[John Jorsett]

Brilliant. Chavez is threatening to nationalize food distribution because his policies are driving up prices, and meanwhile he's selling his country's one resource at discount rates. He must have gotten his economics education at the feet of Robert Mugabe.

[I see my hands]

"enable London to offer a 50 percent discount on bus and tram travel to residents who are living on government assistance"

Ah, the proper functioning of a free government is beautiful to behold.

[dead]

Most lunatic leftwing politicians envision the glory they'll feel when they get to don the Marxist boot and stomp on the masses. Ken Livingstone is one of the few who looks forward to being stomped. I think he has mother issues.

"Hold me Hugo. Hurt me, then hold me..."

[Quick or Dead]

Although some observers note that Livingstone has edged somewhat towards the political center in recent years, he retains the nickname "Red Ken."

The only way for Red Ken to move closer to the political center is that he has abandoned Communism in favor of Fascism.

[theBuckwheat]

Oil is fungible. Any below-market deals that are reached with Chavez will have the effect of lowering the world price for crude, even if only by a tiny bit or at the margins. Of course, Chavez only makes these offers in an effort to either buy influence (like Saddam did by handing out vouchers for below-market crude oil), or to enable those who support him to appear to be heroes to their constituents.

I would suggest that the kind of people who are attracted to these deals are the kind whose "support" can be purchased next month or next year by a better deal from some where else, or whose support evaporates the instant the deal expires. The left just loves the word "sustainable", but such oil-for-affection deals are not at all sustainable in the real world.

[keat]

He's actually behind the curve on this one, Robert Kennedy Jr's been running this seditious scam in the U.S. for a couple of Winters now.