It is a rare thing when left leaners reevaluate their values. From The Moderate Voice:

For a long time, I’ve defended Hugo Chavez. I thought that he was fighting a worthy battle against greed and corruption, against years of foreign domination and cronyism. I thought he was trying to improve the lives of poor people, while establishing a strong economy, an independent and self-respecting nation, and a vibrant democracy.

But now, after watching events unfold in the past few months, I’m ready to admit that I was mistaken.

Like many of those who lean left, I figured that Chavez’s megalomaniacal governing qualities were a bit unnerving, but not anything serious to be worried about. In retrospect, I realize that I was willing to overlook his authoritarian tendencies because of one main thing: his avowed commitment to social justice issues and his dedication to ending poverty.

I’m getting stuck on that sentence, “I figured that Chavez’s megalomaniacal governing qualities were a bit unnerving, but not anything serious to be worried about.” Perhaps that one difference between right and left. For me those “megalomaniacal governing qualities” are a huge red flag that would be the envy of Christo. For the Left, merely the intention to do good and help the poor is a blanket which covers a host of sins.

We conservatives do not believe in the inherent goodness of the human heart. Though the Founding Fathers believed there was something good in human nature, they were aware of the weaknesses of human nature.

Federalist Paper 51

But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.

Federalist Paper 10

As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed… The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man; and we see them everywhere brought into different degrees of activity, according to the different circumstances of civil society. A zeal for different opinions concerning religion, concerning government, and many other points, as well of speculation as of practice; an attachment to different leaders ambitiously contending for pre-eminence and power; or to persons of other descriptions whose fortunes have been interesting to the human passions, have, in turn, divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to co-operate for their common good. So strong is this propensity of mankind to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions and excite their most violent conflicts.

Chavez exhibits what is common to Lefty despots. He uses the power of the state to control. And because we are fallen creatures, those in control use that power to look out for person numero uno.

Fausta’s blog has this:

Sadly, one of Koogler’s commenters misses the point entirely on Venezuela’s decline, by calling Venezuela a banana republic. Venezuela is now well on its way to being a banana republic, after being one of Latin America’s industrialized countries. And that is the tragedy.

Blue Crab Boulevard asks:

I sincerely mean no disrespect to Koogler here and I am not trying to be snarky. But have you, by any chance, taken a hard look at some of the others who mouth the “right” words and support the “right” causes? I’d submit that it might be a worthwhile endeavor. Again, no disrespect, but if you were blinded once by rhetoric, wouldn’t it be a good idea to check to make sure it has not happened on other issues?

Update: Captain Ed echoes a sentiment contained in Gary’s comment.

It’s not easy to admit error as Koogler does in this piece, and he explains his change of heart very clearly and rationally. The sooner that the American Left follows Koogler’s advice, the sooner we can start working to help the Venezuelan people free themselves from Chavez’ megalomaniacal grip on power.