Cuba Openly Mocks US Healthcare, etc.

[cbrunny]

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/w...n-human-rights-with-obama-standing-beside-him

Flanked by President Obama, on the first visit by an American leader for 88 years, Castro attacked his northern neighbour for “double standards,” saying that Washington’s failure to provide health care to its own citizens was “inconceivable.”

“We defend human rights,” said Castro. “Actually, we find it inconceivable that a government does not defend and insure the right to health care, education, social security, equal pay and the rights of children.

“We oppose political manipulation and double standards in the approach to human rights.”

 

[Jaepheth]

The 84-year-old, unused to being questioned by the press, then rounded on a Cuban American journalist who asked him why the island nation held political prisoners.

“What political prisoners?” said Castro, to a sharp intake of breath from the assembled Cuban journalists. Such topics are strictly off-limits for the tightly controlled state press.

“Give me a name or names after this meeting is over, you can give me a list of political prisoners, and if we have those political prisoners, they will be released before tonight ends,” he said. His government insists that there are no political prisoners, and that those held — estimated by human rights groups to be around 80 people — are spies, terrorists or armed insurrectionists.

He should have said, "You mean the ones over in Guantanamo Bay? We don't control that prison."

 

[MongGrel]

Nothing new here.

I actually agree with Castro on this one, there is an odd concept. Healthcare in the US is a huge racket.

I think I remember him offering to send medical workers when Katrina hit New Orleans, and was blown off as being a ridiculous idea at the time.

 

[MagickMan]

He should have asked Castro about the 3M Cubans who have been murdered by the communist party since his brother took over. How was their healthcare?

Free shit is still shit.

 

[Subyman]

We aren't immune to criticism. I think it is healthy to hear other perspectives.

 

[PokerGuy]

Kind of like having Saudi Arabia on the UN human rights council. Millions of Cubans have been terrorized and oppressed for decades, and Castro has the nerve to criticize the US on human rights?

There's a reason millions of Cubans fled their home to seek a better one in the US.....

The US should have waited for both Raoul and Fidel to finally die before opening up any dialog with Cuba. Let the trash rot and die, then start anew.

 

[fskimospy]

He should have asked Castro about the 3M Cubans who have been murdered by the communist party since his brother took over. How was their healthcare?

Free shit is still shit.

I wonder how many people in the US have died from lack of access to health care since the 1960's?

The Cuban government is horrible and repressive. On no sane planet does that absolve the US of its shameful failure to provide health care to its citizens.

 

[fskimospy]

The US should have waited for both Raoul and Fidel to finally die before opening up any dialog with Cuba. Let the trash rot and die, then start anew.

So you view the half century + embargo of Cuba as good policy? Can you explain why? By this logic should we not be embargoing large swaths of the world?

 

[cbrunny]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_ranking_of_health_systems_in_2000

Cuba ranks 39 to the USA's 31.

In per capita expenditure, USA ranks 1 while Cuba ranks 118.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_ranking_of_health_systems_in_2000

Cuba ranks 39 to the USA's 31.

In per capita expenditure, USA ranks 1 while Cuba ranks 118.

I was just going to post something similar. The man does have a point. Just like Obama made a little dig at him by saying "Any American will be free to visit Cuba. I look forward to seeing you visit America" (not a quote but close). This is where America always wins.

 

[Subyman]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_ranking_of_health_systems_in_2000

Cuba ranks 39 to the USA's 31.

In per capita expenditure, USA ranks 1 while Cuba ranks 118.

So a third world shit hole has nearly the same health care quality as the mighty US yet they spend pennies per person compared to the US. Sounds like a decent system.

That study is from 16 years ago too.

 

[PokerGuy]

So you view the half century + embargo of Cuba as good policy? Can you explain why? By this logic should we not be embargoing large swaths of the world?

I don't view it as a particularly useful or particularly good policy. However, with that policy having been in place up to this point, I would have at least waited until the Castro's were dead before ending it. No need to give that trash and their communist regime any opportunities.

 

[realibrad]

So a third world shit hole has nearly the same health care quality as the mighty US yet they spend pennies per person compared to the US. Sounds like a decent system.

That study is from 16 years ago too.

If you can get Americans to give up this idea that we deserve to have every test ever run for a head cold, then sure. In places like Cuba, its understood that you wont get an MRI for a headache because its too expensive. For the most part, that saves money. There are a few people that will die, but over all for society its better.

