Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By John Rolls (Reporter)
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

US Media Hiding Socialism’s Devastation of Venezuela

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


 

By Thomas Lifson  /  American Thinker

If you want a simple test to determine if a news source is in the fake news business, examine what it writes about Venezuela.  If it writes about the mass starvation, riots, and shortages with no mention of socialism’s role in the disaster, then you know that it’s fake news provider.

The fate of Venezuela, which has the largest oil reserves in the world, ought to be the final lesson conclusively proving that socialism is a delusion that impoverishes those it purports to help.  An entire nation is starving, unable to feed itself, generate enough electricity, or produce toilet paper.  In the midst of boundless opportunity, its economy is grinding to a halt because of socialism.

Yet Bernie Sanders, an explicit socialist who never even joined the Democratic Party, is the most popular figure on the left, and he enjoys huge support among the journalist class.  Dishonesty about socialism’s failures has led to a huge percentage of Americans (roughly 4 in ten) saying they prefer socialism to capitalism.  While it is tempting to label this a failure of American education and journalism, the fact is that it represents the triumph of propaganda over reality.  If people understood the fallout socialism brings as clearly as Venezuelans now do, they would reject progressives.

Investor’s Business Daily has been examining the reporting of major news outlets in the United States on Venezuela and has found that socialism is escaping much responsibility:

When the New York Times wrote about Venezuela’s ongoing collapse a year ago, it described how the country was suffering “painful shortages … even of basic foods,” and how “electricity and water are being rationed, and huge areas of the country have spent months with little of either.”

Here is how the Times explained the reason for Venezuela’s dire situation: “The growing economic crisis (was) fueled by low prices for oil, the country’s main export; a drought that has crippled Venezuela’s ability to generate hydroelectric power; and a long decline in manufacturing and agricultural production.”

There’s no mention – not one – of the fact that Hugo Chávez tried to turn Venezuela into a socialist paradise, policies that his successor Nicolás Maduro has continued. The Times’ coverage is par for the course. …

Chavez nationalized the oil industry, agricultural operations, transportation, power generation, telecommunications, steel production, banks. Today Venezuela is the third least free economy in the world, behind of only Cuba and North Korea.

As a direct result of those actions, Venezuela went from being on the wealthiest countries in South America – one rich in natural resources – to a country where people are literally fighting for scraps of food. Last year, Venezuela’s economy shrank 18%. The unemployment rate is 25% and climbing. Inflation could reach 2,068% next year. Riots have become routine.

No other petro-state on the planet is experiencing anything like the devastation in Venezuela.  As one of the wits at Powerline put it, North Dakota has also suffered in the oil price bust, but there is no shortage of toilet paper in the Peace Garden State.  There are plenty of other journalists unwilling to consider the effects of socialism.

The Los Angeles Times says it’s only “anti-government protesters” who “blame Venezuela’s economic crisis on the policies of Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez.”  While “supporters of the government say the culprits are a drop in international oil prices as well as ‘corrupt’ business leaders.”

There’s no attempt made by the reporter to say who is right.

An explainer by the Associated Press says the “oil boom and bust” is to blame for the crisis. “The plunge in world oil prices has left the government owing money across the board, from foreign airlines to oil service companies. Most of the anti-poverty gains made under Chavez have been erased and people are grappling with severe food and medicine shortages.”

USA Today said that the reason Venezuelans were resorting to hunting dogs and pigeons for food was because “although Venezuela has the world’s largest petroleum reserves, the country has suffered from a combination of lower oil prices and tight limits on dollar purchases that have cut off vital food and most other imports. The result has been a plunging economy and the world’s highest inflation rate – above 700%.”

Others blamed a drought for the country’s problems. The Wall Street Journal reported last spring that “the newer hardships are water scarcity and increasingly critical power blackouts – a byproduct of the lack of water in a country dependent on hydroelectric dams.”

If the agony Venezuela is undergoing does not teach a lesson to the rest of the world, then it will have accomplished nothing.  Yet, because so few Americans care deeply about Venezuela, they may be willing to accept the excuses proffered by so many in the journalistic and academic worlds.  That can only mean more suffering in the future, as socialism remains attractive for what it promises, not for what it delivers.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/05/american_media_hiding_socialisms_devastation_of_venezuela_.html#ixzz4gVjEBFRx 

More great articles here: http://americanthinker.com



Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!


Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST


Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser!  Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover -  Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    Total 2 comments
    • euclides de oliveira pinto neto

      A Venezuela está sofrendo um “lock-out” promovido pela elite financeira e a mídia, com o apoio dos USA, que pretende colocar as patas na PDVSA, a estatal venezuelana detentora de mais de 300 bilhões de barris de petróleo e remover o governo constitucionalmente eleito. Já alguns anos, promovem uma guerra sem quartel ao governo bolivariano, que promoveu a redução das desigualdades sociais e triplicou o valor dos salários no país, além de fornecer educação e saude gratuita, beneficiando milhões de famílias que conseguiram sair da pobreza graças aos programas sociais custeados pelos lucros obtidos com o petróleo. Logicamente, tudo isto vai de encontro aos interesses da sionista mafia khazarian, que pretende apossar-se das riquezas minerais da Venezuela e utiliza a velha fórmula promover sabotagens, agitações populares, apoiados pelas “elites” e midia corruptas, causando transtornos para o governo, ao mesmo tempo articulando golpes de estado para colocar no governo facínoras a seu serviço. Cabe ao povo apoiar seu governo eleito e repudiar de todas as formas, inclusive pegando em armas, para fazer prevalecer seus ideais.

    • Man

      it has nothing to do with socialism. If your economy is depended on one resource, oil, then your economy is bust when there is an oil trade war by OPEC.

      a well running economy diversifies its economy. Venezuela didn’t.

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.