Bernie Sanders Is Wrong About Cuba, But Right On Beating Trump

Robert Crohan/Staff Writer

The 2020 Democratic primary has proven to be a raucous, divisive and controversial process. This primary has escalated to the point of being offensive to some, as the frontrunner, Senator Bernie Sanders, recently made comments acknowledging the supposed progress made by Fidel Castro’s Cuba in terms of education. 

These comments have naturally pleased some on the far left, but have provoked trauma in Cuban residents of the U.S. who remember the horrors of communism. They also enraged Florida Democrats—me included.

But while I find the comments offensive and potentially perilous for the liberal movement in the Sunshine State, I generally see Sanders as a good politician otherwise, and a decent choice for the Democratic nomination. 

Sanders has dedicated his life to improving the conditions of our working people. I have heard some point to this as a warning sign that Sanders could become a dictator. However, he is not demonstrating authoritative tendencies, but rather channeling anger at the institutions that were left unregulated by recent presidents and soaked in money from the rest of the economy. 

As Sanders himself pointed out, even former President Obama mentioned Cuban progress without pointing to it as an example to follow—just a slight improvement in a broken society. It is obvious that Sanders did not support Cuba’s indoctrination and propaganda, but instead rather its literacy rate above all else. He has also condemned the divisive activities of some of his supporters.

Although I’m not Cuban—and therefore cannot speak for or try to lecture any about history or politics—I can point out that Sanders does not represent communism as many Republicans claim.

Rather, he promotes Democratic Socialism, which advocates for minimal government regulation in the economy and more oversight of financial markets so as to avoid extreme inequality and economic crises. 

Democratic Socialists refer to reforms like those under the New Deal and believe in the government providing basic services in a Scandinavian-style “welfare state” to make up for the stagnation of wages and the loss of jobs over the past four decades. Ideas like tuition-free education, union reform, universal healthcare, and progressive taxation represent the foundation of Democratic Socialism. 

Marxists and Communists, on the other hand, believe in the nationalization of all industries. They place emphasis on production, while Democratic Socialists believe in the importance of the American consumer, demonstrated by policies that put more money into the hands of the people. 

Communists, even more importantly, believe in the overthrow of capitalism in favor of a centrally-planned undemocratic state, while Democratic Socialists believe in capitalism, but strictly regulated so as to prevent events like the 2008 Financial Crisis, which were the result of deregulation that gave more power to large businesses to keep wages stagnant and rig the economy against working people.

Florida’s voters must therefore decide what best represents their interests and worldview. It has also been pointed out that President Trump has taken a liking to many authoritarian leaders and despots, so I’m interested to see why this doesn’t get as much attention as Sanders.

I agree that his comments on Cuba were insensitive and certainly not doing anyone any favors. But if Democrats don’t care for the president, they may have to suck it up and vote for the crazy guy.

Featured photo by Gage Skidmore on Flickr.

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