Even toilet paper is rationed!
Cuban officials say the shortage is the result of the global financial crisis and three devastating hurricanes last summer, which forced cuts in imports as well as domestic production because of reductions in electricity and imports of raw materials.
But CNN commentator Fareed Zakaria says that “at the bottom of this toilet paper shortage is Cuba’s continuing commitment to its bizarro world of socialist economics.”
“Cuba’s disastrous economy would be a joke were it not for the poverty it has perpetuated among millions of Cubans,” Zakaria said in a video commentary posted last week. “The whole country is stagnating. Fifty percent of its arable fields are going unfarmed. First and second year college students work one month out of the year in agriculture.”
“It’s insane farm policies lead to frequent shortages of fruit, vegetables and other basic food needs, shortages even more serious than toilet paper,” he added. “And all those programs that they have held up for years as successes of the communist revolution — free education for all through college, universal health care — well, Raúl Castro just announced they’re going to have to make cuts in all of these.”
They’re using copies of newspapers as a substitute. This is the country that Rep. Diane Watson was singing praises about. Yeah, Castro is so brilliant, he can’t even keep his people supplied with toilet paper.



posted August 30, 2009 at 12:42 pm
The government controls *our* economy. You’re a fool if you believe otherwise.
Would you prefer we go back to the Wild Wild West when the economy was run by collusion, coercion and gunfire?
Sadly, I think you would – you know, unless you were one of those unluck enough to have been born without guns or power.
That’s ultimately what all of your rants come down to – the protection of *your* privilege, no matter what the cost to others. If you believed in a *real* god, I’d say shame on you. Seems to me that old axiom is true – one does cast gods in their own image.
Your god is a nightmare. What does that say about you?
posted August 30, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Your god is a nightmare.
We read this at church yesterday:
Moses said to the people: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin upon you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it. Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”
and i wondered why nobody thinks thus of Christians. What happened? Instead, Christians are told to expect the opposite of what God promised through Moses.
posted August 30, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Again, not a single religious or theological mention. How does Beliefnet let this person continue to call her blog “Reformed”. It is deception and false advertising!
posted August 30, 2009 at 8:48 pm
As I so often comment, RevPauli, Michelle’s views are Reformed views. They just aren’t a total rehash of Calvin or necessarily related to the Bible. But Michelle is a very mainstream Reformed Christian.
posted August 30, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Hmm, in our post dead trees society we won’t have newspapers to fall back on. So in the event of a TP shortage in the US remember that leaves are the original TP, just avoid poison ivy.
Actually I agree with Michelle that government control of the supply of goods is a bad thing. This is because I’m old enough to remember the disaster of Nixon’s wage and price controls in the 70′s. A 90 day measure lasted for three years and the entire decade was a washout.
It took Paul Volcker (appointed by Carter, but Reagan kept him on) to tame inflation with a really nasty recession in the early 80′s.
posted August 31, 2009 at 10:11 am
Mrs Watson seems to have two things leading her in support of Castro’s intelligence. First she must have very little confidence in her own, to be impressed, so easily. Secondly, she might be looking to take over the view for Barbara Walters,after all wasnt it Ms Walters interview with him, that made her a personality? Just think they wont even have to change the momogram on the towels.
posted August 31, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Robert R, I don’t doubt that she holds reformed theological views personally. I have no idea, actually, as she NEVER EVER addresses them! Perhaps if she would just ONCE explain why, from a Reformed perspective, she believes that only the lucky few deserve healthcare, it would be different. She could say that they are among the Elect and so have been pre-ordained to have healthcare, while the rest of us have been chosen from before the beginning to be denied even basic health care. But simply saying that anything Obama and the Democrats do is bad is not a valid argument from a Reformed Theological perspective!
posted September 1, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Another stupid, “scary”, post by Michele to imply that Obama is “taking over”. If we could be so lucky to have our government represent the people’s interests rather than corporate profits stamping them out.
The point of Cuba is that even a poor and backward country recognizes the merits of providing healthcare to its citizens.
posted September 1, 2009 at 1:59 pm
good economic news that you won’t read in michele’s posts:
and, although TARP was a bush bank-giveaway, the democratic congress placed restrictions on the banks use of the money. this week, the NYT is reporting that “As Big Banks Repay Bailout, U.S. Sees Profit”:
according to the associated press, “July new US home sales up 9.6 percent”:
the effects of the governments intervention into our failing economy are showing their benefits.
posted September 2, 2009 at 9:25 am
“Yeah, Castro is so brilliant, he can’t even keep his people supplied with toilet paper.”
Gee, and here all along, I thought you ‘conservatives’ didn’t want your government “controlling” anything at all. Since when is it the government’s job, here or elsewhere, democratic or socialist, to keep the people supplied with toiletries? Make up your mind!
Sheesh, this blog gets stoopider by the thread. Confused much, Michele?
posted September 2, 2009 at 9:27 am
Hmm, seems Castro can keep his people supplied with universal health care. Maybe socialism does work after all.