IKN

A very simple chart as that’s all you need to know. The whining and handwringing by the defeated opposition has started, of course. We hear how this is terrible for the economy….sorry guys, change the recording, that was the same crap you told us in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. What’s your point here? That the US economy is in great shape compared to Venezuela?

An economic “sad but true”: If it weren’t a ‘Bolivarian Revolution’ in power in Venezuela, the country would still in deep in the economic caca going forward. Venezuela has proved time and time again that it makes hay while the oil sun shines and goes through a slump when oil drops. Name me a single Venezuelan government (since oil has had its place has a geopolitical bargaining chip) that hasn’t been economically irresponsible by your own definition?

(crickets)

(sound of breeze through empty streets)

(tumbleweed passes)

Or in other words, if the only finger left to point is at the 2009 economy, you still haven’t learned a thing. Which is why you continue losing to Chávez. Nuff said.

UPDATE 6pm EST: We need to tweak those numbers a little, as Venezuela’s CNE electoral body has just updated the result. It’s now

That’s with 99.57% of the votes counted. So a 9.7% gap between the two sides. That’s a win, folks. Participation at 70% was pretty high.