Monday, February 23, 2015

Maduro “le tiene que echar la culpa a alguien” for the mess in Venezuela

(My new Babalu Blog post)
We have seen this movie before:
Second, the government arrests someone to distract the population.
In Cuba, it was the attacks on "El Diario de La Marina", the expropriation of US properties or putting thousands of Cubans in political prisons.  Our parents and grandparents remember that well!
"Venezuela’s turbulent politics appear headed for a new phase of confrontation a day after intelligence agents stormed the offices of the Caracas mayor, Antonio ­Ledezma, seizing the opposition leader for his alleged role in what President Nicolás Maduro called an “endless coup.”  
Ledezma will be indicted on charges of “conspiracy,” according to a statement released by Venezuelan state prosecutors Friday night after the 59-year-old mayor’s appearance at a Caracas tribunal. He was taken directly to the Ramo Verde military jail, the statement said — the same facility where another opposition leader, Leopoldo López, has been imprisoned for the past year.   
In a speech Friday night, Maduro said he would lay out recordings and videos next week in a special broadcast revealing the “gringo intervention in Venezuela” that Ledezma allegedly conspired with. “In Venezuela, no one is untouchable,” he warned."
"Gringo intervention"?   That sounds a lot like the "imperialismo yanki" that our parents heard years ago!
Of course, Mr Ledezma is just the latest distraction.   As you've read in Babalu, Fausta's Blog and Venezuela News & Views, Venezuela has been hit very hard by the decline in oil prices.
Venezuela's corrupt and overweight public bureaucracy requires a very high price of oil to survive.   It won't fly when the commodity drops to $50!
We have seen this movie before.   It will likely get worse down in Caracas before it gets any better.
Finally, where are the governments of Latin America?   It would be nice if other governments in the region would demand the release of Mr. Ledezma.
P.S. You can hear my show: (CantoTalk) or follow me on Twitter .
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The Clintons are always the Clintons

(The new American Thinker post)

 Don't expect Hillary Clinton to answer any questions or be visible anytime soon. The Clintons have a new "ethics issue" and even The New York Times can't take it any more:
"According to a report this week in The Wall Street Journal, the ban was dropped after Mrs. Clinton left the administration in 2013, leading to a resumption of donations from foreign governments and agencies to the foundation’s Clinton Global Initiative, which sponsors conferences of world leaders from government, industry and philanthropy. 
Donors have included the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Oman and a Canadian government agency reported to be involved in promoting the Keystone XL pipeline."
I guess that's why she didn't want to answer questions about the Keystone Pipeline a few weeks ago.

 It is at least a potential conflict of interest, as Professor Larry Sabato said:
"It's very unwise for Hillary Clinton to be associated with a foundation that is taking millions of dollars from foreign governments. 
This isn't just the appearance of a conflict of interest. It's a real conflict of interest."
Beyond "the conflict of interest", this is a problem for a few reasons.    

First, you can make a good case that the companies donating to the Foundation were also lobbying the State Department, as suggested by news reports:
"Hillary Clinton's ties to large corporations have come under more scrutiny after it was revealed that dozens of companies that have donated millions to her family's foundation also lobbied the State Department during her tenure as secretary of state."
Second, and more damaging to the Clinton candidacy, these reports will enrage the party's left wing.It will put more pressure on someone to challenge Mrs Clinton. It will worry many Democrats that Mrs Clinton is "damaged goods" and won't withstand an attack from the GOP.

 Memo to Democrats: the Clintons are the Clintons. Buyer beware! You won't have Ross Perot in 2016 like you did in 1992!

 P.S. You can hear my show: (CantoTalk) or follow me on Twitter.
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The week in review with Bill Katz, editor of Urgent Agenda



Tags: The week in review, ISIS and the war on terror, Rudy Giuliani, Scott Walker, Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!
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