Quote of the day 20th September 2017

I don't often agree with Donald J Trump, but this comment he has made about the role of Socialist policies in creating the current human and economic disaster in Venezuela is the exception that proves the rule:





"The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been badly implemented but that socialism has been faithfully implemented."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Privatise the NHS then
8:47 am
Jim said…
But why is Venezuala such a problem to the USA now?, especially since last Wednesday
9:49 am
Chris Whiteside said…
There is no such thing as a pure capitalist or pure socialist economy anywhere in the world - every actual society has market elements and command/state elements and the challenge is getting a mix that works.

In the UK - unlike America - nearly everyone thinks that the mix which we want includes a health service free at the point of delivery and largely funded from general taxation.

It is perfectly possible to support that view of the sort of mixed economy you want and still agree with Trump that the drive for a highly socialist economy has been a disaster in Venezuela (and everywhere else it has been tried.)

Doubt if the USA regards the situation in Venezuela as a particular problem to their own country, Jim, but it is still a human disaster for the people of Venezuela.
10:06 am
Jim said…
thats quite a way do dance around a question Chris, let me ask it another way, why has the USA became interested all of sudden since they ditched the Petrodoller?
1:54 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
I didn't dance around the question at all Jim.

First I responded to the other post by explaining why I think it is possible to agree with Trump's point and not want to privatise the NHS.

Then I responded to your question. And as I apparently didn't make my answer clear let's approach it from another angle.

US relations with the government of Venezuela have been extremely poor since George W Bush's time and remained so throughout the Obama administration, so it would be fair to say that Chavez and Maduro have managed to wind up US administrations of both parties.

The USA has not made any secret about a long list of issues including trade, failure to co-operate against terrorism, human rights, erosion of democracy, drugs, and yes, currency restrictions including those on the dollar, over which they are unhappy with the Venezuelan regime.

However, I don't think they are a serious threat to the USA. the main reason they have infuriated successive US administration is that Chavez and his successor went out of their way to do so!
8:06 pm
Anonymous said…
It doesn't take much to wind up the Donald, a full head of hair is all it takes.
12:19 am
Chris Whiteside said…
True, thought it took more to wind up "W" and more still to wind up Barak Obama and they managed that too.
8:33 am
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