Cuban Medical Degrees and Lobbyists

[Shroom Man 777]

Florida doesn't like Cuban medicine

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -Americans who get their medical degree
in Cuba wouldn't be allowed to practice medicine in Florida under a
bill being discussed by the House Health Quality Committee.
The panel could vote on the bill (HB 685) as early as next week.
The measure is aimed at students who accept scholarships from
the Cuban government to attend the Latin American School of Medical
Sciences in Havana. About 150 American students are currently
enrolled in the school and would be affected.
Information provided to the committee says eight American
students have graduated from the school and are currently
practicing in the United States, but none are working in Florida.
Since no graduates of the program have Florida medical licenses,
the bill would only affect those graduates who try to become
licensed here in the future.
If the measure were to pass, Florida would be the first U.S.
state to bar graduates of the program from practicing medicine
here.

On the Net:
Florida Legislature: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/

And contrast that with this

How good is a Cuban medical education?

If the world's public-health experts are to be believed, a medical degree from Fidel Castro's small island nation can be hung proudly next to diplomas from Harvard or Stanford.

Especially in the field of global public health, Cuban-educated doctors draw raves around the world.

Cubans have propped up a collapsed health system in Haiti, provided care in hurricane-ravaged Honduras and prompted a much-lauded AIDS prevention campaign in Uganda.

After cigars and rum, one might say medical care is the country's leading export. In recent years, Cuba has sent an estimated 20,000 doctors abroad to work in rural areas throughout Africa and Latin America.

And that has bought Castro valuable friends among leaders in such developing regions as Central America and sub-Saharan Africa. Building on a medical establishment that was well regarded before he came to power, Castro has used medical care in much the same way the United States buys friends through programs like USAID.

"I wouldn't hesitate to work with a doctor educated there," said Dr. Anthony Kirkpatrick, a professor at the University of South Florida's college of medicine who has worked extensively in Cuba.

Best outcomes, least resources

*snippy snip*

Ever since I've started working on a story with a handlebar-moustached Cuban as a protagonist, I've been researching on the country and have been genuinely surprised at what I've found. It's really surprising how reality isn't like the black-and-white bullcrap American media likes to peddle.

For one, Cuba is nothing like other regimes like North Korea. Though that doesn't dissuade the USA from trying its best to turn Cuba into North Korea via its irrational and vindictive embargo. Yet, despite that, Cuba's "evil guvmint" is still able to keep the country afloat and provide world-renowned healthcare.

And something tells me that this irrational affair with not recognizing Cuban Medical Certifications is just another act of irrational dickery by these lobbyist guys. Guys who, aside from disliking diplomas handed out by El Commandante Fidel Castro, also like to give money to dicks who like to blow people's legs off.

So while it seems to me like Fidel Castro is no saint, these lobbyists and powerful Cuban-American exiles are no different from any of those Third World junta scumsuckers the US guvmint (particularly those Republican neocons) is all cozy with. And if they ended up replacing the Cuban guvmint after Castro croaks, something tells me it won't be all sunshine and free-love in Cuba. Just more of that Mission Accomplished crap.


Then Will Smith and Martin Lawrence can drive around in a Humvee and turn half of Havana into roadkill.

[K. A. Pital]

Cuban-American exiles are no different from any of those Third World junta scumsuckers

They are, for the most part, Batistista assholes. They are in fact the Third World junta guys.

Cuba is developing despite the embargo. Raul and Fidel weren't wasting their time in the 1990s when the USSR fell apart, now all America will achieve is:
1) a liberalized socialist autocracy under Raul will NOT become a market for America
2) instead it will be a market for Russia, China and every other power willing to work with Cuba

In short, the US has been losing Cuba for 40 years and still lost it.

[Illuminatus Primus]

You have no idea what self-righteous pukes these Batistista assholes are; you don't have to live near them.

[Shroom Man 777]

You know, it's really amazing. Despite being a dictator who has undoubtedly done a lot of bad things, Fidel Castro (and his brother) has kept on fighting ever since the Cuban Revolution. I mean, this guy isn't like George Bush or any average contemporary leader. This guy led a revolution - fought and killed and led people - won a country and then, for half a century, continued to lead that country in a David versus Goliath struggle against America.

Yeah, he is a dick for those humanitarian rights abuses. Cuba isn't a "liberal" country, but how can it? America is right next door, there are those Batista assholes you speak of, the CIA and all those other fuckers who are trying their best to kill ole Fidel. Cuba has to enact those drastic measures because they're sort of fighting their own War on Terror, except they're not being threatened by bearded Mohammedian boogeymen, but by America.

I guess I'm fascinated with Cuba because of it's unique situation. It's really an inversion... looking at it is like looking at the world (as distributed and distilled by the American-dominated media) that's been turned upside down. I like the change of perspective.

