Oh sure, Hugo Chavez might have his quirks. But at least he's not George Bush. That's Gail Collins's operative thesis in The Great Clock Plot [subscription required] in this morning's New York Times.
Collins riffs off an announcement Chavez made this week of his plan to move Venezuela's clocks ahead by half an hour. Writes Collins:
Reaction was swift, with many people recalling the scene in Woody Allen’s “Bananas” when a revolutionary hero becomes president of a Latin American country and announces that from now on, “underwear will be worn on the outside.”
That democracy-repressing strongman really cracks Gail up. But that's when Collins gets off the first of her barbs against President Bush:
The other popular comment was that Americans are in no position to make fun of countries whose leaders make incoherent speeches.
Wonder where that comment was "popular": the Times's newsroom, perhaps?
Collins then mocks Chavez's loony justification for the move: that it will increase productivity and create a “metabolic effect, where the human brain is conditioned by sunlight.”
But once again, Chavez daffy, Bush bad, as Collins continues:
Now I know all this sounds extremely silly, but in the name of fairness, remember that:
1) You live in a country where the administration believes that cutting taxes for the heirs to billion-dollar estates will lead to increased prosperity for unemployed steel workers. [Yes, everyone knows that the way to expand the economy is not to leave money in private sector but to hand it over to the government.]
2) Every year, most Americans spring forward and fall back so that the Sun God will send extra rays to we who honor him with the ceremony of the changing of the clocks. [You mocking Ben Franklin now?]
3) So far, Hugo Chávez hasn’t invaded anybody.
Later, Collins quotes an American academic to the effect that, unless they're repeated, rational people in the Venezuelan government tend to ignore Chavez's nuttier announcements. That gives the columnist the opening to take this parting shot:
If only we had a similar system in the United States, imagine all the things we might have avoided over the last six years.
Gail Collins: living proof that there's absolutely no subject under the sun, even time changes in Third World countries, that the MSM can't use to bash President Bush.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Similar System
August 23, 2007 - 07:00 ET by totalkaosdaveTotalKaosDave
Yes, I think it's time for a similar system too. Let's get Bush to declare martial law and announce that he will be president for life...I wonder how this woman would take that news. Of course this would be followed by a theocratic-totalitarian regime. If Chavez declared himself the head of the church maybe the liberals would open their eyes.
Marcy from peanuts
August 23, 2007 - 07:59 ET by USA4freedomMarcy from peanuts said:
Now I know all this sounds extremely silly, but in the name
of fairness, remember that:
1) You live in a country where the administration believes
that cutting taxes for the heirs to billion-dollar estates will lead to
increased prosperity for unemployed steel workers.
Tax cuts for the rich:
Top 5% pay 53.25% of all income taxes (Down from 2000 figure: 56.47%). The
top 10% pay 64.89%
(Down from 2000 figure: 67.33%). The top 25% pay 82.9% (Down from 2000 figure: 84.01%). The
top 50% pay 96.03%
(Down from 2000 figure: 96.09%). The bottom 50%? They pay a paltry
3.97% of all income
taxes. The top 1% is paying more than ten times the federal income
taxes than the bottom 50%!
In the name of fairness, if the Unions (and the company) had
not made such crazy deals with the workers, “in the name of fairness” they
might still have a job. Because the people that pay 96.03% of the taxes and got
a cut did not make these people loose their job.
Speaking of loosing their jobs.. Marcy, how in the hell do
you keep yours??
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Marcie said: Reaction was
August 23, 2007 - 08:05 ET by USA4freedomMarcie said:
Reaction
was swift, with many people recalling the scene in Woody Allen’s “Bananas” when
a revolutionary hero becomes president of a Latin American country and
announces that from now on, “underwear will be worn on the outside.”
I bet
if you wore your brains on the outside, no one would be able to tell the
difference..
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Marcie said
August 23, 2007 - 09:32 ET by ts88Hi USA, two in a row, nice work. I like it!!
