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Main Forums => Politics => Topic started by: RadioFreeSeaLab on December 14, 2007, 01:34:27 PM

Title: Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on December 14, 2007, 01:34:27 PM
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2007-12-14T164024Z_01_N14267919_RTRUKOC_0_US-LUXURY.xml
Quote
Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:40 AM ET

CARACAS (Reuters) - A video of a Gucci- and Louis Vuitton-clad politician attacking capitalism then struggling to explain how his luxurious clothes square with his socialist beliefs has become an instant YouTube hit in Venezuela.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Pedro Carreno was momentarily at a loss for words when a journalist interrupted his speech and asked if it was not contradictory to criticize capitalism while wearing Gucci shoes and a tie made by Parisian luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton.

"I don't, uh ... I ... of course," stammered Carreno on Tuesday before regaining his composure. "It's not contradictory because I would like Venezuela to produce all this so I could buy stuff produced here instead of 95 percent of what we consume being imported."

The video clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDsdXkY4UlE) had been viewed more than 15,000 times on Thursday, a day after it was posted on the YouTube Web site.

Despite the best efforts of left-wing President Hugo Chavez to instill austere socialist values in its people, the oil-rich South American nation remains attached to consumerism.

Riding a boom in oil prices, middle-class and wealthy Venezuelans are on a spending spree, guzzling fine whiskies and snapping up luxury cars. Poorer Venezuelans also have benefited, with subsidies driving a spike in demand for basic products.

(Reporting by Enrique Andres Pretel, writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Xavier Briand)

I love that the reporter had the balls to ask the question.
Title: Re: Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Post by: MechAg94 on December 14, 2007, 08:14:46 PM
Nice to see that opposition is alive and strong.  I was beginning to worry that country was going off the deep end. 
Title: Re: Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Post by: wooderson on December 14, 2007, 09:04:23 PM
insert thrice-divorced family values Republican joke here
Title: Re: Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on December 14, 2007, 09:08:10 PM
Quote from: wooderson on December 14, 2007, 08:04:23 PM
insert thrice-divorced family values Republican joke here
OK, that really has nothing to do with the article.  We're not talking about Republicans and Democrats, we're talking about this particular politician's hypocrisy.
Title: Re: Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Post by: wooderson on December 14, 2007, 09:27:21 PM
A politician's hypocrisy. Which is, it seems, as universal as death and taxes.

I picked a Republican because there don't seem to be too many people around who might pause to think about a crack taken at a Democrat.
Title: Re: Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on December 14, 2007, 09:28:34 PM
I'm all for ripping on Republicans, knock yourself out.  I used to be one.
Title: Re: Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Post by: El Tejon on December 15, 2007, 07:25:48 AM
That was great, dasmi.

Thanks for posting that.
Title: Re: Vuitton-clad official spouts socialism
Post by: De Selby on December 15, 2007, 04:27:21 PM
It's a good question and a good illustration of hypocrisy with those guys.

Now the issue is-when Venezuelans read this, will they think "hey, I'm going to elect a guy who wears jeans and a shirt who really believes in socialism?" 

or will they think "Yeah, that phony-why not elect somene who wears his overpriced suits with pride and who thinks I should just quit asking for gov't money?"