Waiting

I’ve been looking around for any indication about the Chavez referendum, no news that I can find from any reputable source. I’m inclined to think he’s going to win, largely because he’s been putting forth more confidant statements lately and the opposition has been backtracking a bit. Really, though, I have no idea.

I’m of mixed feelings on Chavez. What I love the most is how the right hates him; he really hits every one of their buttons. He’s a democratically elected far left leader, which is a contradiction in terms for the right. His regime is not murderous, even if it is somewhat. . . assertive regarding Venezuelan political norms. They’ve tried their best to tar him with whatever they could, but the allegations have failed to stick; his actions have been constitutionally legal, and the supposed “massacres” never actually happened. I get the sense that on some level the wingnuts are really delighted to have a Latin American leftist to kick around; makes them feel more like Reagan, I guess.

On the other hand, he really does seem quite the demagogue, and it’s unclear that any of his policies are actually going to work. A leader, any leader, has to build consensus in order to do good things. Chavez is about as good at building consensus at George W. Bush. His support for democracy is not total, as demonstrated by his coup attempt in the early 1990s.

I’m cheering for him, if nothing else to make wingnut heads explode. Expect a flurry of stories about the true power of democracy and the progress made in Latin America is Chavez loses, and expect a cascade of stories about voter fraud, intimidation, and his communist-imperialist-islamist plans for conquering South America if he wins.