Castro Tells American Journalist Cuba's 'Communistic Economic Model' Doesn't Work

HAVANA Fidel Castro told a visiting American journalist that Cuba's communist economic model doesn't work, a rare comment on domestic affairs from a man who has conspicuously steered clear of local issues since stepping down four years ago.

The fact that things are not working efficiently on this cash-strapped Caribbean island is hardly news. Fidel's brother Raul, the country's president, has said the same thing repeatedly.

But the blunt assessment by the father of Cuba's 1959 revolution is sure to raise eyebrows.

Jeffrey Goldberg, a national correspondent for the Atlantic magazine, asked if Cuba's economic system was still worth exporting to other countries, and Mr. Castro replied: "The Cuban model doesn't even work for us anymore," Mr. Goldberg wrote Wednesday in a post on his Atlantic blog.

He said Mr. Castro made the comment casually over lunch after a long talk about the Middle East, and did not elaborate. The Cuban government had no immediate comment on Mr. Goldberg's account.

Since stepping down from power in 2006, the ex-president has focused almost entirely on international affairs and said very little about Cuba and its politics, perhaps to limit the perception he is stepping on his brother's toes.

Mr. Goldberg, who traveled to Cuba at Mr. Castro's invitation last week to discuss a recent Atlantic article he wrote about Iran's nuclear program, also reported on Tuesday that Mr. Castro questioned his own actions during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, including his recommendation to Soviet leaders that they use nuclear weapons against the United States.

Even after the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba has clung to its communist system.

The state controls well over 90 percent of the economy, paying workers salaries of about $20 a month in return for free health care and education, and nearly free transportation and housing. At least a portion of every citizen's food needs are sold to them through ration books at heavily subsidized prices.

President Raul Castro and others have instituted a series of limited economic reforms, and have warned Cubans that they need to start working harder and expecting less from the government.

But the president also has made it clear he has no desire to depart from Cuba's socialist system or embrace capitalism.

Fidel Castro stepped down temporarily in July 2006 due to a serious illness that nearly killed him.

He resigned permanently two years later, but remains head of the Communist Party. After staying almost entirely out of the spotlight for four years, he re-emerged in July and now speaks frequently about international affairs. He has been warning for weeks of the threat of a nuclear war over Iran.

Mr. Castro's interview with Mr. Goldberg is the only one he has given to an American journalist since he left office.

www.washingtontimes.com

What's wrong with this picture?

Check out this latest picture from Veterans Day 11/11/09 at the Ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery. I don't know whether the National Anthem is being played, or the Flag is going by, or WHAT, but EVERYBODY in the picture is either saluting or has his hand over the HEART.

All except ONE.

Guess who.

Hat Tip; Eric

No American President Ever Bowed to a Foreign Leader — Until Now

President Obama created a new presidential precedent when he bowed to the Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko Saturday.

No president of the United States in the more than 230 years since the country was founded in 1776 had ever bowed to a member of royalty. That was until Barack Obama’s presidency.

In April, President Obama bowed to the Saudi king during the G-20 meeting. At the time, Obama’s deferential bow was somewhat obscured, and the White House insisted that the president simply had leaned forward to shake the king’s hand.

But the president's recent demonstration of royal deference to the Japanese emperor and empress suggests his earlier action was no aberration.

What should we make of this? Is it trivial to worry about what on its face could easily be interpreted as nothing more than a polite gesture by our president to respect the culture of a country?

America was founded on republican virtues — small “r,” that is. Like the French Republic, our nation does not recognize royalty or social rank, especially from officials of the republic.

The conduct of our president when he deals with foreign leaders is a serious matter. After all, he represents the American people and our Constitution.

Indeed, when President Obama bows before a foreign leader, the whole country bows with him.

It is difficult to grasp what President Obama’s motives are for bowing to foreign royalty (it would be nice if a reporter asked his press secretary Robert Gibbs why he does it).

