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posted by on Wednesday January 25 2017, @08:32PM   Printer-friendly
from the trump-proof dept.

The World Socialist Web Site reports

Under the previous policy, Cubans who made it to dry land in US territory were permitted to enter the country and take advantage of the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act, which allowed Cubans to claim permanent US residency after one year in the country. Cubans who were interdicted at sea by the US Coast Guard, on the other hand, were returned to Cuba.

[...] On January 12, President Barack Obama announced that, effective immediately, the US government would end the so-called "Wet Foot, Dry Foot" policy, as well as the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program. In a joint statement detailing the changes in migration policy, the Cuban government agreed to accept Cuban nationals deported or returned by the US.

Through these programs, Cubans were extended preferential immigration status and a continued incentive to leave the country, which contributed to a "brain drain" of trained professionals and provided Washington and right-wing Cuban exiles the fodder for propaganda about state repression in Cuba fueling a constant stream of refugees.

Cuba has an abundance of well-trained medical personnel. Economist Dean Baker has pointed out that allowing the American Medical Association to construct artificial barriers to expanding USA's medical labor force is dumb and makes healthcare more expensive.

Also at The New York Times and Fox News.


Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by VLM on Wednesday January 25 2017, @08:51PM

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday January 25 2017, @08:51PM (#458645)

    Economist Dean Baker has pointed out that allowing the American Medical Association to construct artificial barriers to expanding USA's medical labor force is dumb and makes healthcare more expensive.

    When you pull the actual numbers, this is politically spun fake news with no impact on the general population.

    Cuba is a small country... in the half century since the revolution they've "only" sent 70K or so docs out into the 3rd world. Today according to my work buddy's OBGYN wife there are less than a million Dr in the USA, I checked google and found a figure of 855K doctors in the USA (WTF USA thats like 1 per 300 which seems high...)

    Over the last half century only 1000 Cuban Dr have defected to the USA which is a drop in the bucket for us but does make us look like total dirtbags to the 3rd world, it doesn't help us much but it makes sure Algerians don't get medical care at all, for example.

    That also brings up the fundamental problem that in the USA we spend all our money on cancer and heart treatments that mostly don't work but do cost a lot in the last few months of life, whereas in the 3rd world they just die, so the Cuban doctors are not trained in a manner useful to the USA medical system. If your cardiologist or boob job implantation technician costs too much, importing the worlds best ringworm treater from Cuba isn't going to help us, although it does make sure that some poor bastards in the 3rd world won't get any treatment at all.

    Medical diplomacy in the 3rd world seems to work pretty well. They get lots of good press and everyone likes the Cubans except the Cubans in Florida. We've tried several alternatives such as financial destruction and endless bombing and drone strikes in the 3rd world and it doesn't get us nearly as many kudos as the Cubans get.

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  • (Score: 2) by Sulla on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:29PM

    by Sulla (5173) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:29PM (#458662) Journal

    I like conspiracy theories, when I read this article the first thing I thought was of how this is a great way to keep Florida from going red in 2020.

    --
    Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:38PM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:38PM (#458691) Journal

      I like conspiracy theories, when I read this article the first thing I thought was of how this is a great way to keep Florida from going red in 2020.

      Cuban-Americans tend to strongly favor the Republican party perhaps because people escaping communist or former communist countries tend to favor Republicans.

      • (Score: 3, Touché) by butthurt on Wednesday January 25 2017, @11:36PM

        by butthurt (6141) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @11:36PM (#458724) Journal

        The revolutionaries took over Cuba 1 January 1959. Some people had the good sense to flee before the 1 May 1961 proclamation in which "a socialist regime" was declared.

        https://www.marxists.org/history/cuba/archive/castro/1961/05/01.htm [marxists.org]
        http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/diaz-verson.htm [latinamericanstudies.org]

        Some Americans may have had the good sense to flee their country without waiting for a similar proclamation.

