Senator Sanders on Parsing History

For John, BLUF:  If we have to acknowledge the "good things" done by the Communist Dictators who killed 100 million of their own people in the 20th Century, what about the other dictators of that Century and this?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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As CPAC Condemns Socialism, Dems in Congress Protect Castro

From PJ Media, by Mr Tyler O'Neil, 27 February 2020.

The article starts by talking about the CPAC () Conference condemning socialism and socialists, it cuts to Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and his resolution in the House condemning President Fidel Castro:

Yet House Democrats refused to listen.  Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), a nephew of Fidel Castro's first wife, has strongly condemned the late dictator's regime and condemned Sanders' infamous comments on 60 Minutes.  Sanders insisted that "it's unfair to simply say everything is bad" about the Castro regime because it supposedly provided health care and literacy programs for its people.  Sanders, now the frontrunner in the Democratic primary, doubled down on these remarks in a debate this week while insisting that he opposes authoritarianism.

"It really makes a difference when those you murder at the firing squad can read & write," Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) quipped in response.

Diaz-Balart argued that Sanders' comments were "blatantly false."  He condemned the "racist, terrorist, murderous Castro regime in Cuba." He mentioned former Cuban political prisoners who are now his constituents in Florida.  "You see, for years, the Cuban regime has been on the list of state sponsors of terrorism for its support of other terrorist states, terrorist organizations, and violence around the world and in this hemisphere."

"So that is why I filed a resolution that condemns the blatantly false comments of Democratic Socialist candidate Senator Bernie Sanders.  This resolution also rejects the false claims that Cuba's health care, education, and literacy rates have improved as a result of the Castro regime — the Castro dictatorship," Diaz-Balart explained. Cuba's infant mortality rate was low, and its life expectancy and literacy rates were high before the Castro regime.

Democrats defeated the resolution by a procedural vote along party lines, 224-189.

"Dems have moved so far left and are so afraid of their socialist base that they can't even condemn a murderous communist regime anymore," Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the House minority whip, tweeted.

I guess we could say that Dictator Fidel Castro wasn't a real socialist.  But then what is he?  A National Socialist?  Senator Bernie Sanders thinks he did [some] good things, like education and medical care.

But that raises the question of if we can say a nice work for National Socialist Germany for its autobahns?  Senator Sanders seems to suggest that—"it's unfair to simply say everything is bad".  Is Senator Sanders wrong?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff