HONDURAS DEFENDS IT'S DEMOCRACY
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President Zelaya sought to amend the constitution via a national referendum. When the army chief refused to help ready the country for the referendum, Zelaya fired him. In response, the army kidnapped Zelaya and shipped him to Costa Rica.
What some of you guys may be missing here is that the formal checks and balances established in our constitution are mirrored by de facto, far more negotiable ones in other countries. While Zelaya represents the democratic majority of lower income Hondurans, the military and the courts represent the established elite and moneyed interests. The sides seemed to hold each other in check until both sides overreached, with the result being a situation that the international community will have to step in and repair through some type of power-sharing agreement.
As for the "he's another Chavez" argument: we only care about Chavez because Venezuela's got oil, which gives him enough money to wreak havoc across the hemisphere. Also, Chavez has consolidated power to a point that Zelaya could only dream of: just look at how Chavez controls his military, whereas Zelaya gets kidnapped by his.
So there doesn't seem to be much reason to argue that Zelaya is some powerful, nefarious figure who threatens our interests. It's pretty much the opposite: supporting a military coup would only further tarnish our reputation in the region, and it could radicalize Zelaya, which is what happened when we kinda supported the failed coup against Chavez.
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President Zelaya sought to amend the constitution via a national referendum. When the army chief refused to help ready the country for the referendum, Zelaya fired him. In response, the army kidnapped Zelaya and shipped him to Costa Rica.
What some of you guys may be missing here is that the formal checks and balances established in our constitution are mirrored by de facto, far more negotiable ones in other countries. While Zelaya represents the democratic majority of lower income Hondurans, the military and the courts represent the established elite and moneyed interests. The sides seemed to hold each other in check until both sides overreached, with the result being a situation that the international community will have to step in and repair through some type of power-sharing agreement.
As for the "he's another Chavez" argument: we only care about Chavez because Venezuela's got oil, which gives him enough money to wreak havoc across the hemisphere. Also, Chavez has consolidated power to a point that Zelaya could only dream of: just look at how Chavez controls his military, whereas Zelaya gets kidnapped by his.
So there doesn't seem to be much reason to argue that Zelaya is some powerful, nefarious figure who threatens our interests. It's pretty much the opposite: supporting a military coup would only further tarnish our reputation in the region, and it could radicalize Zelaya, which is what happened when we kinda supported the failed coup against Chavez.
Aloysius said:
President Zelaya sought to amend the constitution via a national referendum. When the army chief refused to help ready the country for the referendum, Zelaya fired him. In response, the army kidnapped Zelaya and shipped him to Costa Rica.What some of you guys may be missing here is that the formal checks and balances established in our constitution are mirrored by de facto, far more negotiable ones in other countries. While Zelaya represents the democratic majority of lower income Hondurans, the military and the courts represent the established elite and moneyed interests. The sides seemed to hold each other in check until both sides overreached, with the result being a situation that the international community will have to step in and repair through some type of power-sharing agreement.
As for the "he's another Chavez" argument: we only care about Chavez because Venezuela's got oil, which gives him enough money to wreak havoc across the hemisphere. Also, Chavez has consolidated power to a point that Zelaya could only dream of: just look at how Chavez controls his military, whereas Zelaya gets kidnapped by his.
So there doesn't seem to be much reason to argue that Zelaya is some powerful, nefarious figure who threatens our interests. It's pretty much the opposite: supporting a military coup would only further tarnish our reputation in the region, and it could radicalize Zelaya, which is what happened when we kinda supported the failed coup against Chavez.
What media source did you derive this information from?
You are correct in saying Zelaya is currently not a threat to the US. That's becuase unlike Iraq, Venezuela, and Cuba, Hunduras was able to stand up for their Constitution and keep a peaceful democracy.
The militray, courts and legislature were simply following their Constitution.....
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Here's a fairly even-handed account of what happened.
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Here's a fairly even-handed account of what happened.
Aloysius said:
Here's a fairly even-handed account of what happened.Thanks for the article. Good read.
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Actually, John is right - Al's article is a solid read.
Zelaya was manuevering toward solidifying his power to control and KEEP
his power to control. What Chavez did in Argentina is exactly what Zelaya
was looking to accomplish.
Any law that gets in your way, diminish it. Term limits have to be circumvented,
and politicizing the military is next ...
The Honduras military did the right thing. It's just very, very troubling that Obama
is upset about it.
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mz. said:
I have to admit, cal, you were making a modicum of sense until...Guys is there any chance that we can keep this on Zeleya's attempt to 'man handle' the Honduras Constitution. And mz the pussy you still haven't answered how what Zeleya did is inline with democratic principles?
mz the pussy you still haven't answered how what Zeleya did is inline with democratic principles?
I left that part for someone more learned on the subject.
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mz the pussy you still haven't answered how what Zeleya did is inline with democratic principles?
I left that part for someone more learned on the subject.
mz. said:
I left that part for someone more learned on the subject.So you just threw the first comment out there for shts and giggles? Is that like our Congressman voting for a bill they couldn't have possibly read?
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Actually, John is right - Al's article is a solid read.
Zelaya was manuevering toward solidifying his power to control and KEEP
his power to control. What Chavez did in Argentina is exactly what Zelaya
was looking to accomplish.
Any law that gets in your way, diminish it. Term limits have to be circumvented,
and politicizing the military is next ...
The Honduras military did the right thing. It's just very, very troubling that Obama
is upset about it.
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