Socialism didn't work so well in Venezuela

We live in a time when basically all of the knowledge of the world, through the internet, Google and Wikipedia, is at our finger tips. Our lap tops have become the great reality machine and BS chopper. We are empowered!

With a few taps of the keys and application of a little intellectual honesty, we can discover the truth (I like reality) about any argument or position.

Socialism is big in the news today and it is easy to see its lure: lots of free stuff paid for by a bunch of evil people and/or institutions (banks, hedge fund managers, Wall Street types, drug companies, insurance companies and on and on) that must have stolen their wealth from the middle class.

Nice package, lots of free stuff and justice too. Fortunately we don't have to look very far to see how this package has worked.

Reality machine: In 1999 the Venezuelan people voted in the party that would be the model for 21st century socialism. Today the inflation rate there is over 100 percent. It is true that the drop in oil prices has impacted the country, but there were were food riots and inflation rate of 60 percent when oil was $100 per barrel.

Last December the socialists were voted out. It will be a hard struggle back from the free lunch mentality.

Please, reality check.

This story was originally published March 3, 2016 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Socialism didn't work so well in Venezuela."