< If Chavez declared
August 23, 2007 - 08:05 ET by Seabeach4348< If Chavez declared himself the head of the church maybe the liberals would open their eyes. >
You think so? Would that be what it takes? Remember that liberals have a romantic attraction to socialists, dictators (and to communists) but Bush is a monster who lies to us and the United States is akin to the Nazi juggernaut.
And someone really should clue in Gail that she should seriously do something about those teeth!
Marcie, Marcie,
August 23, 2007 - 08:10 ET by USA4freedomMarcie, Marcie, Marcie..
“So far, Hugo Chávez
hasn’t invaded anybody.
How about the TV channels, the oil rigs (oh I forgot big
oil got what it deserved) radio, and declared himself basically king. Thats ok
right??
http://www.reuters.c...
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Or if she's not going to
August 23, 2007 - 09:22 ET by HypocriteHaterOr if she's not going to take the time to fix her teeth, she should stick to smiling without actually showing them. No one needs to see that!
Utopia
August 23, 2007 - 08:12 ET by Sergeant ROCKNo, not Bush - Algore. Had Bush not stole the election he would've been in there and she would've enjoyed a totalitarian utopia these past six years - she would've hoped anyway. She would've been a willing accomplice to see it happen, that's for sure.
Collins doesn't know what
August 23, 2007 - 08:10 ET by Senior ChiefCollins doesn't know what she's talking about. I was born in a country and lived a life controlled by a dictator of lesser evil than Chavez. Joined the Navy and left the country after college due to oppression and all of our liberties taken away from us. I did have the same attitude as Collins towards America and her foreign policy (bad indoc from a "progressive" school). After boot camp, and twenty five years later in my adopted country, I will not trade my freedom and my children's freedom to a life in the 3rd world. If Collins and her ilks want to support Chavez and continue to hate America, they also have the freedom to LEAVE the country...
Maybe in Chavez country she'll have her yellow teeth bleached by Chavez' dentists. Loser go!
Free Dental Care
August 23, 2007 - 08:18 ET by Sergeant ROCKCollins and her ilk fancy themselves as 'revolutionaries' trying to steer us toward the totalitarian utopia they dream of. They will not leave the battlefield until they've accomplished the mission. This is why they won't leave no matter how bad Bush is. They are very much like the foreign insurgents in Iraq, come to think of it.
Love It or Leave It
August 23, 2007 - 10:27 ET by takingmyconstitutionalSenior Chief says, "If Collins and her ilks want to support Chavez and continue to hate America, they also have the freedom to LEAVE the country..."
It is interesting how some conservatives, when confronted by people who simply recognize that Bush is not a positive force in America (or the world) want to lash out with the "hate America" nonsense. I love America. That's why I want Bush removed from office and held accountable for his crimes. Presidents who lie us into wars and brazenly vioate the Constitution are not loved by people who love America.
Moonbats
August 23, 2007 - 10:35 ET by Sergeant ROCKWhat are his crimes? And which part of the Constitution did he violate?
Btw.. Klinton, Albright, Clarke, etc. are named as defendants in a European court for war crimes as a result of our involvement in Yugoslavia (look it up). Can we save money by having them tried too?
What lies are you talking
August 23, 2007 - 13:06 ET by ahusserWhat lies are you talking about. What constitutional violations. The only truly criminal Prez I know of in recent memory was the beloved Clinton(s). Can't wait to get the Soprano's back in the White House just love those wacky (criminal) things they do. Just keep jerking those knees and spouting the usual stupid inanities that you and other BDS sufferers do.
Actually, what's more
August 23, 2007 - 13:08 ET by fitzfongActually, what's more interesting is when bitter socialist riff-raff like yourself claim to love America. Give it up already, you're not fooling anyone...except for maybe yourself. People like you do not love America, you're just comfortable enough in your surroundings and you lack the courage or the deceny to sod off to whatever third world utopia you believe America should emulate. In short, you're a squatter, a bum who just sets up shop on someone else's property contributing nothing, refusing to leave and claiming ownership of something that is not yours. Sure, you may like existing here, but you're unwilling to earn your keep here, so you want to impose your own bankrupt ideas on everyone else so that you can be more comfortable here...of course that makes it more uncomfortable here for everyone else. And spare us the third grade non sequitur about violating the Constitution. The only constitution you're familiar with requires toilet paper and the New York Times. Come to think of it, that's redundant.
