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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.


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  • (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.

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  • (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.

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