Letter: Venezuela is a good example of how socialism is a corrupt idea

Light rays enter through the windows of Sidor’s Palanquilla steel plant Nov. 7, 2017, in Ciudad Guayana, Bolivar state, Venezuela. In 2008 President Hugo Chavez began putting these factories, then owned by conglomerates from Japan and Argentina, under the state’s control. Output steadily eroded even before the oil price crash. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

01032018 VENEZUELA — Light rays enter through the windows of Sidor’s Palanquilla steel plant Nov. 7, 2017, in Ciudad Guayana, Bolivar state, Venezuela. In 2008 President Hugo Chavez began putting these factories, then owned by conglomerates from Japan and Argentina, under the state’s control. Output steadily eroded even before the oil price crash. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Many Democrats want socialism. Apparently they do not understand what is happening in Venezuela. According to OPEC, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world, and yet its people are running out of gas, according to a Forbes article. They are also starving because the government is making private business impossible in the name of controlling prices.

For those who want socialism, my question is: Who do you trust to be in charge? They need to be both smart and honest, and there are not many like that in Washington. In Venezuela’s case, Nicolas Maduro is corrupt and stupid. Liberal elites and the mainstream media thought Venezuela’s change to socialism was great. They do not appear too smart either, now.

Mike McConnell

Gainesville

Send a letter to the editor here or by email to letters@gainesvilletimes.com.

Opinion

Opinion