I used to love sleeping in a tent in the back garden.
What is better exactly? Living longer, education, Health or is it being in a country with a small elite, with little prospect of you ever entering that elite, while at the same time you starve in a sea of ignorance. I know what I would choose.
That's basic Stacky but it's well beyond you to even contemplate that.
I was not comparing both countries , that is what you have done, read before you post.I stated that there might be a crisis in the States due to inequality, which has also been pointed out by such eminent people as Warren Buffet etc... You are probably more qualified than him though so you would know better.
What is Americas position on the HPI considering it is considered the richest country in the world? What about Ireland's position, maybe the UK.
Living longer so you can queue at empty State Supermarkets with grocery inflation at 55% and not a chance of even puchasing the basics for survival as the State squanders and mis-magages it's substantial resourses ?
Do you really believe that there is no preffered elite in the Socialisy Elite Governing Venezuela right now or was there any elite in Eastern Europe under State Socialism systems before 1989 ?
Or that there's any chance anyone who actually disagrees with the Chavistas can get anywhere near power in Venezuela, regardless of how competent they are...
Or that there's any chance anyone who actually disagrees with the Chavistas can get anywhere near power in Venezuela, regardless of how competent they are...
Yes.
Who controls the press, media,TV, Police, Army, Prisons, Energy etc in Venezuela ?
The State ?
There must be a Government Complaints Department in there somewhere.
Any private media in Venezuela? Tell the truth Stacky, most states control all what you have mentioned, even energy through regulation and controlling the networks. So what's your point exactly.
In terms of the private media, would you be agreeable if they advocated a Coup D'Etat against an elected government?
Well, inequality is a big problem, although how much it is a problem has been heavily debated since, well, forever. In fact, some argue that Venezuela's low level of inequality is a sign of a lack of dynamism and a symptom of the sclerosis in the system, especially in a developing economy (c.f. the Kuznets curve)
It's not an acute problem though. Relative poverty rarely is. It's something to be managed, and gradually fixed, through intelligent redistribution and improving equality of opportunity. The USA is particular poor at both.
Few will deny that inequality is a problem in the USA. But is it an existential problem? Probably not. Is it something that should be improved? Yes, of course. The republicans focus more on equality of opportunity (though their idea is that everyone can make it, pull yourself up by the bootstraps), the democrats focus on redistribution.
Both have their benefits and failings. The argument between the two parties is, in many ways, a sign of a healthy democracy, working these things out through vigorous debate.
The problem is that the Chavistas have decided that full redistribution, and equality of outcome is the better (only?) approach. This can only be achieved by full state control over resources and means of production
And that has shown by history as a great way of shrinking the overall pie, so while it might mean less inequality, the absolute level of wealth is lowered.
So the USA has high inequality, but from a very high base. The vast majority of the poor in the USA would be very much middle class in terms of income and lifestyle in Venezuela.
The inequality 'crisis' in America isn't that bad, at least, not yet. While the unemployment rate continues to drop, growth is ticking along ok, then the lot of the average American isn't actually declining by much at all. Yes, the rich are getting most of the gains, but it's not making those at the bottom much poor in terms of lifestyle, as the overall boat is rising.
I know you're going to come back with the decline in inflation adjusted income in the US for the lowest quartile declining over the past couple of decades, but that's a long debate on the value of inflation measures vs technology improvements and the actual real effect on living standards. Will have to leave it there for now, but I'm well aware of the debate in that area.
Any private media in Venezuela? Tell the truth Stacky, most states control all what you have mentioned, even energy through regulation and controlling the networks. So what's your point exactly.
In terms of the private media, would you be agreeable if they advocated a Coup D'Etat against an elected government?
