Sanders' Paradise: Cuba

[Sparko]

Yeah, except no one, including Sanders, has praised Cuba as a socialist paradise. He praised their healthcare system. That's a distinction that you hardliners don't seem capable of understanding.

And what! We have good relations with N. Korea?

Yes Sanders has been praising Cuba. ("Bread lines are a good thing!") and praising Castro. For 40 years now.

And yes, we have much better relations with NK now than under Obama.

[Sparko]

The misplaced apostrophe in this thread title really bothers me. Sorry.

I have no idea what you are whining about.

[rogue06]

Yeah, except no one, including Sanders, has praised Cuba as a socialist paradise. He praised their healthcare system. That's a distinction that you hardliners don't seem capable of understanding.

I thought it was their literacy rate that he praised.

Of course, as as the explained a few years ago in the hardly right-wing Atlantic

[JimL]

I thought it was their literacy rate that he praised.

Of course, as as the explained a few years ago in the hardly right-wing Atlantic

Irrelevant rant. Sanders has always condemned authoritarianism, but to be against authoritarianism doesn't mean that you can't acknowledge when they do something right or good. You guys aren't stupid, you can understand that, but it would be out of character for you to acknowledge it.

[rogue06]

Irrelevant rant. Sanders has always condemned authoritarianism, but to be against authoritarianism doesn't mean that you can't acknowledge when they do something right or good. You guys aren't stupid, you can understand that, but it would be out of character for you to acknowledge it.

It looks like Sanders has in recent years used Cuba's literacy rate^[1] as an excuse for having praised Castro and communism.

A video of him speaking at the University of Vermont back in 1986 shows him excitedly talking about the Cuban revolution and why he was so happy when it took place. And why was that? Because "it just seemed right and appropriate that poor people were rising up against rather ugly rich people." Sanders also said he was sickened (almost had to "puke") when JFK spoke out against communism and pushed his political opponent at the time, Richard Nixon, to be tougher on Cuba.

So Sanders was already a giddy fanboi of Castro and has only later used the improvement in literacy rates there (which was also taking place throughout Latin America) as an excuse.

And while improving literacy is a laudable achievement it hardly excuses over half a century of totalitarian rule or Sanders effluent exhortations and making excuses for Castro (or the Sandinista government) long after their totalitarianistic ways were widely understood.





1. Given that Cuba already had a very high rate of literacy prior to Castro seizing control, and that it is really no better than that seen in several other countries in Latin America (and only marginally better than that in several others such as Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Paraguay) and that literacy rates in Latin America and the Caribbean amounting 94% (a good deal higher than the world average) giving Castro all the credit is a stretch

[JimL]

It looks like Sanders has in recent years used Cuba's literacy rate^[1] as an excuse for having praised Castro and communism.

A video of him speaking at the University of Vermont back in 1986 shows him excitedly talking about the Cuban revolution and why he was so happy when it took place. And why was that? Because "it just seemed right and appropriate that poor people were rising up against rather ugly rich people." Sanders also said he was sickened (almost had to "puke") when JFK spoke out against communism and pushed his political opponent at the time, Richard Nixon, to be tougher on Cuba.

So Sanders was already a giddy fanboi of Castro and has only later used the improvement in literacy rates there (which was also taking place throughout Latin America) as an excuse.

And while improving literacy is a laudable achievement it hardly excuses over half a century of totalitarian rule or Sanders effluent exhortations and making excuses for Castro (or the Sandinista government) long after their totalitarianistic ways were widely understood.





1. Given that Cuba already had a very high rate of literacy prior to Castro seizing control, and that it is really no better than that seen in several other countries in Latin America (and only marginally better than that in several others such as Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Paraguay) and that literacy rates in Latin America and the Caribbean amounting 94% (a good deal higher than the world average) giving Castro all the credit is a stretch

Well like I said, it isn't in your character to be objective. Sanders has denounced authoritarianism time and time again, including the wannabe athoritarian in the White House that you support. Praising particular policies that have worked out well for the people, such as healthcare or education policy, under authoritarian regimes, is not the same thing as praising athoritarianism.

[Sparko]

Well like I said, it isn't in your character to be objective. Sanders has denounced authoritarianism time and time again, including the wannabe athoritarian in the White House that you support. Praising particular policies that have worked out well for the people, such as healthcare or education policy, under authoritarian regimes, is not the same thing as praising athoritarianism.

And yet he praised totalitarian dictators like Castro and Maduro. So if he denounces authoritarianism, he sucks at it.

[rogue06]

And yet he praised totalitarian dictators like Castro and Maduro. So if he denounces authoritarianism, he sucks at it.

Not just those two.

Source: Lovable Ol' Bernie?

Source

© Copyright Original Source

Please note how he gushed that "Vermont could set an example to the rest of the nation similar to the type of example Nicaragua is setting for the rest of Latin America." His desire was to turn Vermont into the Nicaragua of the U.S.

A place where businesses are seized and taken over by the state.

A place where entire groups of people can be forcibly removed and relocated^[1].

A place where strict censorship is the rule and "neighborhood watches" established to ensure that nobody dare say anything against the government.

And a place where they will shoot and kill those who try to leave.

That is Sander's utopia. Nothing like Sweden and Denmark.

And don't forget, both friends and foes remark how consistent Sanders has been with his views. What he believed 20, 30, or 40 years ago, he still believes today.

So much for his being opposed to authoritarian much less totalitarian regimes.





1. There was a documentary in the mid 80s called "Nicaragua Was Our Home" which featured interviews with both Miskito Indians as well as non-Miskito clergy who lived among them where they recounted the bombing of villages, shootings, and forced removals by his beloved Sandinistas that he hoped to emulate. I believe that this is it, although its called "Miskitu Nation Lee Shapiro" (Shapiro produced NWOH shortly before his death).

[JimL]

And yet he praised totalitarian dictators like Castro and Maduro. So if he denounces authoritarianism, he sucks at it.

No, actually he denounces the dictators themselves, he simply gives credit to some of their social policy. Trump on the other hand, praises totalitarian dictators all the time, but somehow when it's Trump doing it, you find a way defend him.

[Sparko]

No, actually he denounces the dictators themselves, he simply gives credit to some of their social policy. Trump on the other hand, praises totalitarian dictators all the time, but somehow when it's Trump doing it, you find a way defend him.

Sure - give me some quotes from Sanders.

And their social policies, being that they are dictators, is repressing freedom and downtrodding their people into poverty.

[JimL]

Sure - give me some quotes from Sanders.

And their social policies, being that they are dictators, is repressing freedom and downtrodding their people into poverty.

Here's is an interview done with Sanders in Burlington VT. after his 1985 trip to Nicaragua.
http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/program...trip-nicaragua

What an awful dictator loving communist, eh?

And btw, when you complain about the Sandinistas, that means you supported Somoza who was the brutal thieving dictator who the Sandinista's overthrew. So, apparently you are just as guilty as you claim that Sanders is, in that you support dictators.

[Sparko]

Here's is an interview done with Sanders in Burlington VT. after his 1985 trip to Nicaragua.
http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/program...trip-nicaragua

What an awful dictator loving communist, eh?

You will have to do better than just link to a 24 minute video in which all I can find is him saying how great Nicaragua is.
Give me an actual quote, or at least a time in the video you are referring to.

And btw, when you complain about the Sandinistas, that means you supported Somoza who was the brutal thieving dictator who the Sandinista's overthrew. So, apparently you are just as guilty as you claim that Sanders is, in that you support dictators.

First, I didn't even mention the Sandinistas, but if you oppose one dictator, it doesn't mean you support the dictator he overthrew.