        • (Score: 2) by butthurt on Wednesday January 25 2017, @11:43PM

          by butthurt (6141) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @11:43PM (#458728) Journal

          I meant to append this link.

          /article.pl?sid=16/11/12/1459250 [soylentnews.org]

        • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday January 26 2017, @02:16PM

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday January 26 2017, @02:16PM (#458917) Journal

          Some Americans may have had the good sense to flee their country without waiting for a similar proclamation.

          I seem to recall people telling me that Fuhrer Obama was going to get rid of those unnecessary elections in 2012. Didn't happen. Similar dire predictions were made about many previous presidents. At some point we have to worry about real problems, not imaginary ones. The wailing and gnashing of teeth from the losers of previous elections amounted to nothing. Democracy stumbled on.

          Even counting his various warts, Trump is a typical populist politician. I'm not seeing the cause for concern here that wasn't somehow present with every previous president.

  • (Score: 2) by n1 on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:55PM

    by n1 (993) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:55PM (#458671) Journal

    From anecdotal and personal experience, those Cuban doctors are treated in high regard in other developing countries and have made huge tangible differences to the local communities affected by medical emergencies or just a lack of local expertise. Even down to local medical professionals being proud of receiving their training/qualifications in Cuba and promoting it in their professional profiles. This is especially obvious and common in South America and the Caribbean.

    I wonder how many of those doctors in the US are specialists in elective surgery and cosmetic treatment types and are not practicing general medicine or specializing in chronic diseases or other quality of life affecting conditions.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by VLM on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:26PM

      by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:26PM (#458685)

      Even in general medicine, consider different care techniques in the USA vs Cuba, we have MRIs falling out of our ears so naturally a dude gets a bump on the head you MRI him and consult with a radiologist. In the 3rd world where the Cuban docs are trained to operate there are no MRI where there is no electricity, for example.

      I'm sure some generic ER tasks like suturing up lacerations is the same all over the world, but there's going to be exotic stuff in the USA where even if we imported them they're not going to know how to use.

      Ironically what we probably need in the USA are more cheap laceration stitchers and fewer MRI refer-ers. The Cubans wouldn't fit in but we do need them anyway.

      • (Score: 2) by sjames on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:29AM

        by sjames (2882) on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:29AM (#458770) Journal

        We need them in general, but the medical business machine doesn't want them. It is so much more profitable to have doctors that can't diagnose the flu without $1000 in blood tests and a chest x-ray. We need to bring back the art of the clinical diagnosis and we need doctors accustomed to understanding that the patient doesn't have unlimited money to spend on a sprain.

        • (Score: 2) by Dunbal on Thursday January 26 2017, @03:12AM

          by Dunbal (3515) on Thursday January 26 2017, @03:12AM (#458790)

          It is so much more profitable to have doctors that can't diagnose the flu without $1000 in blood tests and a chest x-ray.

          That has nothing to do with the quality of physicians and everything to do with "defensive medicine". Thank the lawyers for that or better yet, thank yourselves and your sense of entitlement and jackpot justice.

          • (Score: 2) by sjames on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:55AM

            by sjames (2882) on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:55AM (#458819) Journal

            Actually, not to the extent you think. It really is becoming a lost art [nih.gov].

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:09PM

    by DeathMonkey (1380) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:09PM (#458676) Journal

    So, by "Fake" you mean "True, but I don't think it's important."

    • (Score: 1) by Grayswan on Thursday January 26 2017, @05:31PM

      by Grayswan (2602) on Thursday January 26 2017, @05:31PM (#459014)

      That is how you do it. Report something that isn't important because it supports your narrative, while not publishing important news that contradicts it.

  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:26PM

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:26PM (#458683)

    With regard to Cuban doctors, yes, drop in the bucket, irrelevant.

    With regard to artificially restricting access to Medical school, not expanding capacity of the residency program / relaxing residency requirements or providing alternative pathways to certification, the AMA absolutely is artificially restricting the supply of M.D.s in the U.S. and thereby driving up healthcare costs (and average physician incomes.)