But Obama’s motives do not really matter when we consider his behavior.

What matters is how the rest of the world will interpret his actions. When it comes to bowing before foreign leaders, there is a fine line between showing politeness and servility, between respect and weakness

Continued HERE

N.J. Court Says Americans Have No Right To Buy Handguns

A New Jersey appeals court has concluded that Americans have no Second Amendment right to buy a handgun.

In a case decided last week, the superior court upheld a state law saying that nobody may possess "any handgun" without obtaining law enforcement approval and permission in advance.

That outcome might seem like something of a surprise, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year in the D.C. v. Heller case that the Second Amendment guarantees "the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation."

But New Jersey Appellate Division Judge Stephen Skillman wrote on behalf of a unanimous three-judge panel that Heller "has no impact upon the constitutionality of" the state law.

That's because, Skillman said, the Supreme Court did not strike down the District of Columbia's de facto handgun ban but instead simply ordered the city to issue a permit. In other words, while Americans may have the right in general to possess arms, the exact contours of that right have not been mapped, especially as the Second Amendment applies to state laws. (The court's majority opinion last year said: "We therefore assume that petitioners' issuance of a license will satisfy respondent's prayer for relief and do not address the licensing requirement.")

Read More HERE

Get in shape or pay a price.

Senate proposals put premium on healthy living

Bills could put workers under pressure to lose weight, stop smoking

Get in shape or pay a price.

That's a message more Americans could hear if the health care reform bills passed by the Senate Finance and Health committees become law.

By more than doubling the maximum rewards and penalties that companies can apply to employees who flunk medical evaluations, the bills could put workers under intense financial pressure to lose weight, stop smoking or even lower their cholesterol.

The initiative, largely eclipsed in the health care debate, builds on a trend that is already in play among some corporations and that more workers will see in the packages they bring home during this month's open enrollment. Some employers offer lower premiums to people who complete personal health assessments; others offer only limited benefit packages to smokers.

The current legislative effort takes the trend a step further. It is backed by major employer groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. It is opposed by labor unions and groups devoted to combating serious illnesses, such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the American Diabetes Association.

Read More HERE

Obama; War on Fox, or Would that be the 1st Amendment.

Your tax dollars hard at work paying staff to investigate, analyze, operate and report on a tax funded whitehouse blog to attack Fox news.

One would think with two wars, the highest unemployment ever, a deficit that our great, great grandchildren will never pay off, the economy, a General begging for troops and a host of other things that are being unattended by dear leader, Fox should be the least of his worries.

Hmmmmmm?...........Hmmmmmm?.............Hmmmmmm? Barak Husien 0bama!

snip

Reality Check: Trying to Turn a Point of Pride into a Moment of Shame

Posted by Jesse Lee

Last night Fox News continued its disregard for the facts in an attempt to smear the Administration's efforts to win the Olympics for the United States. In the past, hosting the Olympics has been a source of pride and unity for the country, but once again Fox News' Glenn Beck program has shown that nothing is worthy of respect if it can be used as part of a partisan attack to boost ratings.

Dr. Russell Blaylock: Doctors Will be 'Drafted' Under Democrats' Public Option

A respected medical specialist has carefully reviewed the healthcare reform bill in the U.S. House, and he declares that it would amount to a virtual "draft" of doctors into the government's "public option" health insurance program.

Dr. Russell Blaylock, a renowned neurosurgeon, book author and editor of the Blaylock Wellness Report published by Newsmax, also warns that "death panels" could lead to the rationing of medical care to the elderly and a "violation of the Hippocratic Oath."

