Decision ‘08

Li’l Stalin Pulls a Hitler

Talk about the worst of both worlds: Hugo Chavel combines the economic policy of Joseph Stalin with the political tactics of Adolf Hitler:

Venezuela’s Congress delayed by a day on Tuesday its vote to give President Hugo Chavez decree powers enabling him to nationalize oil and utility assets and press his drive to turn Venezuela into a socialist state.

Congress, which has no opposition lawmakers due to a boycott of elections in 2005, had been set to approve the measure on Tuesday but postponed action until Wednesday to hold an unusual open-air voting session in Caracas’s central square — increasing public exposure.

If passed as expected, the vote will empower Chavez for 18 months to issue decrees expected to overhaul the OPEC nation’s economic landscape by imposing state controls over such sectors as energy, mining and banking.

Condemned by the opposition as an abuse of power by a dictator-in-the making, the powers would consolidate the anti-U.S. leader’s control over Venezuela after he won a landslide re-election last month.

The move is part of a strategy to centralize power around Chavez, who is closely allied with communist Cuba. He has vowed to use his mandate to strip the central bank of its autonomy, eliminate presidential term limits and form a single party from the dozens of groups supporting him.

“This ‘Enabling Law’ transforms the president of the republic of Venezuela into an emperor — Emperor Chavez,” said Teodoro Petkoff, a leader of an often-divided opposition that has failed to stop the president amassing power.

The man is a buffoon, but a very dangerous buffoon…