    It's been this way for decades, and it needed to change long ago.

    --
    🌻🌻 [google.com]
  • (Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:26PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:26PM (#458684)

    Dr. Baker didn't restrict his comments to Cuban doctors--or even to doctors.
    He said -foreign- doctors; he also mentioned e.g. nurse practitioners who can provide MANY services at a lower cost than the current paradigm in the USA.

    ...and, as you note, Cuba has enough medicos to export a bunch.
    We should take advantage of that as -one- tool to crowbar AMA's cartel.
    Extrapolate for over 200 nations across the globe with medicos who would like to be in the USA.

    .
    ...and have I mentioned how I HATE the way that charon fucks with hyperlinks? [googleusercontent.com]
    Original Submission [soylentnews.org]

    .
    [1] An uppercase K stands for Lord Kelvin.
    The k (for "kilo") is rather abnormal among the greater-than-unity SI unit prefixes [wikipedia.org] in being lowercase.

    -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

    • (Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:29PM

      by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:29PM (#458686)

      Whoa AC good catch. In general theory, the doc is correct, its merely wrong to apply him to this particular story about Cubans.

    • (Score: 1) by charon on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:56PM

      by charon (5660) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:56PM (#458704) Journal
      Though I admit, I did consider nuking that horrifying and source mangling link, I let it stand in my edit. Another editor whose name I shan't reveal unless he wishes to step forward changed it when doing a second look. Thank you for submitting.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @12:41AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @12:41AM (#458754)

        ...at least that which was directed at you.

        The link (orig) paradigm was also broken after that was "improved".
        The first place to have published the story would have logically been the (orig) under the "improved" method of that editor.
        That was reversed by that ham-fisted editor.

        ...and if the PBS link was going to be used, that would make the (orig) thing quite redundant anyway.
        Not impressed with that individual's efforts.

        -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

      • (Score: 2) by aristarchus on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:44AM

        by aristarchus (2645) on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:44AM (#458816) Journal

        charon is young, but s/he's heart is in the right place. charon will get better with more experience. I, for one, welcome our neophyte editor, and praise his/her choices!

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:33AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:33AM (#458855)

          I noticed that he has missed a few opportunities to add a dept. line and in 1 instance didn't replace a suggested one that was deleted (considered unworthy?).
          When something is appended to a summary, I'd like to see an [Ed: ] notation.

          I previously explained why I form hyperlinks the way I do.
          If not agreement, it seems that at least an understand has been achieved with that editor.

          With the revelation that it was another editor who made the (unnecessary, ham-fisted) alterations this time, I'm largely at peace with and mostly admiring of the efforts of our rookie, charon.

          -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

          • (Score: 2, Interesting) by charon on Thursday January 26 2017, @07:21PM

            by charon (5660) on Thursday January 26 2017, @07:21PM (#459070) Journal

            I know you guys fancy yourselves editor proof, but the fact is you, OriginalOwner, and you, aristarchus, regularly submit articles that need heavy revision to make them less biased. Some on the editing team prefer not to use them because they are difficult to wrangle. Perhaps that is where I most show my "rookie" status because I have the energy to work with them.

            While I may be new to Soylent News, I have been reading and writing for 40 years and I have a pretty good idea of how words work together. I have made a few missteps while adapting to the house style, but I have good reasons for everything I change. I have crossed swords with both of you in comments before, and no doubt will again. I am big enough to admit my errors when I see them, and have done so publicly. Errors do happen, but that is why policy is that every story have two editors review it before release. I wish to make it perfectly clear that my colleagues and I are not arbitrary or capricious when we edit.

            The story without a subject line was about an arrest for murder. The primary editor has broad leeway in choosing a department line, and we usually tend towards jokes. Nothing seemed appropriate, certainly not a joke, so I left it blank as is common on serious stories. A previous story that I left without a subject line was this one about teenagers beating a man in Chicago [soylentnews.org]. Again: it is not arbitrary, it is not overlooked; it is directly related to the seriousness of the subject matter.

