You all read George Orwell’s book Animal Farm, didn’t you? It was not required reading in my high school or university, but I considered it necessary reading for my personal education. It’s been 25 years, but I still remember the basic story and lessons.

It is about an irresponsible farm owner who does not properly care for his property, including his animals. The pigs on the farm unite the other barnyard animals in a revolt to oust the human owner. Their original motive is high-minded, but soon after taking control of the farm, the pigs become even more abusive and irresponsible than the evil human master. And they are far less capable of running a farm than the man was. The other animals are not as smart as the pigs, and they are easily manipulated by the swine leaders. The pigs fight among themselves for power, train the dogs to act as their ruthless police, change their original animal constitution several times (the seven commands of Animalism[1]), and in a very short time end up walking on two legs, wearing clothes, sleeping in beds, killing animals, drinking alcohol, etc., just like the farm owner before them.

Yes, Orwell was writing about Stalin’s USSR, but the lessons are just as applicable to the world’s current crop of socialist pigs, including Hugo Chavez and Hillary Clinton. This past Sunday, our fellow human animals at La Granja Venezuela said NO to Hugo; I hope we will show similar horse sense next November.

At this point, I am not the least bit concerned that my country will soon become a China, Cuba, or North Korea, but as I do my daily chores around the farm, I keep my eyes open and often read the constitution that’s painted on the gable of the big barn.