Chavez didn’t “con” anyone. His believers were willing dupes who conveniently ignored history, slept through Econ class, and thought they could recast human nature. In short, they were liberals.
Give us an example of someone whom you believe was "conned".
You have a typo in heading indicating this was in Washington ComPost...
Only low IQ clowns....e.g., progressives...were conned, you MSM clowns.
Those of us capable of logic know that perpetual motion and socialism etc. are only believed by those to whom a wedge is a complex mechanical tool.
Funny how the article never cites socialism as the cause of Venezuela’s problems.
” the time has come to ask some hard questions about how this regime — so obviously thuggish in hindsight — could have conned so many international observers for so long.”
The same way the Clintons and Rats have and are conning stupid American today.
The two idiots that wrote this article are incapable of seeing the parallels.
The answer is easy. Leftist voters are easily fooled, driven by envy and greed, they are led by Elites who promise them something for nothing. They ignore the fact that Socialist/Communist regimes have littered history with failed Marxist attempts to equalize everyone but the Elites, who live large because they consider themselves better than the commoners. When the people finally get wise to the corruption and the betrayal, the Elites use cruel force against the people. Millions have died this way.
Yet, even in this country, because of the corrupt education system and Leftist media, millions of voters will vote for a truly corrupt Marxist who has already amassed hundreds of millions by betraying the trust of the offices she and her husband have held. Leftists are talented speakers, convincing each generation that this time it will be different. It won’t be different, but it will be too late.
They weren’t “conned”, they were true believers who thought socialism really would work “this time” even though it has failed everywhere.
It was obvious then. The left just lied or ignored it, like they always do.
That is actually a really easy question to answer. Every communist regime in the world puts a rose-colored filter over what it shows the rest of the world, and those who believe that a utopian paradise is possible and doable here on earth embrace the rosy image.
I remember a forum conversation a few years ago with someone who fervently supports socialized medicine. After I explained why socialized medicine cannot possibly work--because it is incompatible with human nature and with the laws of economics--the person came back with "But don't you want everyone to have health care?" What do you say to someone who feels that wanting something makes it possible?
How could the regime have conned progressives for so long?
How hard is that...they fall for every communist, anti-American line ever uttered. They are waiting around to be conned by a tyrant spouting leftist garbage.
They just didn’t do it right.
(Standard leftist boiler plate)
Socialism Fail! Who coulda seen this coming? Certainly no one at WaPo.
Give me a break. This is easily answered with a single image and a Caption that reads: "Our Hero" that summarizes perfectly for me the mindset of all liberals and certainly the referred to "international observers". These people foolishly believe in the nonsense written by this Economic Idiot.
This is the washington post? Great Scott! There’s hope yet. On a side note, the gun club down the street is ultrabusy this morning.
What to know about communism:
1) communism is a pack of lies.
2) communists are liars.
You can just as well substitute socialism or progressivism.
When socialists go out of favor within a socialist country, they become un-persons. When socialist leaders destroy a socialist country, they become “not the right leaders,” because socialism works, if they have the right leaders.