[Shroom Man 777]

You have no idea what self-righteous pukes these Batistista assholes are; you don't have to live near them.

On the other hand, I live in a former Spanish colony that's been liberated by America and Americanized without Che Gueverra coming in a moped of Revolucion afterwards. So, it can be argued I've got my own self-righteous Batista-type assholes. The only difference is that they're the ones running my country

And yeah, my pricks are also self-righteous pricks. They may not be self-righteously condemning a glorious communist leader from afar, but they're still self-righteously trying to oust one another in "revolutions"

[K. A. Pital]

Cuba isn't a "liberal" country, but how can it?

The fun part: in the XXI century, Cuba moves to legalization of transgender operations and is apparently more liberal towards homosexuals than a large fraction of US governing bodies.

You have no idea what self-righteous pukes these Batistista assholes are

I've met one of them. Driving an SUV and smoking cigars, he remarked on how poor Latin America is and how the US is the big light in the end of the tunnel when it breaks into all Latin American markets and they like the good businessmen they are take control of large swathes of said markets.

This looked really strange to me. The guy was also fond of Italian Mafia. Guess that's self-explanatory.

[Shroom Man 777]

I am sure that man goes to church every Sunday to pray to Mama Mary.

Uh, there are SUV-driving and cigar-smoking Batista assholes in Russia?

[Illuminatus Primus]

You have no idea what self-righteous pukes these Batistista assholes are; you don't have to live near them.

On the other hand, I live in a former Spanish colony that's been liberated by America and Americanized without Che Gueverra coming in a moped of Revolucion afterwards. So, it can be argued I've got my own self-righteous Batista-type assholes. The only difference is that they're the ones running my country

And yeah, my pricks are also self-righteous pricks. They may not be self-righteously condemning a glorious communist leader from afar, but they're still self-righteously trying to oust one another in "revolutions"

Generally the U.S. should go all the way or not at all. Are you guys ever going to join as a state and tip the Hispanic demographic way up?

[Shroom Man 777]

We wish (seriously, we do)

Funny thing is that we're Asian, but we've got that whole Spanish-colony thing, so we're not exactly Hispanic, but we're not exactly too 'Asian' either. We've got that strong Catholic culture (like Hispanic countries), but also awesome Chinese-derived food, and everyone speaks passable to good English. We are the ubermensch! *urinates in a street corner*

Though to be honest, we're turning the Filipino demographic way up by immigrating out of our country en masse.

It's such a sad, yet typical symptom of all Third World countries. If only we could rig flotation devices to our cars and paddle to Florida. Goddamn Pacific Ocean. *sighs*

[K. A. Pital]

Hint: I've been living in the US once upon a time, Shroom

[Broomstick]

Generally the U.S. should go all the way or not at all. Are you guys ever going to join as a state and tip the Hispanic demographic way up?

Philipinos are considered Asian/Pacific Islander here in the US, not Hispanic, despite the Spanish influence and surnames.

[Adrian Laguna]

Cuba has to enact those drastic measures because they're sort of fighting their own War on Terror, except they're not being threatened by bearded Mohammedian boogeymen, but by America.

You have no idea. The United States actually had the gall to give political asylum to one of the bastards responsible for the 1976 bombing of Cubana Flight 455, which killed all 73 people on board and was the deadliest act of terrorism in the Western Hemisphere at the time.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Generally the U.S. should go all the way or not at all. Are you guys ever going to join as a state and tip the Hispanic demographic way up?

Philipinos are considered Asian/Pacific Islander here in the US, not Hispanic, despite the Spanish influence and surnames.

Which is ironic, because the Philippines define a stereotypical Latin American country.

[Flagg]

You have no idea what self-righteous pukes these Batistista assholes are; you don't have to live near them.

I still remember the hysteria over Elian Gonzalez where these cocksuckers were worshiping the kid like a fucking Christ figure while pimping him out at every opportunity to push their "Cuba is evil" horseshit.

I remember having conversations with 'exiles' whose plan was to jump on a boat and go buy up as much property in Cuba as possible and essentially be land barons once the regime fell.

By and large it's a community of vultures and religious nutjobs.

[Broomstick]

Generally the U.S. should go all the way or not at all. Are you guys ever going to join as a state and tip the Hispanic demographic way up?

Philipinos are considered Asian/Pacific Islander here in the US, not Hispanic, despite the Spanish influence and surnames.

Which is ironic, because the Philippines define a stereotypical Latin American country.

As a practical matter, if a Philippino surnamed Rodriguez started marking "Hispanic" on ethnic surveys no one is going to do shit about it. With only a few exceptions (claims of membership in a Native American tribe, for example) you are what you say you are here and no one is going to ask for proof unless your claim is waaaaaaay out there.