Comments on: Rubio: socialism != communism https://habitablezone.com/2015/11/05/rubio-socialism-communism/ Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:15:13 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2015/11/05/rubio-socialism-communism/#comment-33452 ER Fri, 06 Nov 2015 01:31:14 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=51754#comment-33452 Most Cubans are very liberal, politically and culturally. They came from a nation that was founded as a constitutional social democracy ever since it declared itself independent from Spain but was continuously being taken over by right-wing dictators tacitly supported by the United States. However, "liberal" and "social democrat" are not synonymous with "Communist" as has long been standard political dogma in the USA. Cubans despise Communism because Fidel expropriated their property, brainwashed their kids, nationalized their businesses, imprisoned, tortured and killed their relatives and eventually forced them into exile. But someone like Bernie Sanders would not be too unlike some of Cuba's past constitutional and freely elected Presidents. Cuba always had good race relations, a strong trade union system, free public education through college and socialized medicine, and a very culturally relaxed and secular society; you know, <em>Liberal</em>! And it had this long before Castro came to power. From what I've seen of Rubio's politics in the past, they have been pretty center-right, not that far from most of the Cubans I know, myself included. (As a point of reference, I consider myself center-left.) But in order to survive in the new GOP, he has had to sell his soul to the TParty and the Freedom Caucus. And I don't think he will pass muster with them for much longer, they can smell a closet lib a mile away. Too bad for the Repubs, he probably could have beaten Hillary in a fair fight, but he's got too many anchors on his ass now. Most Cubans are very liberal, politically and culturally. They came from a nation that was founded as a constitutional social democracy ever since it declared itself independent from Spain but was continuously being taken over by right-wing dictators tacitly supported by the United States. However, “liberal” and “social democrat” are not synonymous with “Communist” as has long been standard political dogma in the USA. Cubans despise Communism because Fidel expropriated their property, brainwashed their kids, nationalized their businesses, imprisoned, tortured and killed their relatives and eventually forced them into exile. But someone like Bernie Sanders would not be too unlike some of Cuba’s past constitutional and freely elected Presidents.

Cuba always had good race relations, a strong trade union system, free public education through college and socialized medicine, and a very culturally relaxed and secular society; you know, Liberal! And it had this long before Castro came to power.

From what I’ve seen of Rubio’s politics in the past, they have been pretty center-right, not that far from most of the Cubans I know, myself included. (As a point of reference, I consider myself center-left.) But in order to survive in the new GOP, he has had to sell his soul to the TParty and the Freedom Caucus. And I don’t think he will pass muster with them for much longer, they can smell a closet lib a mile away. Too bad for the Repubs, he probably could have beaten Hillary in a fair fight, but he’s got too many anchors on his ass now.

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