Hugo Chavez--President for Life?

So Hugo, the megalomaniac dictator of Venezuela, wants to be President for Life. Imagine the reaction to any U.S. president (since George Washington, at least) proposing such a sweeping perversion of our Constitution.

Legions of people from all political persuasions would assault the White House and dispose of the would-be dictator in a mass fit of patriotic fervor.

And not a single person would stand in their way.

That's the difference between America and all the lesser nations of the world. No wonder everyone wants to come here.

The Company You Keep

Hugo Chavez called the President of the United States the "devil" in his shameful address to the UN General Assembly. I say shameful, because his childish rant was unbecoming of a leader of a nation - any nation.

This is not the first time a national leader has insulted the U.S. in an attempt to capitalize on anti-American sentiment around the world, and, since it can be done with apparent impunity, there's no reason to think it will be the last.

Hugo reminds me of Mussolini - just another posturing buffoon.

It's time we shunned tin-pot dictators by cutting off all diplomatic and economic ties with their countries when they decide to bite the hand that feeds them - so to speak. Without support from the U.S. government (us taxpayers) and the American economy, they would soon understand the real meaning of "third world."

The same should apply to any country whose government leaders scorn ours. Just like with undesirable people, we should not associate with undesirable governments.

We can certainly do without them.