            On this story, the expunged hyperlink was deleted because it selectively bolds certain words and phrases that are not bold in the original. That emphasis draws the eye, and can substantially change the meaning from its author's intent. During my edit, I determined it was not significant so I let it stand. My colleague decided it was significant. It's also important to note that I was not "overruled" because I am a "rookie." I discussed it with the other editor, and agreed with his decision. I see that he has already addressed this himself a bit further down.

            All that said, I appreciate your support and your submissions. They are very often excellent stories that generate discussion.

            Thank you, Charon

    • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:15PM

      by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:15PM (#458896) Homepage
      > [1] An uppercase K stands for Lord Kelvin.

      No. In *prose*, which is what that text is, the standard rendering for the abbrieviation of 1000 is the capital "K". These are not physical measurements, it is not a modifier to an SI unit, it's English text, and English dictionaries are the reference in that regard, not the NIST or the SI.

      And I can't say I know any editors who wouldn't have removed the redundant google cache link with your markup scribbled all over it. For understanding, people should be reading entire paragraphs at a time, not just cherry-picking few-word highlights.
      --
      Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @02:55PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @02:55PM (#458941)

        People who have clicked on the link part of one of my link (orig) things one time know what to expect.

        people should be reading entire paragraphs

        That's one reason the (orig) is included.
        ...but assuming that everyone should do exactly as you do is really elitist.
        Different people do things different ways.

        -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:21PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:21PM (#459103)

          People who have clicked on the link part of one of my link (orig) things one time know what to expect.

          And that is why the editors fix the links!

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @09:19PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @09:19PM (#459146)

            -------> The point
             O
            /|\ You
            / \

            -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

    • (Score: 2) by martyb on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:45PM

      by martyb (76) Subscriber Badge on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:45PM (#458989) Journal

      I'm the editor that made the changes; I didn't notice the (orig) link at first — that was my mistake and I'll own that.

      I loaded both the makes healthcare more expensive [googleusercontent.com] and the (orig) [counterpunch.org] links (which appeared in the original submission [soylentnews.org]) in my browser.

      In the original, I see no bold, italic, or emphasized text of any kind except a footnote stating "This column originally appeared on the PBS Newshour."

      I then looked at the googleusercontent link and saw a great number of phrases "highlighted' with different background colors — none of which appeared in the original.

      The highlighting modified the original; if you disagree with that, then there would be no objection to using the original source exactly as it was originally published.

      If there is something in the original that you think warrants commentary or emphasis, quote it in the submission, and explain it in your submission.

      I made a mistake when I first updated the story, but I stand by my decision to replace the link to the google-cache version with a link to the original story.

      --
      Wit is intellect, dancing.
    • (Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday January 26 2017, @06:39PM

      by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Thursday January 26 2017, @06:39PM (#459041) Homepage Journal

      You want to opine, do it in the comments. Policy by my understanding is to strip your snarky bullshit out of links.

      --
      My rights don't end where your fear begins.
  • (Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:41PM

    by Grishnakh (2831) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:41PM (#458694)

    Over the last half century only 1000 Cuban Dr have defected to the USA which is a drop in the bucket for us but does make us look like total dirtbags to the 3rd world, it doesn't help us much but it makes sure Algerians don't get medical care at all, for example.

    The problem I see with this statement is that it seems to imply that Cuban doctors shouldn't have any freedom to choose where they want to go, and that because Algeria "needs" doctors (they can't train their own?) that Cuban doctors are somehow obligated to go live there and practice. What if they don't want to? Cuban doctors (even if there aren't that many of them) aren't defecting to the US because the US demands it, they're doing it because they want to. Maybe it's not the best choice for them, in light of your statements about their very different training not being useful to the US medical system, but it is their choice to make. I know I, for one, have zero interest in living in Algeria.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:48PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:48PM (#458698)

    we spend all our money on cancer
    I will be sure to tell my dad that his life is unimportant.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:02AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:02AM (#458761)

      Did he go into remission and live another 5 years?
      (What is considered "a cure".)

