View Full Version : Socialist for Bolivia
ethics
12-19-2005, 02:29 PM
Evo Morales, Socialist candidate for President and former coca farmer who has pledged to end a USA anti-drug campaign, appears to have won the Bolivian Presidential election (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051218.wboliv1218a/BNStory/International/) 45% to 33%. His first congratulatory phone call came from Hugo Chavez.
Time to abandon certain countries in SA.
Steve
12-19-2005, 02:32 PM
I don't see anything wrong with severing military and/or political ties with countries that no longer desire such ties.
Swamp Fox
12-19-2005, 02:41 PM
Who cares?
Biker
12-19-2005, 02:45 PM
This one may have some far reaching consequences, especially if the new prez begins to openly support the drug cartels in the country.
Swamp Fox
12-19-2005, 02:58 PM
I believe in legalizing drugs, and the Bolivians do need the money, so I wouldn't be too worried about that one.
Steve
12-19-2005, 03:04 PM
I believe in establishing armed air patrols, directed by AWACS, on our borders and out to the territorial nautical limits and then downing everything that doesn't identify itself for tracking and customs inspection upon landing.
I believe in impounding the assets of shipping companies, up to the street value, for each occurrence of any illegal narcotics discovered in or on their craft/transports/vehicles.
Swamp Fox
12-19-2005, 03:13 PM
I'd agree with taking the proceeds of crime, which would make it lucrative for the government to enforce the law, and I would also agree with the use of force to destroy the para military power of the drug lords, but that's beside the point. My point is that people should be free to buy drugs if they want, and Bolivian coca farmers should be free to grow and sell coca.
Steve
12-19-2005, 03:15 PM
I don't care what they do with coca in Bolivia.
As long as they don't export it to the U.S.
Biker
12-19-2005, 03:15 PM
Now I KNOW you're definitely smoking something. Unhindered drug use would lead to absolute chaos.
ethics
12-19-2005, 03:23 PM
Looks like it started already--or I missed it last night .
The NYT (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/19/international/americas/19bolivia.html) says that the new president is promising to be a "nightmare" for the U.S. The president-elect is a former coca farmer who is vowing to cooperate with "anti-imperialists," meaning Venezuela and Cuba. The NYT says the new president promises "zero cocaine, zero narco-trafficking but not zero coca," but the LAT (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-bolivia19dec19,0,4927055.story?coll=la-home-headlines&track=morenews) says he has pledged to torpedo American anti-drug efforts.
Ahhh, South America; the Past Middle East of the Future. ;)
Swamp Fox
12-19-2005, 03:26 PM
Milton Friedman and, I think, the Economist magazine also support the legalization of drugs.
ethics
12-21-2005, 12:21 PM
Bolivia's new president, and coca enthusiast, will let the people decide on the legality of coca production (http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/12/20/bolivia.coca.ap/index.html).( No word yet if this will stop the U.S. from spraying chemical deforestation agents on farmers, though.)