..."Bush is not a positive
August 23, 2007 - 14:36 ET by Senior Chief..."Bush is not a positive force in America (or the world)". To you and fellow leftoids, maybe George Bush is not a positive force, because he has principles and stood his ground since day 1. After he visited "Ground Zero" with his megaphone, the whole world heard him and rallied behind him and you probably was with him. But you liberals, abandoned the American principles and my fellow warriors on the ground. You even threatened to de-fund the war effort because...of polls.
"I love America". No you don't! You just love to be in America- you love your freedom, your liberties and the protection associated for being an American. Heck, even illegal immigrants have rights in this country and thanks to all leftoids who are rallying behind them. Again, coming from a 3rd world perspective, even the people from the Middle East love America. They love to blew up America! Are you one of them, or do you want to be blewn up? Your choice! How are you going to deal with terrorists? Are you going to talk to them, negotiate, kissy-huggy with them even if they already killed 3000 of your people on that very peaceful day of 9/11? Do you want Chavez, Castro, Marcos, Mao, Kim Jong Il or Ahkmadenijad as your president? Will you still say you love America?
"Presidents who lie us into wars..." Look bud, your favorite president Clinton and his wife, saw the same intelligence report as what GW and Congress saw. The Generals and Admirals of the Armed Services will not waste their time training their warriors if they were all lied. All of our training prior to the war effort were tailored to Iraq's WMD. Even during the Desert Shield/Storm, I recieved all anthrax shots even with the known and unknown side effects associated to it, so we could be protected with Iraq's WMD.
Really, if you want a Chavez-like government, hold hand with Collins, Pelosi, Reid, Murtha, Penn, Belafonte, Striesand and Sicko Moore and build your mansions in Venezuela ro Cuba. Buy a one-way ticket, enjoy your new found freedom in Chavez' backyard and von voyage!
salute:) this is
August 23, 2007 - 14:42 ET by TruthMongersalute:)
this is America-loving dunrite people
takingmyconstitutional
August 23, 2007 - 17:54 ET by hydrodynDMAs far as I can tell, takingmycontitutional has never posted more than one comment under any topic and has never responded to a post directed at him.
Never.
Just throwing that out there.
hydro... He's probably
August 23, 2007 - 18:00 ET by Clear thinkerhydro...
He's probably too chickenshi* to stick around and defend his allegations.
Get Email updates from Fred http://socialnet.imwithfred.com/email_alert_july_26.html
Clear thinker, Whatever
August 23, 2007 - 18:04 ET by hydrodynDMClear thinker,
Whatever his issues (and his actions do seem to support your assessment of him), it's clear that he's a drive-by-poster.
I, for one, will completely ignore anything he posts on here.
Ol'baked bean teeth is at it
August 23, 2007 - 08:33 ET by msh1973Ol'baked bean teeth is at it again...this woman is delusional as are most of her liberal socialist friends.
Teheran connection
August 23, 2007 - 09:04 ET by PA momIsn't Teheran off by one-half hour also? Hugo has been buddying up to the Iranian President. www.timeanddate.com/worldclock .
Those two are up to something....
Chavez as daffy Bolivar
August 23, 2007 - 10:21 ET by GalvanicUSA4freedom: "How about the TV channels, the oil rigs (oh I forgot big oil got what it deserved) radio, and declared himself basically king. Thats ok right??"
And add to that the fact that the pliant (intimidated?) Venezuelan legislature empowered Chavez to rule by decree, and Chavez appears to have accomplished everything that the American Left warned us that the Bush White House was attempting to do. Yet, Chavez -- being socialist dictator -- is considered cute, cuddly, and kind of quirky by the Left. Our own President, who's never asked for or asserted that kind of power, is a threat to our democracy. Just ask Sean Penn.
