Posted on 09/04/2012 6:25:13 AM PDT by Ebenezer
Liberal socialistic politicians consistently promise utopia and deliver misery. One way they do this is by pointing to “successful” programs in socialist nations as models for American problems. Cuba’s wonderful universal health care program has been one of these models for decades. But now it seems this program — sometimes touted as better than our own medical system — is now in shambles and facing more financial cuts.
Raul Castro is even attempting to educate the population of the need to economize the country’s failing health care system. He has run a series of ads that have a common theme titled, “Your health care is free, but how much does it cost?”
Well, it seems it does not cost much when compared to a civilized country’s standards, but for a failed communist economy, it is a hefty sum. Cuba spends $190 million per year on its citizens’ medical bills. With a population of over a little more than 11 million, that comes to about $17 per person per year according to recent figures released from Cuba.
Castro’s cynicism goes so far as to remind Cuban citizens to be grateful for the “free” health care they receive. This insult is made all the worse by the fact that the money used to provide Cuba’s “free” health care comes from its citizens. Even this money is mismanaged by a corrupt government that administrates a poorly run system.
In addition to mismanagement, Cuba is suffering from the demise of the Soviet Union, which used to provide vast subsidies to Cuba, as a way to prop up the fraud that Communism was a success under the Castros.
Lest anyone be slightly tempted to think that Castro really has figured out a scheme to keep costs down and beat the free market in efficiency and quality, think twice. A Cuban medical specialist earns an average of $25 a month and Cuban patients often bring their own bed sheets, hypodermic needles, food and water.
The result is rampant corruption among those in the medical profession. Many doctors collect for their services under the table. On their part, many patients feign illnesses to hoard medicine for future use since pharmacies routinely run out of medication.
The difference between Cuba and the U.S. could not be greater. The U.S. is still one of the main leaders in medical advancements and quality care. With an annual expense of $2.3 trillion per year and a population of 311.5 million, its per capita costs are $7,383. American medical professionals receive the highest compensation for their services and provide some of the best care in the world for that compensation, which is the direct result of a free market with competition. It is no wonder that so many people still come to the U.S. for medical treatments, especially from countries that have socialized health care.
Now it seems that even Cuba has been mugged by a high dose of reality that is squeezing what little “utopia” remains, out of their universal health care. One wonders why the likes of Michael Moore and company would want to tailor the American health care system after the failed systems implemented in Cuba, North and South Korea, Canada or England? Karl Marx once said that; “religion is the opium of the people,” it would have been more accurate had he said that socialism is the opium of the ignorant.
I always wondered why Jimmy Carter never went to Cuba for his own health care needs.
Collectivism doesn’t work? Gedouttahea.
It never did.
The “people” were never allowed inside those great medical facilities that Moore was touting.
Sigh.
Would have been a great soundbyte during the Obamacare fight.
Government health care.... Because is works SO WELL everywhere else!!!
A few weeks ago I was talking about a family that had to take bankruptcy over the medical bills of their premie (who’s well and 9 yrs old today),
and my libinlaw said that 0bamacare would have solved that.
Room full of people, not wanting to be rude, mind on other things, so I didn’t say “I’m sure they prefer a live child and bankruptcy to a dead one that was refused care because it was too expensive for the system.”
She wouldn’t have believed it anyway.
You are right. It would have been wonderful during our initial fight. However, we will be fighting this beast for a while yet, so maybe it is a bite that we can use in the battle(s) ahead.
Let’s remember the words of R Castro in coming days:
“YOUR HEALTH CARE IS FREE, BUT HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?”
R Castro
Socialism is the opium of the envious. The Bible calls it “covetousness,” which is against God’s commandment. No nation built on covetousness can endure.
Socialism -
“He has more than you do!” (10)
“You don’t have enough because he has it all” (9)
“Elect me and I’ll take it from him” (8)
“And if he refuses, we’ll force it from him” (6)
“And all that wisdom of the Founders? pshaaah!” (5)
Well, it must be Bush’s fault! A failure of the unbridled free market!
Wait, that doesn’t work for everything?
Oh no! Where’s Michael Moore going to get his gastric bypass and genital enlargement surgery now?
“I always wondered why Jimmy Carter never went to Cuba for his own health care needs.”
I always wanted Carter to go to Cuba and stay there.
I think I am liking Raul Castro’s health care policy better than Romney’s.
At your link, I noticed an article about Cuban doctors being sold off to other countries (e.g., Angola).
Isn’t this what the UK’s NHS is getting ready to unfold? I’ve heard they want to “export” their health care internationally (which exposes their Olympics opening ceremony show as really an advertisement)
Dame Thatcher had it right!
At the macro level we are seeing that in Europe as well as Cuba.
At the micro level we are seeing that in California as cities there are filling for bankruptcy.
If this failure due to lack of outside support occurs at both the high and low ends of the political theory called socialism across the spectrum of social experience how could we think it will work here?
Oh, yes, I forgot. It will work for US because we can throw more money at it until it does succeed. Hmmm. What's the next order of magnitude beyond trillion? (hundreds, thousands, millions, billions, trillions, ...)
“You think healthcare is expensive now, wait ‘til it's free!”
*sigh* Yeah.
That only happens to other (read ghetto) people's babies...
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