Venezuela is about to bite the dust...

[jamil]

Aqueducts that fed the public baths were also public works.
Roman socialists - who knew?

I read somewhere that Nero was a closet Marxist. Had a Carl Marx poster hidden under his bed.

 

[Libertarian01]

I don't accept that services like police is socialist because it's not. I listed some of the ones that are socialist. BTW, Rome, for example, did provide a lot of government services. Public bath houses among them.

Aqueducts that fed the public baths were also public works.
Roman socialists - who knew?

I was rather hoping someone would overlook the Roman Republic, later Empire. They were truly unique in their vision of government and inclusion.

But overall, very few governments offered very few services to the general public.

I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree. I truly believe that any service the government provides is socialism, to a lessor or greater extent. I accept that you don't see it that way.

By the way, did you know Rome was very progressive in its day? They passed a law that if your child was born deformed you couldn't just kill it? You had to show it to at least one (1) neighbor before you threw it on the trash heap to die. Before that, you didn't need to show it to anyone, you could just take it to the trash heap and throw it away. This could have a strong impact on inheritance. So the law itself was very progressive in its day. Ah, the glory of Rome.

Regards,

Doug

 

[Lex Concord]

To me it's like people not wanting to call the Boston Tea Party a terrorist attack, but that is exactly what it was. It also happens to shine a very bad light on folks we want to adore and so folks are reluctant to see it that way.

By the way, what is so wrong with accepting that services provided by the government as socialist in nature? I think a large part of that answer is that folks don't want to acknowledge how socialist we already are.

Regards,

Doug

PS - I feel truly sorry for the folks in Venezuela. Maduro is a buttnugget and I hope he is removed from power as bloodlessly as possible. I also hope whoever takes his places cleans it up and makes it the most prosperous and happy country that it can be.

While your point about the tea party is well taken (yes, it was a criminal act), I think terrorism is a stretch.

Tresspassing? - check
Destruction of Private Property? - check
Rioting? Maybe...
I just don't see the intent to cause terror generally inherent in what one commonly thinks of with terrorism. The intent seems to have been to display rage, not invoke terror.

Agreed on folks not generally wanting to recognize reality wrt gov't services ant the implications thereof.

Also agreed that the folks of Venezuela have gotten a y taste of the joys of socialism. I pray they don't have to go too much deeper into the abyss, as they are yet far from the bottom.

 

[mmpsteve]

Also agreed that the folks of Venezuela have gotten a y taste of the joys of socialism. I pray they don't have to go too much deeper into the abyss, as they are yet far from the bottom.

I don't know. When you can't buy toilet paper, you're pretty close to the bottom.

.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I don't know. When you can't buy toilet paper, you're pretty close to the bottom.

.

Without toilet paper, you're a LOT closer to "the bottom" than you'd want to be. In fact, I'd say you're touching it.

 

[spencer rifle]

While your point about the tea party is well taken (yes, it was a criminal act), I think terrorism is a stretch.

“The Americans threw the tea overboard thus making the tea undrinkable – even for Americans.” - George Banks, Mary Poppins

 

[ATOMonkey]

It's funny how a couple dozen belligerent drunk guys in Boston changed the course of world history.

 

[ATOMonkey]

So we're hoping to induce/ control geopolitical regional stability, ok got it .

My history sucks but I'm pretty sure both Russia and China haven't had too much trouble controlling their regions and maintaining stability.

I'm thinking we pull everything outa that region, take that money and spend it on preparing our country for the inevitable day when they and their friends detach from the petro dollar .

A soften the blow kinda thing .

Afghanistan, Tibet, Mongolia, Taiwan, Ukraine, Georgia, etc.

There is plenty of instability to go around when people get tired of having a boot on their neck.

 

[Mikey1911]

Aqueducts that fed the public baths were also public works.
Roman socialists - who knew?

“Plebeians of Rome, arise! You have nothing to lose but your togas!”

 

[Thor]

This is your daily reminder that Socialism always ends in Starvation and Genocide.

That being said look how long the Castro's have held on to power, total failure does not necessarily lead to regime change. The starving and killing of political opposition can go on a long, long time.

You may vote for Socialism but you will have to shoot your way out of it...our only possible salvation would be the sheer number of weapons and ammunition out there.

 

[Libertarian01]

It's funny how a couple dozen belligerent drunk guys in Boston changed the course of world history.

Yep. Just 19 on 9/11; and just Gavrilo Princip on 28 June 1914.

Regards,

Doug

 

[Dead Duck]

US withdrawing remaining staff from embassy in Venezuela

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-withdrawing-remaining-staff-from-embassy-in-venezuela

 

[Ark]

Venezuela is now several days into a national blackout that the government is trying to blame on US sabotage. People dying in hospitals with no power, widespread looting, food supplies ruined by loss of refrigeration, looters being rounded up and disappeared to parts unknown.

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/11/702179263/this-is-going-to-end-ugly-venezuela-s-power-outages-drag-on

An interesting retraction this week. Remember those aid trucks that were supposedly torched by the regime? Turns out the trucks were actually set on fire by opposition protesters, possibly by accident.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/10/world/americas/venezuela-aid-fire-video.html

 

[KellyinAvon]

It looks like the prediction "things will get worse before they become better" was spot on.

 

[cobber]

Venezuela is now several days into a national blackout that the government is trying to blame on US sabotage. People dying in hospitals with no power, widespread looting, food supplies ruined by loss of refrigeration, looters being rounded up and disappeared to parts unknown.

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/11/702179263/this-is-going-to-end-ugly-venezuela-s-power-outages-drag-on

An interesting retraction this week. Remember those aid trucks that were supposedly torched by the regime? Turns out the trucks were actually set on fire by opposition protesters, possibly by accident.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/10/world/americas/venezuela-aid-fire-video.html

Eventually Maduro gets the Ceausescu treatment. That or he flees to Cuba.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

Eventually Maduro gets the Ceausescu treatment. That or he flees to Cuba.

I'm hoping for the former rather than the latter. The only good communist is a dead communist.

 

[BugI02]

What I find hard to understand is why these people want to steal and amass fortunes worth billions, but they never want to retire to some nice mansion on the cote d'azur. If you pack up before you commit any crimes against humanity, you should be able to live the good life and if you leave peacefully you can probably negotiate a back room agreement with the US and Interpol

I just don't see the endgame for literally being a dead-ender

 

[spencer rifle]

What I find hard to understand is why these people want to steal and amass fortunes worth billions, but they never want to retire to some nice mansion on the cote d'azur. If you pack up before you commit any crimes against humanity, you should be able to live the good life and if you leave peacefully you can probably negotiate a back room agreement with the US and Interpol

I just don't see the endgame for literally being a dead-ender

Follow the power.

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted." - Frank Herbert

 

[AmmoManAaron]

End stage socialism: people loot the bank, but leave the cash behind all over the street.

 

[actaeon277]

End stage socialism: people loot the bank, but leave the cash behind all over the street.

You can't eat money.