Max Blumenthal is a Jewish journalist and the son of Sidney Blumenthal who worked for President Clinton. Max lived in Gaza for some time. Later he wrote several books describing Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians. For those books he has been labelled anti-Semitic and was said to be part of the Russian collusion that Trump participated in to win the presidency. Jewish organizations, like the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League, and AIPAC, are constantly and vigorously trying to discredit Blumenthal for writing negatively about Israel. His articles are often carried by RT which is a Russian tv network along with other alternative media sites. I don't think his relationship with RT means he's a Russian agent. The slander against him originates from Jews and Jewish organizations.
Screenshot of Mr Blumenthal in the car park of the Mall -- not too many in it lol. One swallow does not a summer make. One supermarket in a shopping mall proves nothing other than rich people in Caracus can shop their and there were very few people there! And he had to pay by cash since his credit card didn't work. This video actually proves the economic mess the country is in. The problem here is speculation and inflation brought on by the capitalist class of this country (Blumenthal at 1m 55sec in the video). Laugh out Loud! If someone wrote that as an answer in an economic exam I would give zero marks. He clearly has an agenda and no understanding of economics.
Just a little reminder of the economic realities that it was overspending that caused the present crisis in Venezuela. When Chavez came to power oil prices were high. Rather than being a good steward of the money and putting some aside for the future he squandered it all and actually quintupled the foreign debt at the same time. This created a huge deficit - a huge public debt -- one of the biggest in the world -- Markets stopped lending and at the same time there was a huge drop in oil prices leaving a massive hole in the Venezuelan budget. These are facts that can be easily verified. The mess was caused by overspending.
Yes, remember Maria Esperanza, the mystic from Venezuela, said something like, "It will begin here". Maybe this is referring to the overspending and debt that created the economic debacle in Venezuela. The whole world seems to be doing the same thing with governments including the US, the EU, China, and Japan artificially stimulating their economies with super low or negative interest rates and money printing. The Democrats are adopting Modern Monetary Theory, MMT, which just means the government prints and gives away money. All the debt is just bought by the government. This can't end well. Unfortunately, war seems to be highly correlated with these times of financial instability.
The problem in Venezuela is primarily ideological. I believe the people of Venezuela need to sort out their problems themselves. I am against outside interference from USA or anyone else in terms of regime change. But the people have been duped by Chavez & Maduro and his ilk. Their ideological vision of equality is not an achievable goal. They believe in Big Government which means big spending and big debt. Primarily they have a socialistic mindset that has proven not to work time and time again.
Don, This might surprise me if it were not for the prophecies of Our Lady of Garabandal... This excerpt is taken from the German book by Albrecht Weber, «Garabandal—The Finger of God» («Garabandal—Der Zeigefinger Gottes»). Conchita told the author in 1965 when everything would be set in motion: “When communism comes again everything will happen.” The author responded: “What do you mean by comes again?” “Yes, when it newly comes again,” she replied. “Does that mean that communism will go away before that?” “I don't know,” she said in reply, “the Blessed Virgin simply said 'when communism comes again'.” http://www.1260.org/Mary/Apparitions_Garabandal/Garabandal_Apparitions_Communism_Comes_again_en.htm Then add in the prophecies of Servant of God Maria Esperanza in regard to Venezuela in addition to everything else that is occurring in the Church and in the world, this was to be expected imho. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WTH? Tucker Carlson Has Communist Sympathizer, Anti-Israel Reporter Anya Parampil on to Defend Maduro Regime??? by Jim Hoft May 1, 2019 312 Comments | https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/20...ter-anya-parampil-on-to-defend-maduro-regime/ Tucker Carlson is a favorite of millions of FOX News viewers and American conservatives and populists. Tucker Carlson is genuinely one of the nicest and most genuine people on cable news today. He is always quick to respond to communications and respectful of his guests whether he agrees with them or not. On Tuesday protests broke out in Venezuela after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido called on the the military to rise up and oust the Socialist Maduro regime. Guaido appeared with activist Leopoldo Lopez who was freed from house arrest by members of the military. The economy has collapsed in the Socialist state of Venezuela and the people are starving. Millions of Venezuelans have fled the country to safety and food elsewhere. Video came out this morning of Venezuela regime soldiers running over Guaido supporters in their army vehicle. But later Tuesday Tucker Carlson invited communist sympathizer and anti-Israel reporter from Russia Today Anya Parampil on to defend the communist regime. To be fair Tucker did not agree with everything she said and told her so. UPDATE— Anya Parampil reportedly left or was let go from Russia Today weeks ago. Tucker’s audience was not so appreciative. Here are a few tweets that popped up after the segment.
Russia Today was one of the few news organizations that helped Trump get elected. It exposed many of the illegal shenanigans caused by the Obama administration. One of those exposed was the fake dossier invented by British intelligence in order to spy on Trump. I have always felt dealing with Russia diplomatically and fairly is important. It’s always better to have them as partners rather than enemies. So, I’m glad they let go of Parampil.
