problem.  It's wrong to think that a society can improve its well-being without the support of the business class.  Businesses are what lift people out of poverty - not government hand-outs.  When I say Chavez is not a liberal savior, I say it mainly for this reason.  His policies are anti-business.  Businesses are scared to operate in Venezuela because of Chavez.  Without businesses how does an economy support its people?  They can't just live off of oil revenues forever, and that is another reason why Chavez has issues.  He's using an asset that he did not create to buy support.  Without oil revenues his policies would be disasterous... so why is it his right to spend the oil revenues to win public support?    His policies in many ways are very similiar to bush's.  Take advantage of short-term gains to win political points... Bush raises government spending, which has short-term benefits (ie a raise in spending pushes the economy to grow) but long-term consequences (ie. blowing oil revenues makes you look like a hero, but your country pays for it eventually). 

- If chavez wanted to do good, he could focus on helping his economy grow, instead of scaring away businesses.  He could try to make their banking system more efficient.  He could be working to improve transporation.  The airports in venezuela are horrible, and Chavez is making them worse.  He gave a monopoly on air travel to venezuelan firms by kicking out foreign firms.  When I was in venezuela it took me half a day to cash a check for 1,000 US dollars.  That's absolutely ridiculous.  Businesses can't fuction well when its that difficult to transfer money.  And they certainly can't function well, when the president is going around nationalizing some industries, and heavily regulating others. 

Anti-business = Anti-society.... unfortunately, far-left liberals don't want to realize this much.  People like Bill Clinton knew it tho.

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

Cambodia, or maybe Thailand

[Mo Z. Dizzle]

Japan

[big mat]

nationalizing an industry is real good for a country who wants to get out of a poor periode. Just look at quebec, when they nationalized the hydroelectricity, this made quebec enter the 20 century in force and now that province is equal to the rest of the country.

[WestCoasta]

a non-white country?   why, I'd rather be dead sir

[LooN3y]

anybody that pickd a 3rd world country or a communist country or post-communist country is full of shit. u would not live there fucking idiots. i doubt u guys would put your money where yo mouth if if u kno what i mean.

[eS El Duque]

Probably Japan or UAE

[Dubz]

dominican republic