Hey Bernie, I left Venezuela's socialism behind for a reason

Bernie Sanders supporters should note socialist Venezuela's descent into poverty and chaos. As an immigrant from Latin America, I have found the current presidential election to be both depressing and terrifying — but not for the obvious reason. The negativity in rhetoric concerns me, of course. Yet it pales in comparison to the growing acceptance of socialism, which I thought I left behind in my formerly rich homeland, Venezuela.

Socialism has been the defining theme of the Democratic contest. Bernie Sanders, a self-described “Democratic Socialist,” has come closer to toppling...