...now there's something new, a politician getting it wrong economically... Remind me what happened to the Western economies in 2007/8. Oh yeah, they all got busted; and we the public paid the price with the loss of service's, the massive regression of infrastructure oh, and the robbery of our children's futures.... (they now have to work till 70-odd before they geta pension for Gods sake!) To pay the debt back; we here in ireland are overwhelmed by stealth taxes like if you own property; you gotta pay "property tax!" Fuel tax is preposterously expensive. Oh, and my personal favorite: water tax! In green, wet-green Ireland they tried to install water tax lol. In addition, we currently pay 20million euros a day to our European masters - in interest payments - alone! They stole our massive gas reserves too. We see no benefit from them and they are siphoned off. The Irish gave it away without a fight. The brave people of Venezuela are standing-up. Good luck to them!
Blumenthal and Parampil are real journalists, unlike the Fake Journalists/Neocon propagandists over at Fox, CNN, MSNBC and the rest of the Establishment Fake News Mainstream Media. Some more of Parampil's fine journalism: "At the OAS, two top representatives of Juan Guaido’s US-backed shadow government – Gustavo Tarre and David Smolansky – lost their cool when confronted with critical questions. Both recently attended a closed-door DC meeting on a US military assault. By Anya Parampil On April 23, the Venezuelan lawyer and opposition activist Gustavo Tarre stood outside the Simon Bolivar room inside the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington DC and fielded friendly questions from reporters. It was a rare day of celebration for the Venezuelan opposition, which had been deprived of concrete victories since launching their coup with US backing in January. Having just been installed with as Venezuela’s “ambassador” at the OAS, Tarre controlled little more than the chair he sat in. But as he was trotted out into the hall by a young handler in order to hold his first press-conference as “ambassador,” he beamed with pride. As soon as I approached Tarre and another key figure in Juan Guaido’s coup administration with critical questions about their legitimacy – and about their apparent participation in a closed door meeting to discuss a US military assault on Venezuela – their ebullience turned to rage. In an exclusive report on April 13, The Grayzone exposed a private roundtable that gathered a who’s who of Trump advisors, right-wing Latin American officials, and Venezuelan opposition figures to discuss “Assessing the Use of Military Force in Venezuela.” The meeting was hosted on April 10 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank where Tarre had been employed as a fellow. And the newly installed ambassador’s name appeared on the meeting check-in list. When I asked Tarre if he had participated in the roundtable, and if he thought it was normal for an ambassador to discuss a foreign invasion of his own country, he pivoted to a familiar opposition talking point: “[Venezuela] is a country invaded by foreigners. Invaded by Russian agents. Invaded by Cubans.” I countered that any Russian and Cuban officials currently in Venezuela had arrived at the invitation of the internationally recognized Maduro government. To this, a visibly riled Tarre offered up a strange historical analogy: “No!” he barked at me. “Any government that will help is invited. When the Soviet Union was invaded by Hitler, help from the Allies was fundamental; if not, there would be defeat at the beginning. The same with us!” In twisting the history of World War Two into an unrecognizable jumble, Tarre wound up conceding that the Venezuelan opposition’s hopes for regime change were entirely contingent on US military support. I followed up by asking which institutions the shadow administration of National Assembly President Juan Guaido currently controlled, questioning the legitimacy of Tarre and other figures who were essentially playing government under Guaido’s watch. “The street, girl! The street!” Tarre snapped, condescendingly addressing me as “niña”. I replied that during my three weeks in Caracas this February, I witnessed massive street mobilizations in support of President Nicolas Maduro. When I provided him with my eyewitness account, he whipped off his glasses, shaking them in my face to imply that vision problems accounted for my assessment. “No, there are many paramilitaries, many colectivos, much killing,” Tarre exclaimed, “I am giving you a gift so you can see well.” So when were you last in Venezuela, I asked him. “Five years ago,” came his reply. Smolansky blows his top when asked about CSIS meeting David Smolansky, a former Caracas mayor and prominent figure in Guaido’s US-backed Popular Will party, fell into a similar fit of petulance when I asked him about his participation in the April 10 CSIS meeting to assess “the Use of Military Force in Venezuela.” “You know that because you were the one that published that,” the clearly annoyed Smolansky replied. “Do you think it’s appropriate for someone working on migrant issues at the OAS to be advocating for or meeting about war in Latin America?” I asked, pointing out Smolansky’s role as OAS “Coordinator” on the Venezuelan migrant and refugee issue. By all accounts, a US military invasion of the country would only create more migrants, and possibly destabilize Venezuela’s neighbors. Dismissing my characterization of the meeting as “opinion” (though the check-in list obtained by The Grayzone clearly outlined its disturbing agenda), Smolansky whipped out a familiar talking point. “What a shame you support Cuban agents that are torturing people in Venezuela,” he snapped before walking away to greet friendlier media. “What a shame!” For Smolansky and Tarre, the true shame may prove to be that neither of them were prepared to answer critical questions about their authority – or lack thereof – to officially represent Venezuela." https://thegrayzone.com/2019/04/24/tarre-smolansky-venezuela-oas/
'the robbery of our children's futures'. Our children don't have a future because we live in a godless, pagan civilization that has been created by masonic political forces. The greatest crisis in the world is moral and spiritual - this is the reason why the world is in real peril and in danger of destroying itself. Without a return to God and to order we all do not have a future. We are being led by unbelievers -- do you not see how far Ireland has fallen under the leadership of Varadkar in a few short years because he lives in darkness and mortal sin and blindly promotes immorality from his office? The world had been plunged into a great spiritual darkness which obscures the Light of God in the lives of the majority and especially our young people. That is the real crisis.