Here in the US, if you tell women that they dont need to get mammograms as often as they do because it is not worth the money, people lose their minds. If telling all women to do it saves just one life, then it was worth it. That is the reason why we have the system we have now. Anyone who says we could cut but on unneeded things is made out to seem like a "let them die to save a penny" person.

 

[BoberFett]

So a third world shit hole has nearly the same health care quality as the mighty US yet they spend pennies per person compared to the US. Sounds like a decent system.

That study is from 16 years ago too.

Like many things we do here in the US, it's a lot of make-work. If we spent $1 Trillion less on healthcare, that's a whole lot of jobs gone. Healthcare jobs are pretty good paying jobs.

How are the incomes of those health care workers in Cuba? How are their lifestyles?

 

[ivwshane]

I don't view it as a particularly useful or particularly good policy. However, with that policy having been in place up to this point, I would have at least waited until the Castro's were dead before ending it. No need to give that trash and their communist regime any opportunities.

So when an opportunity for a peaceful resolution came around you would have dismissed it and waited for an unknown dictator to gain power and then tried to negotiate a peaceful resolution?

Smart! /s

 

[theeedude]

Like many things we do here in the US, it's a lot of make-work. If we spent $1 Trillion less on healthcare, that's a whole lot of jobs gone. Healthcare jobs are pretty good paying jobs.

How are the incomes of those health care workers in Cuba? How are their lifestyles?

That's fine, but at least cover everyone if you are going to charge double what other developed countries who cover everyone charge.

 

[trenchfoot]

IMO, Castro said what he did out of political necessity. No more, no less. Looks like he was defending his policies and his legacy in light of the fact that in reality, his nation would have been much better off had he started this process of normalization a lot sooner than later. As well, the revolutionist that still resides in his heart still influences his thoughts and motives, especially that of successfully standing tall against the monstrous size and influence that his neighbor 90 miles away wielded over his tiny nation for so many years.

Alas, it seems to me the passing of time and the new realities that it brought to bear has overcome his old hatreds and political staunchness in ideology.

Methinks so long as he feels his regime isn't threatened by normalization, it will be a mutually beneficial relationship that was a long time coming.

 

[echo4747]

So a third world shit hole has nearly the same health care quality as the mighty US yet they spend pennies per person compared to the US. Sounds like a decent system.

That study is from 16 years ago too.

The biggest reasons for this are:

-healthcare workers are paid considerably more here in the USA
-malpractice insurance requirements
-healthcare insurance companies

 

[cbrunny]

The biggest reasons for this are:

-healthcare workers are paid considerably more here in the USA
-malpractice insurance requirements
-healthcare insurance companies

don't forget:

- hospitals with shareholders
- profit driven margins on all medical expenses

 

[JSt0rm]

they should our healthcare sucks.

 

[JockoJohnson]

The biggest reasons for this are:

-healthcare workers are paid considerably more here in the USA
-malpractice insurance requirements
-healthcare insurance companies

Wait, are you saying those greedy bastards in the healthcare industry are passing those costs along to us, the consumer? What's next, when companies are taxed they will pass those taxes along to the consumer as well? /s

 

[MagickMan]

I wonder how many people in the US have died from lack of access to health care since the 1960's?

A very tiny fraction of that, and we're huge in comparison. You make it sound like hospitals aren't obligated to treat people in emergent care situations (they absolutely are), plus Medicaid is readily available for all children whose families can't afford insurance and those who are legitimately disabled.

 

[MongGrel]

So a third world shit hole has nearly the same health care quality as the mighty US yet they spend pennies per person compared to the US. Sounds like a decent system.

That study is from 16 years ago too.

+1

Like many things we do here in the US, it's a lot of make-work. If we spent $1 Trillion less on healthcare, that's a whole lot of jobs gone. Healthcare jobs are pretty good paying jobs.

How are the incomes of those health care workers in Cuba? How are their lifestyles?

Good thing people like Rick Scott hasn't managed to figure out a way to ship those health care jobs overseas like a lot of manufacturing has been, I suppose...

 

[JockoJohnson]

they should our healthcare sucks.

Our healthcare sucks for those that don't have insurance. I wish we would go single-payer as to eliminate the insurance companies as that just adds a ton of overhead. But our system overall does not suck...unless you just have an agenda.

 

[kage69]

We aren't immune to criticism. I think it is healthy to hear other perspectives.

This. And the reverse.

I would have said it's funny to hear people who laugh at the notion of free speech and treat their countrymen like precious livestock act like they are some bastion of human rights.

There's plenty of amusement to go around Raul.