Me, me, me, me
August 23, 2007 - 10:26 ET by acumenNow I know all this sounds extremely silly, but in the name of fairness, remember that:
4) If a socialist like Chavez was ruler-for-life in America the NY Times would not be forced into "shrinkage" by a free market but would be adding an inch and a half more to our paper so I would enjoy the benefit of an even larger platform to champion strongmen demanding more time on their hands and less freedom for their subservient plebs.
Ha ha ha... that's
August 23, 2007 - 10:31 ET by Sergeant ROCKHa ha ha... that's true. In the meanwhile, due to their downward spiral, it only makes good business sense to relocate in Chavez land until Hillary is elected dictator for life.
I was going to say
August 23, 2007 - 10:33 ET by Ruths husband BenI was going to say something witty here but the truth is she is too clueless to ridicule.
If Chavez was better at distributing the wealth than our evil capitalistic system why are so many of his people (in this oil rich country) living in abject poverty?
what does msssssss collins
August 23, 2007 - 10:38 ET by charlietexaswhat does msssssss collins say about all the doctors that fled Mr Daffey's country???
What is going on with all these reporters that love these dick=taters??
Momydearestc.....
Illegals
August 23, 2007 - 11:11 ET by iveseenitallhttp://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-litras0821-pg,0,318729.photogallery?index=2
Chavez would love to send all his poor and dirty here too. Look what's happening in Long Island, New York. See the poor white kids doing the work hispanics won't do.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Chavez - Imagine
August 23, 2007 - 11:21 ET by Gary HallChavez - Imagine
Well indeed, we might have avoided a free press. In Chavez's Venezuela, the Gail Collins's of journalism are being shut down by the govenment.
Right, Said Marcy
August 23, 2007 - 11:35 ET by Dr_LibertyMarcy say...
"You live in a country where the administration believes that cutting taxes for the heirs to billion-dollar estates will lead to increased prosperity for unemployed steel workers."
"If only we had a similar system in the United States, imagine all the things we might have avoided over the last six years."
I say...
Actually, we don't have to imagine. Chavez has increased real and effective taxes on the rich.* For example, he has engaged in massive land expropriations, turning the land over to unemployed urban workers to tend in a communal fashion. Guess what? That hasn't worked too well. Mugabe is teaching a similar lesson over in Africa.
* Real taxation refers to tax rate policy that dictates you turn over X% of your earnings/wealth to the government. Effective taxation refers to a regulatory policy that reduces the value of your assets, e.g., a land use policy that says you may not touch 45% of your land for environmental reasons.
<insert witty signature here>
Gail Collins
August 23, 2007 - 11:55 ET by Felicity RandUp is down, good is evil.
In Gail's parallel universe her teeth are perfect.
Teeth
August 23, 2007 - 13:16 ET by Mica the MagnificentShe bought a dust buster on t.v. and got the teeth free because she 'called now.'
She says this: "If
August 23, 2007 - 13:53 ET by TheConservativeChemistShe says this:
"If only we had a similar system in the United States, imagine all the things we might have avoided over the last six years."
Six years should be changed to 40 years. If we could have done that to nearly EVERYTHING the Left/Dems have "given" us, we'd be so much better off.
"Yesterday's Communists are Today's Democrats....
Yesterday's Democrats are Today's Republicans..." - An analogy made by *ME*
CREST WHITE STRIPS WORK
August 23, 2007 - 15:56 ET by rustyf1Or use your NYT dental plan before the next round of massive layoffs take place.
The reason for our "silly"
August 23, 2007 - 17:36 ET by KhyrisThe reason for our "silly" daylight savings system was originally to ensure that farmers had as many daylight hours as possible to work in their fields, and still be able to make it to the bank before it closed.
If you move the clocks forward 30 minutes permanently... banks will just start to close regularly at 5:30 instead of 6:00
It might be a little outdated, but it's hardly silly like Chavez.
But what's 20 seconds of fact checking when it gets in the way of a good gaff at Bush?