Who says socialism doesn't work?

Let's take on the naysayers one argument at a time.

We'll do it by employing a compelling example, my home country of Venezuela,

where the benefits of socialism are plain for all to see.

One, socialism leads to a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Want to save the planet?

Follow Venezuela. Twenty-five years ago, Venezuela was a leading oil and gas producer. Research suggests

that the country might have some of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world. Today,

because of the efforts of the late President

Hugo Chavez, Hollywood's favorite socialist, and his hand-picked successor, Nicolas Maduro,

Venezuela's oil and gas industry barely functions. In 1998, Venezuela produced 3.5 million

barrels of oil daily. Today, Venezuela is lucky to produce

700,000 barrels per day. There is hardly enough energy to keep the lights on. Instead of

exporting fossil fuel to the world, that liquid gold stays in the ground, and therefore

is not released as carbon into the atmosphere.

2. Socialism eliminates income inequality. Not that long ago, Venezuela was a prosperous country,

one of the richest in the Western Hemisphere. The economy was expanding on every front,

opportunity abounded, good jobs were plentiful,

foreign investment poured in.

But there was a glaring problem.

The rich, as they always do when economies grow, were getting richer.

Chavez called this savage capitalism, and he vowed to get rid of it.

He was true to his word.

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