See Video: Dr. Russell Blaylock discusses the threats to quality medical care under Obamacare - Click Here Now

Now Obama Wants to Ban Sport Fishing

More Hope and Change...
Here's Obama's latest assault on our rights-- He wants to ban sport fishing.
Obama may enjoy fishing but he won't let you.
The American Sportfishing Association reported:

A sweeping oceans and Great Lakes management policy document proposed by the Obama Administration will have a significant impact on the sportfishing industry, America’s saltwater anglers and the nation’s coastal communities. The draft policy, the Interim Report of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, issued on September 17, will govern federal Pacific and Atlantic Ocean waters and Great Lakes resource conservation and management and will coordinate these efforts among federal, state and local agencies. This past June, President Obama created the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), to develop a draft national policy and implementation strategy for conserving and managing the United States ocean territory and the Great Lakes.

“In regards to recreational fishing specifically, it is a long-standing policy of the federal government to allow public access to public lands and waters for recreational purposes consistent with sound conservation including the nation’s wildlife refuges, national forests, and national parks and should be reflected in a national policy for the oceans and Great Lakes. In fact, the use of public resources by recreational anglers is essential to the conservation model used in this country for fish and wildlife management,” said ASA Ocean Resource Policy Director Patty Doerr.

Doerr further said, “As with any good federal policy decision, discussions about measures that may restrict public access to public resources must involve an open public process, have a solid scientific basis and incorporate specific guidelines on implementation and follow-up. We are very concerned about the abbreviated 90 day timeline which forced the Task Force to issue this policy document prematurely. The implications of such a policy are vast and nationwide. Therefore, the review process should be very deliberate and go well beyond the 30 days public review and comment period which started on September 17.” The Task Force's Interim Report is currently under a 30-day public review and comment period.

Since 1950, with the passage of the Sport Fish Restoration Act, anglers and the sportfishing industry have provided the bulk of funding for fisheries conservation and management in the United States through fishing license fees and the federal manufacturers excise tax on recreational fishing equipment. According to NOAA Fisheries, saltwater anglers contribute over $82 billion annually to the economy. Despite taking only three percent of the saltwater fish harvested each year, the recreational sector creates nearly half the jobs coming from domestic saltwater fisheries.

VIA

Speaker Pelosi Hints At Massive Tax Hike

Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined a growing liberal chorus calling for a massive tax hike through the implementation of a value added tax (VAT). A VAT is similar to a national sales tax. Businesses would pay it at each stage of the production process and consumers at the cash register. European countries have had VATs for years. As we pointed out earlier this year, Congress should not pass a VAT to pay for a government takeover of the health care system or expand the size of government. If it does so, it will be a massive tax hike:

Just a 1 percent VAT on all goods and services in the economy would raise $63 billion for Congress to spend each year. Some suggest the VAT rate should be set as high as 20 percent. At that rate, a VAT that covers all goods and services in the economy – including food, clothing, housing, and health care – would collect an additional $1,260 billion a year and cost every U.S. household $10,680 annually.

Even if Congress passes a VAT that has a rate of just a few percentage points, it would likely lead to higher rates in the future. Evidence from other countries that already have VATs show once it is on the books the rate tends to rise over time.

The American people would be better off if Congress stopped spending and instead reformed existing entitlements to make them more affordable and effective. Adding a new entitlement will only make the country’s fiscal situation worse and make painful tax hikes more likely.

Unfortunately, that might have been the plan all along.

Hat Tip; Kack

It's Broke

To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature,

It is now official—you are ALL corrupt morons:

• The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775—you have had 234 years to get it right—and it is broke.
• Social Security was established in 1935—you have had 74 years to get it right—and it is broke.
• Fannie Mae was established in 1938—you have had 71 years to get it right—and it is broke.
• War on Poverty started in 1964—you have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor"—and they only want more.
• Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965—you have had 44 years to get it right—and they are broke.
• Freddie Mac was established in 1970—you have had 39 years to get it right—and it is broke.
• The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil, it has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before—you had 32 years to get it right—and it is an abysmal failure.

You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars—AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM??

Are you crazy, or do you just believe all Americans are morons too???

