I did not say or imply that there is a serious health case crisis in Cuba. I was criticizing (or more specifically, mocking) the idea that any success Cuba has in health care (or any other field) is because of, and not in despite of, shortages. I doubt the central planners at Cuban High Command thought: "To improve our health care system, let's stop using antibiotics." In fact, my understanding is that Cuba has a very bifurcated health care system (one free for locals and an entirely separate pay for foreigners), and there are plenty of antibiotics for the foreigners.
David Shemano ^^^^^ CB: Your initial question was "nuanced" , Counselor. I think you suggested an interesting answer to your own question. It may be "healthier" in some larger picture, not to use modern antibiotics so heavily, for , as we know, viruses and bacteria are evolving immune species very fast. The Cubans may have a strategy of avoiding the relevant diseases through other ways,i.e. developing natural immunities and the like. Given the famous good public health of Cuba, it might be working. At any rate, to the extent that lack of antibiotics harm the people in Cuba, the blame for that is on the U.S. and its blockade, which is no knock on the Cuban rev. That they survive the lack of antibiotics so well is a big brownie point for the rev. Then , I don't see the fixing up of vintage U.S. cars as "a pile of shit", but rather a diamond in the rough, so , for me, the analogy to the boy in Reagan's story fails; and, here my optimism is rooted in fact, the realm Reagan disdains.
