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Obvious difference is the bank bailouts, auto bailouts etc. are because they are coming hat in hand to Washington begging for money. Chavez is walking in with armed goons and telling people they work for the government now. You won't find Democrats supporting that.



I think the point is that little of Obama's spending increases over the next 2 years has anything to do with corporate welfare or the economy, maybe 25% tops. I think the idea is that Obama is using deficit financing to do Harry Hopkin's idea from the 1930's "Spend and Elect!"

I don't think that's Obama's primary goal, but hey, if he gets re-elected before people understand the cost of those deficits who's complaining, right?

Chavez has a lot of support from the non-productive parts of Venezuelan society. Were giving them lots of handouts to make them productive that would be fine, but usually tax&spend governments prefer the electorate not get too educated lest the people get "Ideas".

Chavez's plans depend on high oil prices. Oil production in Venezuela is already falling and not likely to rise soon. He's going to have to reign in his foreign adventurism and focus on the home team in the hopes of surviving until oil recovers.

Chavez likes to think of himself as the next Castro. But Castro is smart - perhaps the quintessential evil genius - and Chavez is not in Castro's class...
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"If they can't picture me with a knife, forcing them to strip in an alley, I don't want any part of it. It's humiliating." - windsock