International Herald-Tribune:

President Hugo Chavez is set to assume unbridled powers to remake Venezuelan society as the National Assembly prepares to grant him authority to enact sweeping measures by presidential decree.

The assembly, which is completely controlled by Chavez supporters, was meeting in a Caracas plaza to approve a so-called "enabling law" Wednesday that will to give Chavez special powers for 18 months to transform 11 broadly defined areas, including the economy, energy and defense.

Chavez, who is beginning a fresh six-year term, says the legislation will be the start of a new era of "maximum revolution" during which he will consolidate Venezuela's transformation into a socialist society. His critics, however, are calling it a radical lurch toward authoritarianism by a leader with unchecked power.

The former paratroop commander has already said he will use the law to decree nationalizations of Venezuela's largest telecommunications company and the electricity sector, slap new taxes on the rich and impose greater state control over the oil and natural gas industries.

My friends on the left often defend the idea of "nationalizing" industries. In their minds, it's being taken away from the rich, and given to "the people."

I see it differently: It's being taken away from rich people who built it with their own efforts, and confiscated by ultra-rich people (Chavez) who simply seize things using threads of death or imprisonment. In states run by dictators, the poor (and everyone else) simply get poorer as a result -- not richer.

But hey, inequality is decreased.

A final draft of the law shows Chavez will also be allowed to dictate unspecified measures to transform state institutions; reform banking, tax, insurance and financial regulations; decide on security and defense matters such as gun regulations and military organization; and "adapt" legislation to ensure "the equal distribution of wealth" as part of a new "social and economic model."

I might note I've been mocked for alleging Chavez is a dictator-in-training. Claiming to be in charge of enforcing "equality" is just a claim that all property belongs to you, to be redistributed at will. Very little power remains with the people after that.