      ...or did they simply extend his life by a few pain-filled months while he wasted away?

      In my daddy's case, it was the latter.

      Cuba's medical system emphasizes easy access and early intervention.
      Daddy was indoctrinated with The American Way which says not to bother doctors unless you are in extreme pain.
      His diagnosis and treatment were thus delayed.

      The system that the Cubans have sounds superior.
      ...and the numbers show their "backward" nation to be so in terms of longevity.

      -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:08AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:08AM (#458764)

        s/to be so/to be superior

        -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @03:08AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @03:08AM (#458789)

        Condolences on your father.

        A long time friend who lived in LA died last year from Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, he was in his mid-70s. Two different oncologists recommended chemo but on further investigation my friend found out that it was (a) agonizingly painful and (b) typically worth a couple of months. When first diagnosed these MDs gave him a few months to live. He signed up with a dispensary and started a routine of medical marijuana. Was essentially pain free and mentally sound until the last couple of weeks of his life...and he lasted over a year after that initial diagnosis. He lasted long enough to see his first grand daughter born & healthy, quite a gift.

        Only one data point, but worth thinking about...?

  • (Score: 4, Informative) by edIII on Thursday January 26 2017, @12:59AM

    by edIII (791) on Thursday January 26 2017, @12:59AM (#458759)

    You're full of shit and spreading fake information. I know it's convenient (politically) to denigrate Cuban doctors as much as possible. Whatever keeps with the narrative that Communism has wholly failed everywhere, and that Cuba never evolved to meet any challenges at all. For the record, they are not under trained or unsuited for positions in the U.S.A due to their alleged ignorance and incompetence.

    You disgustingly suggest that Cuba just lets people die as a 3rd world country and spends no money on cancer or palliative care.

    You are wrong [who.int]. I for one will take World Health Organization reports and statements before your armchair bigotry against Cuba. It must piss off the profit-in-healthcare bunch quite a bit that an island full of Communists could have a better and more advanced health care system than the almighty U.S.A, but there it is.

    The Centre has also developed the anti-cancer drug nimotuzumab, to treat advanced tumours, for example in the head, neck and brain. Nimotuzumab is a “monoclonal antibody” that mimics human immune cells and binds to specific target molecules of cancer cells. It targets a protein that can cause uncontrolled cell division and growth. The drug is currently going through clinical trials in Japan and Europe.

    Yep, they don't spend money on shit like cancer and just let their citizens die.

    “Cancer is one of the major killers in Cuba. This is partly because people live longer but also because many have adopted unhealthy lifestyles. Too many people use alcohol harmfully, eat unhealthily and use tobacco,” says Dr José Luis Di Fabio.

    In response, Cuba has followed WHO recommendations, putting in place a comprehensive national cancer plan that ensures universal access to all levels of health service - from cancer prevention, through diagnosis and treatment to palliative care. The plan is underpinned by a strong primary health care system that enables doctors to see their patients regularly and catch health problems at an early stage. Suspected cancer patients are referred to specialized centres for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

    I'm sure I can find the link that speaks about Cuba and it's preventative medicine program (similar to France's) that keeps them objectively healthier than we are, and at a fraction of the cost. Rail all you want about Socialism, Communism, and 3rd world countries, but Cuba IS GETTING THE JOB DONE WRT HEALTHCARE. Period. You want to argue? Argue with the fucking WHO you bigoted asshole.

