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According to most polls, millions of American, so-called "progressives," are beginning to coalesce around socialist Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilan Omar and other oracles of the far Left.
Former Cuban political prisoners have written a letter to Democrat Party Chair, Tom Perez, begging him to somehow deal with Bernie and his socialism. And they carefully articulate why.
Be informed.
Bernie's perspective.
I don't know this, but I would suspect Perez and others are already trying to deal with their Bernie problem. Much like they did when it appeared he might edge out Hillary in the 2016 primaries.
Whether they will be successful remains to be seen.
The match that lighted the fire was Bernie's appearance on CBS's "60 Minutes" last Sunday.
He heaped praise on aspects of the education system in Cuba under the regime of communist dictator Fidel Castro---even saying it was "unfair to say everything was bad under the brutal, tyrannical leader."
Sanders suggested that Castro's communist regime was fairly successful, the Cuban people did not revolt against Castro because he "educated their kids, gave them healthcare, and totally transformed the society."
Of course, anyone who has been around a while remembers that multiple revolts against Castro did occur. Each was knocked down by Castro.
And don't we all remember the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and President John F. Kennedy?
Bernie continued on Monday during his appearance on CNN's Town Hall.
He told the audience that it was a "good thing" that Castro taught people to read and write and that China's government has "taken more people out of extreme poverty than any other country in history."
Bernie said,
"When Fidel Castro first came to power ...he initiated a major literacy program. There were a lot of folks in Cuba at that point that were illiterate, and he formed a literacy brigade...they went out and they people learn how to read and write. You know what? I think teaching people to read and write is a good thing."
He acknowledged that China is becoming more and more authoritarian, saying,
"But can anyone deny---I mean, the facts are clear, that they have taken more people out of extreme poverty than any country in history."
What he fails to remember is that China has also killed about 60 million of their own people in their march to "lift them out of poverty."
Thank you, Chairman Mao.
Cuban political prisoner's perspective. And probably that of many Cubans who weren't jailed.
Four former political prisoners, who spent a combined 81 years in prison for their opposition to Castro's socialist communism, have sent a letter to Democrat National Committee Chairman Tom Perez condemning presidential candidate Bernie Sanders for praising the late dictator Fidel Castro.
This is a link to an article that contains the complete letter. I encourage you to read it.
The former political prisoners note in their letter that Cuba had high literacy rates and was the region's wealthiest country before the 1959 Cuban Revolution.
They note that the price Cubans paid for the economic collapse under Castro, which Sanders appears to praise as a success, was the mass murder of thousands of dissidents, imprisonment in tropical gulags, and a total lack of freedom of expression.
They also note that Cuba's healthcare system relies on a form of modern slavery in which Cuba pays for diplomatic support from the developing world by sending doctors to work as slaves in dangerous conditions.
The former prisoners write in their letter:
"Does Mr. Sanders know that the regime sends doctors to work at other countries and the regime collects their wages while only giving doctors between 75 and 90% of the wage? In addition, their passports are removed and keep them all under close surveillance to prevent any 'desertion'."
The former prisoners write,
"As former political prisoners, who served many years in Fidel Castro's prisons, enduring tortures, beatings, years of solitary confinement , and inhuman treatment, we are offended that a presidential candidate of your party dared to praise a tyrant who shed so much blood of innocent Cubans."
"Mr Sanders either lies or ignores the events in Cuba," they say---"socialism is the worst political any country may go through."
Why socialism always fails.
Mark J. Perry has written an article titled, "Why Socialism Always Fails."
He gives these 4 reasons:
1. Socialism is the Big Lie of the twentieth century.
While it promised prosperity, equality, and security, it delivered poverty, misery, and tyranny. Equality was achieved only in the sense that everyone was equal in his or her misery.
In the same way that a Ponzi scheme or chain letter initially succeeds but eventually collapses, socialism may show early signs of success. But any accomplishments quickly fade as the fundamental deficiencies of central planning emerge. It is the initial illusion of success that gives government intervention its pernicious, seductive appeal. In the long run, socialism has always proven to be a formula for tyranny and misery.
2. The strength of capitalism can be attributed to an incentive structure based upon the three Ps:
- prices determined by market forces
- a profit-and-loss system of accounting
- private property rights. The failure of socialism can be traced to its neglect of these three incentive-enhancing components.
3. By their failure to foster, promote, and nurture the potential of their people through incentive-enhancing institutions, centrally planned economies deprive the human spirit of full development.
Socialism fails because it kills and destroys the human spirit–just ask the people leaving Cuba in homemade rafts and boats [and those waiting in long lines today in Venezuela struggling, and often failing, to buy food].
4. The temptress of socialism is constantly luring us with the offer: “give up a little of your freedom and I will give you a little more security.” As the experience of this century has demonstrated, the bargain is tempting but never pays off. We end up losing both our freedom and our security.
The main difference between capitalism and socialism is this: Capitalism works.
And capitalism is biblical. Socialism is not. Read the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25: 14-30).
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.