It is really strange how people take one line from a multi-faceted entire post (a post that contains many, many points) - run with it; and ignore all the other points of the post. But okay, in response to the particular line you have chosen, Garabandal...yeah ......I have 5 young kids, what should I do, tell them there's no hope?! Tell them Darth Varadker is coming to get them!? Im sorry, but that just isn't Christian and it just ain't the way I was brought-up. No! Was it St. Anthony when asked, during his recreational time, what he would do if the world were to end in a half hour; said he wouldn't be too bothered, he'd go right on shooting pool, bcoz he had done - and was doing, his duty. In addition, I pray that my children will continue our family rosary, and that St Patrick might choose one of my 5 to assist the chosen one who is to come out of Ulster and who is to fulfill his prophecy; that a small light will begin here and reignite the faith in Ireland. The main point of my previous post stands: that Ireland has been pillaged; they've plundered us thoroughly and polluted our people. Venezuela is next. And people here, on a Christian website actually support the fact that small country after country is pillaged... Of which poor Venezuela is merely the latest. There will be another country after Venezuela. Its only a matter of 'whos next!'
If you read my earlier posts you will know that I have contributed to the debate in a balanced and coherent way. I still maintain that the economic woes were self inflicted in Venezuela by incompetent leaders -- almost all economists agree with this position. With regard to Ireland the reason why we have been pillaged is that we have apostatised from the truth. The blind lead the blind in Ireland I am afraid. I also maintain that the main crisis is moral and spiritual and we see before us the decline of western civilization with painful days ahead I am afraid. In respect to your comment with regard to your children's future then you are training them well by teaching them the Rosary - that is very commendable and will hold them in good stead when the times get really tough. May your sons imitate their father in the faith!
The fake dossier was NOT 'invented by British Intelligence', it was invented by someone who runs a private security company who was (or at least claims to have once been) employed by British Intelligence. Quite a distinction. If RT occasionally tells the truth it is, like the lies it tells, entirely for the benefit of the Russian government which is its admitted sponsor.
Sorry Steve let me rephrase this...a former British Intelligence officer who compiled a fake dossier against Trump. RT was right about Biden and his son’s involvement in Ukraine, as well as, our State Dept’s Victoria Nuland’s planned coup against Ukraine’s president elect. RT has been more right than wrong compared to the Post or NYT’s. The lies usually come from our own mainstream media.
I have found this thread to be very interesting. I appreciate the various ideas that have been presented. I don’t pretend to know all the nuances of the complicated international politics surrounding any country. But I feel remiss for not suggesting one thought, earlier in this conversation. While there are various factors that have precipitated the leadership changes in Ukraine (or lack there of in Venezuela), we cannot become blinded to fact that there are millions of citizens suffering in these countries, that have had influence on which direction the country goes. Yes, there has been external support for different leaders and ideologies, but there have also been internal pushes. We have two babies adopted from Ukraine (with Down syndrome). We’ve spent extended time in the country and are exceptionally close with one baby’s biological family. Ukraine has only been independent for twenty seven years (we were there for last year’s Independence Day. Imagine a country where the majority of citizens were alive for the fight for independence!) Their history is one tragedy after another. They do continue to take steps forward but are nearly oppressed by their history under USSR. Which can be summarized in one word: Fatima. Standing in Ukraine, a country where it is impossible to raise your beloved and wanted disabled child, you see the words of Our Lady fulfilled. Which brings me to my genuine point (sorry). We can fill 500 more posts with our ideas on what has happened and what should have happened. But the answers are beyond political moves. The only answer for these countries, and our own, is through the Blessed Mother. Our children were in two different regions of Ukraine. One was miles from the border of Russia, in Kharkiv. And while you discuss “Ukraine” as one cohesive nation, I assure you that in parts, they indentify themselves very much as Russians. And yup, Russians need Crimnea and the waterway. But all of Ukraine needs Mother Mary. So do we.
Thank you. We feel so blessed by these babies (and our biological children!) but recognize the brokenness that led them to us.