    --
    Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:12AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:12AM (#458808)

      I would pay $1k to know who on this site is a shill and who is not. I presume there are a good chunk of old neckbeards who are stuck in their ways and haven't been able to suss the truth from the crap. Anyone who lived through the 70s/80s got blasted with the most dramatic propaganda and lies, the capitalists doing everything in their power to convince people that communism was the devil. I am amused by the truth, that it takes capitalism and communism (to simplify with two extremes) to run a free society.tt

      I would like to know whether to be considerate of a person with a different worldview, or to dismiss them in disgust if they are simply trying to derail real discussion and push the standard company line...

      Slashdot is the site where marketers push their swill, SoylentNews is the site where the ideology is fought. At least that is how I see it (dons newspaper hat).

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @05:45AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @05:45AM (#458830)

        I would pay $1k to know who on this site is a shill and who is not.

        Only a fucking shill would want to know such a thing, and only a fucking shill will real corporate backing would even think of offering money! So welcome to SoylentNews, shill who wants to know who else is a shill! We will entertain you, for at least a short time. But then you will have to put up, with actual ideas and real proposals, or we will relegate you to the jmorris/ethanol/Runaway/khallow/MikeeUSA bin. Who do you want to associate with?

    • (Score: 2) by Username on Thursday January 26 2017, @02:38PM

      by Username (4557) on Thursday January 26 2017, @02:38PM (#458931)

      Okay. So why isn’t millions of United States university marxists heading to Cuba for their free doctorates degrees? I doubt legality would stop them. Even if it wasn’t free, they’d spend thousands more of their parent’s money just to brag about having a communist education.

      • (Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:54PM

        by edIII (791) on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:54PM (#459128)

        Okay.

        It's why aren't the young people you so denigrate heading to Cuba for "free" doctorates.

        #1 It's not free, but provided to Cuban citizens as part of their free education for all citizens programs. Which work very well, and Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Cuban people are an educated people. That may not work for quite a few narratives that require Cubans being stupid, illiterate, and barely above savages.

        #2 Being illegal would stop them. Until quite recently it was very difficult to gain entry into Cuba, especially as a U.S citizen. Ever hear of the Cuban Five [wikipedia.org]? When the U.S has citizens entering Cuba to help perform terrorist bombings it becomes quite difficult to hold it against them if they make it more difficult for us to enter their country. It is not a safe assumption to assume that "millions" could have received education in Cuba so easily. Especially, when the CIA was actively recruiting people to go to Cuba for reasons I'm sure weren't great for Cuba. As if the CIA is really a friend to any country, but I digress.

        #3 Double embargo by a childish and vindictive U.S government. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we hate Communism right? Well it's easy to claim they failed, when as an island nation they would depend on trade. They severely struggle with a lack of material support when they have maybe 2 countries on Earth willing to deal with them, and the black market to make up for what they cannot build/create on their own. ALL OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS are in this light; Under heavy duress and severe materials/energy shortages. So why would they be so willing to educate the rest of the world too? That education might be expensive since I wouldn't blame Cuba not giving it for free to foreigners.

        #4 As evidenced by VLM, would that doctorate be respected in the U.S and allow them to eventually work with us? Doubtful. The U.S government would have them watched forever as possible Cuban spies, and they would need to redo quite a bit of their education. There are a lot of ignorant and bigoted people in the U.S, such as yourself and VLM, that cannot accept anything positive and worthwhile out of Cuba.

        Perhaps when the double embargo goes away and the U.S pulls its head out of its ass, we could see what would really happen in Cuba. A Cuba free to do business with the rest of the world, free to open up tourism, more free to allow foreigners in to take advantage of their educational systems.

        Lastly, don't take my word for it. Like I referenced in my article, the World Health Organization recognizes the significant achievements of Cuban medicine in stark contrast to their recognition of Username on the Internet and his/her need to have Cuba perceived as a failed and backwater island nation. My information comes from the fact I've had severe health issues for over 10 years, and you bet your fucking ass I've looked into how other countries handle medicine. Which is to say far better than we do.

