comMITTed to Romney!

CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chávez asserted greater control over the country’s energy industry on Friday by seizing the assets of some foreign and domestic oil contractors while his government grapples with a sharp decline in oil revenue and mounting debts.

The move points to a greater concentration of power by Mr. Chávez, who is busily exerting sway over important industries and political institutions during the economic crisis. In recent weeks, his government has also hounded top rivals, stripping the mayor of Caracas of financing for the city budget while forcing the mayor of Maracaibo to seek asylum in Peru after he was confronted with corruption charges.

The move by Mr. Chávez on Friday also raises concern about Venezuela’s ability to increase its declining oil production at a time of low oil prices. The national oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, hired the contractors to help it produce oil by operating drilling rigs, using technology to extract oil from aging wells or moving personnel or equipment on boats.

Venezuela, which relies on oil for about 93 percent of its export earnings, has not paid some of the oil contactors since late last year, according to filings by companies like Williams Companies, based in Tulsa, Okla., which said last month that it did not expect to receive $241 million it was owed here. Petróleos de Venezuela had been seeking a reduction of about 40 percent in its overall debt to the companies, which is estimated by industry analysts to be about $10 billion.

Our “people will never again be anyone’s slave,” Mr. Chávez said Friday.

NEW YORK TIMES

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Here’s our weekly look back on some of the top stories in the news.

 Miss California hits it out of the park

Nearing the end of the Miss America competition, Miss California is asked her opinion on gay marriages. We all know what the politically correct answer is. To her credit, Miss California didn’t bow her knee to the thought police and diplomatically answered that for her and her family, marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman. It is a sign of the times that this is even controversial, but that is where we are at. On a positive note, it is so encouraging to know that there are people like her out there who choose principals over prizes. She has chosen the highest prize. She didn’t sell out in order to win the competition and receive a fake crown, she has chosen the crown that comes from remaining faithfull to her core beliefs, in spite of the pressure to genuflect to a philosophy that will tear this country apart if it continues to take root. She is a wonderful young woman and I wish her all the best.

 CIA Memos

Here’s a tough question for you. What is President Obama’s position on the possible prosecution of former senior Bush administration officials? If I am following this at all, it is something like this: 1. “I am opposed to prosecuting these officials.” 2. “I am in favor of prosecuting these officials.” 3. “I am opposed to prosecuting these officials.” 4. “Never mind.”

What must be going through the minds of these men and women this weekend as they wonder whether are not the Left is trying to ‘gin up a witch hunt that will wreck their careers and their finances as they are put in the position of spending millions of dollars to defend themselves for doing their duty, after they received guidance from the Justice Department on the legality of their methods.

 My New Pal, the Venezuelan Dictator

Weren’t those heartwarming pictures of President Obama and the South American dictator gripping and grinning? The book exchange, the photo ops. What’s next, shooting hoops with Kim Jong Il?

 Buyer’s Remorse in Massachusetts

Latest polling indicates that the voters of the beautiful state of Massachusetts yearn for the return of former Governor Mitt Romney. It seems that two years of Deval Patrick it more than even the citizens of the bluest of blue states can stomach. We at CTR can feel your pain, but we have first dibs on Gov. Romney for President in 2012. I can give some unsolicited advise to the voters of that state and I only need two words: Jeff Beatty.

 First 100 Days of the Obama Presidency

Winston Churchill had a very famous quote that he used to describe the debt of gratitude owed by Britons to the Royal Air Force during the “Battle of Britain.” He said: “Never in the history of mankind has so much been owed by so many to so few.” I’d like to adapt that quote to Obama and his administration’s First 100 Days: “Never in the course of American history has so much damage been done to so many by so few.”

~~John Cronin~~

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Obama just hammin it up with one of the most America hating people in the world Hugo Chavez. It’s nice to know we’re so nice to our enemies…

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