I know it seems like piling on Cuba…but I can’t resist. Why? Because the Cuban people deserve better.

In his post at The Future of Freedom Foundation earlier this week, Jacob G. Hornsberger reminds statists in America of their similarities with their beliefs in the “same socialist philosophy”.

Here’s an excerpt from his post:

Lessons for Americans from Welfare-State Failure in Cuba

by Jacob G. Hornberger

Uh, oh! Problems in socialist paradise land. It seems that one of the primary bastions of socialism is considering moving away from its welfare-state principles. According to the Financial Times, “Cuba, one of the world’s surviving Communist states, is looking at watering down the generous social welfare system that has been a cornerstone of its economy for nearly 50 years, according to a senior government official. Alfredo Jam, head of macroeconomic analysis in the economy ministry, told the Financial Times that Cubans had been ‘over-protected’ by a system that subsidised food costs and limited the amount people could earn, prompting labour shortages in important industries.”

Despite changes in Cuba’s socialist economic system, however, the FT points out that “the welfare system has remained almost intact. Under it, all Cubans are entitled to basic foods, including breads, eggs, rice, beans and milk, at much cheaper prices than those elsewhere in the world. Rents and utilities are extremely cheap and education and healthcare are free.” [More…]