Truly, the inmates are running the asylum—and what does this say about us, as voters who put such idiots in office?? If we do not vote against EVERY incumbent currently in office—we are ALL morons, regardless of our political leanings.

Hannity to Obama: 'Mr. President Turn the Water on Now'

What in the heck is wrong with people?
These left-wing wackos are protecting these 'minnows' over the well-being of the people.
Have you seen this on the MSM? Anywhere?

The government has shut the water off to farmers to save a minnow, a minnow that that can be found in the millions in other parts of the country, but the bleeding hearts say they are more important than the people or their livelihood.

By Norma Yuriar

Huron, Calif. (KMPH News) - "Mr. President, turn the water on now," Fox News Host Sean Hannity said, during a live broadcast from the Central Valley. The conservative talk show host anchored his daily program from a farm near Lemoore to highlight the valley's water crisis.

The one hour segment titled, "The Valley that Hope Forgot" drew hundreds to a fallowed tomato field of Highway 198 in Huron. Sylvia Soto said she attended the rally in hopes President Obama was watching. The field worker says she is on the brink of losing her job.

"Our plant is shutting down on the 23rd of October because of the crisis of the water," Soto said.

This crisis is a combination of a statewide drought and water regulations in place to protect endangered fish.

"We are not just talking about the Delta Smelt, we are also talking about Salmon, these salmon are food and provide jobs for people," Federation of Fisherman's Association Zeke Grader said.

Grader told Hannity, local farmers aren't the only ones hurting.

"You need to come up to the north coast the place where I'm from, Fort Bragg, come to Eureka and visit with the unemployed fishermen and give this some balance," Grader said.

Hannity disagreed.

"The problem is the water has been turned off because environmental wackos like you care more about the fish than they do about people," Hannity said.

Manuel Guerra, a Farmer from Kerman said he hoped the spirited debate captured the attention of President Obama.

"I hope that this helps [bring more water] because my brother and I do custom farming and we just lost all of our jobs," Guerra said.

Former Fresno Mayor Alan Autry said although President Obama is no a fan of the conservative talk show host, it's hard to ignore Hannity's voice when it's backed by 'real people'.

"Whether you agree with Sean Hannity or you don't, you can't argue with fact that he is a force in America," Autry said.

Autry told KMPH News he believed the live Fox News broadcast would do for the valley, what town hall protestors did for the health care debate.

"They managed to do something very dramatic and that's have [Obama's] folks go back to the drawing board and come up with a good, common sense health care reform, that was not going to happen until people spoke out," Autry said.

Those in the audience, attending Thursday's rally agreed.

"It's going to take something like this to really make a difference," Phillip Garcia of Firebaugh said.

"Even if Obama does not listen to [Hannity], it's going to swell and it's going to grow and I feel like the message is going to get across," Natasha Hunt of Coalinga said.

VIA

Welcoming Message

Speech to students sparks controversy

When kids all across the country return to school Tuesday, some will see a welcoming message from President Barack Obama and some won't.

Obama's planned address to students has touched off yet another confrontation with Republican critics, who have battered the White House over health care and now accuse the president of foisting a political agenda on children.

The president will speak directly to students Tuesday about the need to work hard and stay in school. His address will be shown live on the White House Web site and on C-SPAN at noon EDT, a time when classrooms across the country will be able to tune in.

Schools don't have to show it. But districts across the country have been inundated with phone calls from parents and are struggling to address the controversy that broke out after Education Secretary Arne Duncan sent a letter to principals urging schools to tune in.

Districts in states including Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin have decided not to show the speech to students. Others are still thinking it over or are letting parents have their kids opt out.

Some conservatives, driven by radio pundits and bloggers, are urging schools and parents to boycott the address. They say Obama is using the opportunity to promote a political agenda and is overstepping the boundaries of federal involvement in schools.

"As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education — it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality," said Oklahoma Republican state Sen. Steve Russell. "This is something you'd expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein's Iraq."

Read more: http://wavy.com