Reply With Quotei can't wait for november.
Cuban leader applauds US health-care reform bill
Cuban leader applauds US health-care reform bill
Dubious endorsement? Cuban leader endorses US health care reform, says it's about time
Paul Haven, Associated Press Writer, On Thursday March 25, 2010, 12:39 pm EDT
HAVANA (AP) -- It perhaps was not the endorsement President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress were looking for.
Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Thursday declared passage of American health care reform "a miracle" and a major victory for Obama's presidency, but couldn't help chide the United States for taking so long to enact what communist Cuba achieved decades ago.
"We consider health reform to have been an important battle and a success of his (Obama's) government," Castro wrote in an essay published in state media, adding that it would strengthen the president's hand against lobbyists and "mercenaries."
But the Cuban leader also used the lengthy piece to criticize the American president for his lack of leadership on climate change and immigration reform, and for his decision to send more troops to Afghanistan, among many other things.
And he said it was remarkable that the most powerful country on earth took more than two centuries from its founding to approve something as basic as health benefits for all.
"It is really incredible that 234 years after the Declaration of Independence ... the government of that country has approved medical attention for the majority of its citizens, something that Cuba was able to do half a century ago," Castro wrote.
The longtime Cuban leader -- who ceded power to his brother Raul in 2008 -- has continued to ****ounce his thoughts on world issues though frequent essays, titled "Reflections," which are published in state newspapers.
Cuba provides free health care and education to all its citizens, and heavily subsidizes food, housing, utilities and transportation, policies that have earned it global praise. The government has warned that some of those benefits are no longer sustainable given Cuba's ever-struggling economy, though it has so far not made major changes.
In recent speeches, Raul Castro has singled out medicine as an area where the government needs to be spending less, but he has not elaborated.
While Fidel Castro was initially positive about Obama, his essays have become increasingly hostile in recent months as relations between Cuba and the United States have soured. Washington has been increasingly alarmed by Cuba's treatment of political dissidents -- one of whom died in February after a long hunger strike.
Cuba was irate over the island's inclusion earlier this year on a list of countries Washington considers to be state sponsors of terrorism. Tensions have also risen following the arrest in December of a U.S. government contractor that Havana accuses of spying.
In Thursday's essay, Castro called Obama a "fanatic believer in capitalist imperialism" but also praised him as "unquestionably intelligent."
"I hope that the stupid things he sometimes says about Cuba don't cloud over that intelligence," he said.
@ http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Cuban-....html?x=0&.v=1
i can't wait for november.
You have to hand it to the Cubans, their health-care is good and cheap.
Second best public health-care system of the continent after Canada.Originally Posted by Jelle H.
Hahaha, Obamadeus is so ****ed now.
... because nobody will kick their thoughts up a notch. Those reforms are the best straight line ever given to Americas foes. The only reason for them to applause your President is his destabilization.
When will he die.
Oh boy, with an endorsement like that...
My question is who cares what the Cubans think, about our healthcare system? Seriously does nayone here really think that "we" care if they give us the thumbs up?
Obviously not, that's like when Chavez said it was great that Bush was buying those bankrupt banks two years ago or so.
Obviously half of this forum cares, or why did they call Obama socialist for a quite some time yet?
Oh, thats going to help the Dems so much come November having Fidel approving of their action.
Please, please, please can we get an OBL endorsement as well for them?
That half of the forum arent Americans, but celebrating europeans......
I wonder when Mugabe will praise him.
What about elections in Cuba mr. Castro?
They had them, don't you remember when Castro elected himself leader?I wonder when Mugabe will praise him.
What about elections in Cuba mr. Castro?
I'd be inclined to agree with you, but the way our media works will guarantee that the only people that this will be reported to are the ones who vote Republican anyway.
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