And when the U.S. embargo is lifted, Cuba - which for much of the 19th and 20th centuries was the Caribbean’s predominant economy — is likely to take a growing bite out of Puerto Rico’s fortunes, in tourism, manufacturing and services. And that’s before accounting for Puerto Rico’s existing fiscal straits, which will lead to shrinking government services, higher costs imposed by utilities under siege from creditors and a string of broken social promises and busted pensions.
True, Cubans don’t have democracy. Then again, at the national level, neither do Puerto Ricans: Despite being U.S. citizens, they can’t vote for president or in Congress, which these days mostly ignores them. Cubans may face the threat of arbitrary detention and abuse. But they’re much less likely than Puerto Ricans to be shot dead on the street, or to be victimized by drug traffickers or other criminals. In fact, by many other yardsticks, you’re better off being born in Cuba than Puerto Rico. Don’t take my word for it. Look at the World Factbook put out by those raving socialists at the Central Intelligence Agency. Lower infant mortality? Check! Same with lower unemployment, higher literacy, and a lower overall death rate. full: http://www.newsday.com/opinion/oped/as-cuba-rises-puerto-rico-keeps-slipping-backward-1.11604487 _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