        What has convinced me that Cuba has a superior health care system? Actual fucking facts presented by medical journals, reporting, and organizations like the WHO. If at all possible, I intend to visit Cuba for 2 weeks to see for myself just what life is like in that country. When I do, I will ask the hard questions about liberty and freedom without fear. If you're right about how shitty Cuba is, then I end up in a prison. If you're wrong though...... I end up with material for a documentary to set the record straight about Cuba. It's time for people to find out the truth, instead of eating up "alternative facts" from organizations like Fox News, which are purely for entertainment according to them.

        The U.S.A isn't in the top 10 for anything but the military anymore. Truth hurts, especially to people that need to egotistically assuage their insecurities about just how fucked up and 3rd world our country really is.

        Cuba was taken back the citizens in 1959 and they kicked out the parasites that refused to not exploit them viciously while taking the bulk of the profits for themselves. Surprise, surprise, that the descendants of the exploiters would still be bitter they had their wealth taken back by the poor. Perhaps the greatest fear that the U.S has, is that Cuba could show the world how to have a working Socialist government that serves the people. By all accounts, that is what they've evolved into. With greater resources and free trade they could explode into a world leader in a few sectors that would heavily embarrass the great and almighty United States of America. Who knows? Until then I'm extremely impressed by their accomplishments in health care and education under their conditions, and give credit where credit is due.

        • (Score: 2) by Username on Thursday January 26 2017, @09:32PM

          by Username (4557) on Thursday January 26 2017, @09:32PM (#459152)

          #1 It's not free, but provided to Cuban citizens as part of their free education

          Wait, its ONLY for a select few people? How FASCIST is that? It’s like they’re some kinda brutal dictatorship. What kind of democracy wouldn’t have open borders.

          Sarcasm aside, my Cuban friend at work described his life on Cuba as a subsistence lifestyle without electricity at home and making canoes out cocanut trees in order to spread nets to fish for tuna.

          • (Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday January 26 2017, @10:01PM

            by edIII (791) on Thursday January 26 2017, @10:01PM (#459165)

            You have reading comprehension problems. Education in Cuba is afforded to EVERYONE in Cuba, that is a citizen of course. How is it fascist (do you know what that word means?) to only offer free education to citizens only? Republicans are constantly bitter and enraged that illegal immigrants, or immigrants otherwise, have access to social programs here, so are we fascist? :p

            Your Cuban friend described conditions under the double embargo, and quite possibly, during their period of extreme struggle when the Soviet Union fell apart and no longer subsidized them. Since then, everything they've accomplished is their own without assistance from any other country on Earth.

            Wow. What a fucking shocker. Subsistence lifestyles on an island facing a double embargo with the most powerful nation on Earth (for sure on the seas) enforcing it both militarily and economically. So surprised.

            I'm sure they're are Cuban expats that can say bad things about their country, but they received excellent education and above average health care while they enjoyed that subsistence lifestyle.

            For the record, and you can tell your friend, I would switch places with him in Cuba in two seconds flat. They take care of their people, and are willing to invest in their health both preventative, and proactively. What do I have to lose? The American delusion that you could ever get ahead and have actual equality with the Owning Classes? I won't get to continue in the meat grinder hoping that I can become one of the exploiters instead of the exploited? Yeah.... I'm losing out on playing the game. LOL.

            All I have in the United States is the right to go die in a ditch because I'm the reprehensible citizen that dared to get sick. It doesn't have to be Cuba. I could've been in Canada, France, Norway, Japan, etc. and probably have been healed and back to normal 8 years ago. Instead, I face an inevitable grind into poverty as my body fails me, and my government can only give medicine where there is huge profit margins to the Owning Class. It's so ridiculously expensive, that it can only be afforded by playing their games (insurance and profit orientated health care).... or making many multiples of the slave wages afforded to the masses.

            You might be younger, and certainly, in better health. So enjoy the position you have to denigrate others, and denigrate an island nation objectively kicking our ass in medicine and the objectively better health of their citizens.

            --
            Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.