Yes, because I have heard it from multiple sources.

All your information comes from right-winged sites so how does that help you cause

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=2042

This is slightly pro-Chavez but it is more un-biased than anything else I have read.

None of my information comes from "right-winged" sites, so it neither contributes nor detracts from any cause, if I had one.

"Slightly pro-Chavez"... imagine that for truth in reporting.

MoveOn.org is irrelevant. When it comes to spewing crap, the Rush Limbaughs get their talking points faxed daily from a White House with a long history of lying. Nothing comes close to their original sin ('Thouth shalt not lie') like wacko extremists who spew for the White House. When TheMercenary used the word 'spew', what he really means is that a liar is his love - Geroge Jr. He accuses others of spewing so that we will not notice that spewing only comes from wacko liars. Accuse someone else so that we don't see the real criminal.

Meanwhile, Chavez would be completely irrelevant and totally ignored except for one thing: wacko extremist and mental midget George Jr (and people like TheMercenary) blindly believe those lies.

America that was once popular with all Latin American nations has now become diminished - so little respected - in Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, etc. No wonder Clinton could even walk the streets of Vietnam and be welcome, whereas George Jr feared to even get out of black glass limos. Even his quick trip to Latin America meant massive security from people who hate liars. It says much about people that TheMercenary spews for.

Larry Birns, director of the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs, described the change, "In more than 40 years of monitoring, I have never seen the U.S. so isolated in Latin America and Cuba so not isolated."

Because of George Jr wackoism, many Latin American nations are, for the first time, restoring relations with Castro's Cuba. Uruguay - once one of the closest pro-western allies in Latin America and with a stable democracy is the latest to establish warm relations with Cuba - complete with a visit from their Navy. It says reams about the wacko extremism of George Jr who even speaks Spanish and still insults their pride.

Chavez would have been completely irrelevant if America had a president with any intelligence and a Vice President who did not go around shooting things such as friends and innocent civilians in other nations. But that means TheMercenary must stop using the 'spew' word and accept reality. Thanks to George Jr, even Castro is now becoming popular.

Really??? based on what facts? You are the Cellar's spokes person for MoveOn.Org. George? is that you?

Translation: I am so far on the fringe there's noone left on my right.;)

Depends on the issue.

The only way to get a monopoly is to get the government to enforce one -- a mechanism completely outside of the market. If no one ever does that thing, what occurs instead of monopoly is a free market, and a particularly advanced form of free market is capitalism. You could look it up.

Yes, of course you can not have a true monopoly in capitalism because if you run the only phone company in the state, I can make one myself. The problem is that I will never get off the ground so not have a true monopoly is irrelevant. You would still control the market and buy me or I would go out of business instantly.

Well that is not really a good example for you. For decades the phone system was a government protected monopoly. In 1984 the system was split up into the "baby bells" and AT&T and long-distance services were deregulated.

Since that time communications services have blossomed as never before and the price of voice communication has dropped like a rock. In 1984 the average long distance call in the USA was 40 cents/minute. That's your pre-Capitalism price, in 1984 dollars so you can pretty much double that.

People waited until 11pm to make cheaper calls, which were like 15 cents/min; just like now they wait until 9 for their unlimited nights n weekends to kick in.

At this time, it would be ridiculous to start a "traditional" phone company as VOIP explodes the idea of what a traditional phone company might possibly be. The cable cos get first crack at it, usually because they already have the rights-of-way to deliver wired services. (Read your deed, it's in there.)

I am making the point that capitalism is not perfect. I know it does have its benefits and has led us to what we have now but when it becomes out of control then it creates massive problems. Imperialism and class issues are the biggest in my opinion.

Hmmmm...Imperialism and America? Well I never...

There is nothing wrong with capitalism. The problem was, is, and always will be, people.
Capitalism built this country into a powerhouse when it was controlled by people that cared about this country. Now it's people that care only about the next fiscal quarter and themselves, that are selling out the country. Walmart is evil.

The same thing can be said about Communism then.

It is a perfect system until you add people and the real world.

The difference is communist has never worked, except in theory, whereas capitalism has.

That is like leaving a baby human and snake out in the woods and say snakes are better species because it is the only one that survived. Communism and socialism would have to be perfected before it becomes efficient while capitalism will work on the first try because of the set up.

No, Communism has been tried many, many times. It can't be perfected, it doesn't work.

But here's the thing about Capitalism PH: it can only be "imperialistic" if all sides agree to it.

You can't sell me something I don't want. In order for a sale to go through both parties agree that not only is it fair, it improves the condition for both buyer and seller.

Planned economies say that they locate massive problem conditions and solve them systematically. But they don't, and the reason they don't is that they cannot possibly be aware of all conditions everywhere. An economy is a highly complex system, so complex that each individual in it is performing work for it all the time. As I drive down the street choosing what burger to get, I am unconsciously improving the system. The choice informs the system what is needed/desired at what price. Information about what I'm choosing is so valuable that many retailers are willing to give up their entire profit just to find out what it is. (see supermarket "club cards")

There are have been many versions of communism that have been tried. I personally don't think communism will ever work though.

The theory has good ideas, just that it hasn’t been formed in a useable way.

The ones usually agreeing are usually the ones in power which will naturally pick capitalism. The people sometimes think differently.

You are right though, Venezuela is fighting imperialism right now because the ones in power don't want it.

This is true and is probably one of the left's biggest weaknesses. Leftist economies tend to have different goals then right economies though so it will sometimes be compromised. Though I will admit I don’t know everything about socialist theory and economics so I can’t give very strong answers in that area.

Versions of communism? There is a basic flaw to communism that working harder gains you nothing... unless you more equal than others.

The ones in power tend to pick whatever retains their power, which tends to not be capitalism. Big companies favor protectionist government policies that lock in their advantages.

Stalinism and Maoism, they are not true communist examples but spin-offs. Either way I don't think it matters because a right-winged society could never turn into a left-winged society by revolution, the mindsets needed to succeed are so different that it would tear the left-winged societies apart, like it has.

Left-winged societies need a mentality of community instead of the individual and that could attribute to some of the laziness that comes with a true far left society. I don’t believe there has to be a hierarchy of some kind but it can be much different from the ones in our society.

It is usually foolish for a leader to pick a non-capitalistic economy though. The US and Europe will work against you and may even establish a coup to take you down if they don't like you enough. It is not worth it to many rulers. Plus, the rulers can get richer with capitalism which will give them more power.

Communism fails because people just plain suck.

"Oh yeah, I'm gonna take power here, absolute power, but just for a little while! Yeah, just long enough to get this place nice and communized! ...Actually I think I like this dictator business, nevermind on that other bit."

"Communism: interesting idea. Wrong species." -- Edmund O. Wilson

Pierce, even you, naive college-age boy that you are, and perfectly in that inexperienced demographic that the collectivist activists try and recruit in -- campus socialists tried it with me at your age, but didn't know I was too smart for them -- should simply jettison any ideas that communism is valid for any species not "designed for it by evolution" to quote Heinlein yet again (like unto the voice of God).

Do you read my posts? I said I don't think communism will ever work.

Pure equality won't get anything done, you need some hierarchy but it still can be in ways that are we are not used too now. You don't need to make doctor's to be paid 6 digits before people will becoming doctors instead of labor workers, you can use other methods.

Saying that, I still think doctor's and labor worker's pay should be different if I ever had an opinion in a left-winged society.