I keep forgetting to prophesize that Hugo Chavez will become the next great South American dictator. And after today's news, it ain't a prophesy anymore. It's a done deal.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/05/29/venezuela.media/index.html
See, those who know me know I get annoyed when Bush and the American government are likened to Dictators and Nazis. Maybe that's because I grew up in a household where stories of actual Nazi atrocities, and the lengths to which a person would go to escape an actual dictatorship, were told first hand over the dinner table. When I was young I thought they were adventure stories. Now I see the truth whenever I start hearing about similar behaviors around the world. See, GW is evil, no doubt. He would love to be a dictator, and given enough time, I think he could manage it. But thankfully we have an amazingly good system wherein we have a Legislative Branch of the government that, when thinking straight, can nip any budding thoughts of totalitarianism in the bud. Unfortunately, during the majority of Bush's career, Congress and the Senate were run by his lapdogs, exposing a slight flaw in an otherwise sweet system of government. But then, last November, America did something else. It overthrew the government within the rules of the system that we've set up for ourselves. We kicked the bums out, suffrage style.
In a Dictatorship, that doesn't work. They simply ignore the vote, if they vote. Then they kill everyone who voted incorrectly. Look at Zimbabwe for instance, classic Dictatorship happening there. For years Robert Mugabe pretended not to be a complete jerk, though he always has been. But at least he was the not so-duly elected Prime Minister. Then, things got sticky, or he made them sticky by screwing over the economy. When folks got upset and formed a political party to overthrow him in the coming elections, they were beaten severely and then imprisoned. I'm not sure anyone has been killed yet, but I wouldn't doubt it. When a Time Magazine journalist was imprisoned in Zim for, well, being there, he was held without trial, or proper sanitation, for a few days, and then released. His guard asked him if he could help get him a job in England. Read more about Mugabe who is a pretty classic Dictator here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mugabe
Anyway, when Bush is done, he'll be done. There is no doubt in my mind, or in yours (sorry, hate to speak for you, but you know it's true) that he will in fact step down. The same can not be said for Characters like Mugabe, Chavez or Vladimir "I Looked Into His Soul" Putin even. Putin might step down in name, when (if) they have elections next year, but he will be pulling strings in Russia for a long time to come. The problem is of course that old saying about absolute power, Chavez has the taste in his mouth. Mugabe is an addict. Putin, well, he's distilling the stuff.
Bush would love to taste it. It SOUNDS like it would taste great. He's even tried to break into the cabinet a few times, just like in the old days before he got bitch-slapped by Christ. But folks, he ain't a dictator. He can't be. The Constitution is too good, just look at it: Still (basically) Intact. It takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. That and he knows he'll lead a plush plush life after office, no matter what happens in Iraq. He knows something else too, no angry mob is going to ever storm his mansion and tear him limb from limb like will probably be the fate of Robert Mugabe. Which is one reason dictators fight so hard to stay behind a very tall fence.
And in case you think I forgot about crazy Kim Jeung Il, don't worry. I wouldn't really call him a classic dictator though. He's so much more! He's elevated himself to the level of a God and wields power correspondingly. His dictatorship is one, of course, but it is at a level really never seen in the history of the world. My final link for you, you with strong stomachs, is what happens when absolute power is really allowed to corrupt absolutely:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,1136483,00.html
for those of you with weaker stomachs, you'll be happy to know that absolute power makes you a better golfer:
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2004/ea_nkorea_06_16.html
Posted by ian at May 30, 2007 12:41 AM