Sunday, January 15, 2012

Romney's Chavismo

The ultimate in populism is to hand people cash directly. You make sure that the individual then feels connected and politically beholden to you, rather than a faceless government bureaucracy. That person will then vote for you, and convince others to do so as well.

Hugo Chávez's Aló Presidente follows that principle. The president hears the cry of the individual, and directs his ministers to address it immediately.

Apparently Mitt Romney likes the model as well.


Mitt Romney gave a handful of cash Saturday to a woman who had told him she was struggling financially after an event in Sumter, South Carolina. 
An aide said the GOP candidate gave the supporter "what he had on him" - about $50 or $60. 
The woman, Ruth Williams, met Romney earlier in the week and told him she was having trouble making ends meet. On Saturday, Romney recognized Williams while he was shaking hands with supporters after a rally, an aide said. 
Romney spoke to the woman and handed her several bills. 
"He was kind to me," Williams said. "He held onto me and he made Gov. [Nikki] Haley and them come see about me."


It is exactly the same as Chavismo.

7 comments:

Otto 9:45 AM  

Hugo leads, the world follows.

Next, Romney to set up a health Mision, subsidized healthcare, free cataract operations, etc.

Wait a momennt....

Anonymous,  12:21 PM  

"It is exactly the same as Chavismo."

This is just silly. Chavez directs the national government in perpetuity and when he orders his ministers to address the issues of those concerned, they march. The system is built on regular forms of tribute and state (personal?) charity. Romney holds no office. Romney has no plans to govern this way. The governor of SC is not an employee of Romney. No single campaign event amounts to populism akin to how it is prcticed in Venezeula.

Alfredo 2:14 PM  
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alfredo 2:17 PM  

Have other American politicians done this? First time I hear of a presidential candidate doing this. Smells a little of populism to me.

Anonymous,  5:33 PM  

It was a campaign stunt.

Alfredo 10:58 PM  

If it was one it sure was dumb.

Defensores de Democracia 8:04 PM  

Mr Weeks

Excellent find, important information that shows the Psychology of Mitt Romney.

And excellent comparison to Chavez.

Papa Doc ( Francois Duvalier ) went in his car surrounded by his brutal thugs the "Tonton Macoutes". They used to throw coins to the poorest people in the worst slums of Haiti.

From Wikipedia :

Barbot was the leader of the "Tonton Macoutes"


The plot failed and Duvalier subsequently ordered a massive search for Barbot and his fellow conspirators. When during the search Duvalier was told that Barbot had transformed himself into a black dog, Duvalier ordered that all black dogs in Haiti be put to death. Barbot was later captured and shot by the Tonton Macoutes in July 1963. In other incidents, Duvalier ordered the head of an executed rebel to be packed in ice and brought to him to allow him to commune with the dead man's spirit.[16] Peep holes were carved into the walls of the interrogation chambers, through which Duvalier personally observed Haitian detainees being tortured and submerged in baths of sulfuric acid; sometimes, he was directly in the room during the tortures.

.....

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