Nothing We Don't Already Know

The other way around, actually. The founders of the neoconservative movement such as Irving Kristol, Nathan Glazer, Sidney Hook, and Albert Wohlstetter were all former Trotskysts. And they made no secrets about it. On his book "Reflections of a Neoconservative", Irving Kristol openly discussed his communist past.
The neocon concept of conquering Iraq and using it as a platform to "spread democracy" across the middle east, for example, is deeply rooted in Trotskyst doctrine, such as "exporting and spreading the revolution".

This is a great point and I think it speaks volumes as to why it's so easy for so-called communists and their ilk to vacillate from one side to the other. The constant is their need to have strong authority figures such as Stalin, Reagan, Obama or Kirchner. Any hot air about socialism or democracy is just that. Hot air.
 
But that does not explain this:
If USSR/China were not communist, then what were the communists in the rest of the world?
They could be described as "state socialism" and today's China as "state capitalism". Although at some point revolutions in those countries had the aim to implement communism - they never succeeded - for the obvious reasons.
 
This is a great point and I think it speaks volumes as to why it's so easy for so-called communists and their ilk to vacillate from one side to the other. The constant is their need to have strong authority figures such as Stalin, Reagan, Obama or Kirchner. Any hot air about socialism or democracy is just that. Hot air.

Obama is hardly a strong authority figure. His major shortcoming is that he is a conciliatory figure, even toward those who, like the Teabaggers, are beyond conciliation. Reagan, though, was a mean-spirited blowhard who excelled in hot air.
 
@ElQueso - I always enjoy hearing your views.

I don't think he is necessarily saying everything will be fixed economically with a new president in 2 years, but rather the new administration will be more market friendly leading to a rise in asset prices. I agree the whole political structure and culture is too ingrained to lead to meaningful reform.

I also agree that his premise that the energy problem will be fixed before things bottom out hard is still far from certain. I don't think that Cristina took over YPF "with the dreamy hope of fueling her strange policies with oil money" but rather because Argentina was spending billions of dollars a year on energy imports and YPF's production was falling yearly... to be fair its understandable they didn't want to sink large capital investments in Argentina with all the regulations and the risk of being taken over by the gov't. However, when it comes down to it, the gov't survival hinges on their dollar reserves. They can't print dollars and they can't borrow them, so their main source is thru the trade balance, and all their energy imports were eating their dollar reserves.
I think the gov't was probably a bit optimistic about how quickly they could turn things around and become an energy exporter vs importer again.

Many people on this forum have been here long enough to know things will not change significantly with a new administration. Its the same story in every country. The current government falters, the oppositions makes a bunch of promises of change, they get into office and realize the hands are tired and can only do so much, and then before cycle repeats itself they line their pockets on the way out.

That being said, the main question is will there be enough changes in policy and tone that assets prices will rise in Argentina, at least temporarily.
 
"[font=trebuchet MS']When the world's two great propaganda systems agree on some doctrine, it requires some intellectual effort to escape its shackles. [/font]
You are quoting Chomsky on red nazis and red fascists (exp<b></b>ressions we have been using since 1956 where I come from).

What I am looking for is ARbound's explanation of the communist parties in the rest of the world in relation to his previous post
I don't suppose you're one of those people who think the USSR/China was/is communist too, right?
the communist parties in the rest of the world - what were/are they?
 
They could be described as "state socialism" and today's China as "state capitalism". Although at some point revolutions in those countries had the aim to implement communism - they never succeeded - for the obvious reasons.
the communists in the rest of the world? state something? how?
 
Yes, I am sure these kids that died on the 193 drones strikes authorized by Obama, and their families, must find the current president a really conciliatory figure indeed.

A List Of Children Killed By Drone Strikes In Pakistan and Yemen
Are you saying that the US armed forces are targeting children?

Might the reason these civilians are killed - not just children but old men, women, doctors and bicycle dealers, etc. - be, that the real targets are using these civilians as a shield?
 
Are you saying that the US armed forces are targeting children?

Targeting civilians, yes. The name of the policy is actually "double tapping".

Predator Drone 'Double-Taps' Highlight Possible War Crimes By Obama

The US Military Approves Bombing Children

Shockingly, the article quotes a senior officer saying that the military isn’t just out to bomb “military age males,” anymore, but kids, too:

“It kind of opens our aperture,” said Army Lt. Col. Marion “Ced” Carrington, whose unit, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was assisting the Afghan police. “In addition to looking for military-age males, it’s looking for children with potential hostile intent.”

“Opens our aperture,” indeed.
 
I don't think that Cristina took over YPF "with the dreamy hope of fueling her strange policies with oil money" but rather because Argentina was spending billions of dollars a year on energy imports and YPF's production was falling yearly... to be fair its understandable they didn't want to sink large capital investments in Argentina with all the regulations and the risk of being taken over by the gov't.
Argentina was spending billions of dollars a year on energy imports and YPF's production was falling yearly because while the world market price of crude was above US$ 100, Repsol/YPF was bound to sell crude in Argentina at between US$ 40 and 42. Why invest if you get nothing in return?
 
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