Is Cuba really all that great?

After watching the video about Cuba in class I was slightly skeptical. Any time I've heard of Cuba, while in other classes or just over the news, it really hasn't been with the glowing enthusiasm that this movie portrayed.

While I am not saying it is impossible for the country to be as good as the movie proclaims it to be, I am saying that it felt like I was watching a Cuban propaganda video. Even if Cuba is a sustainable society, that doesn't mean its a good place to be. The country did these things because they had to, because their government demanded them to. Rationing of food by a government, especially when the people have no say can be an incredibly dangerous thing and I feel like the movie portrayed it as a benefit. The government it's self has stated the rationing has nothing to do with sustainability but everything to do with assuring everyone has the minimum intake of food. I simply would not stand for Obama deciding to only give me the "minimal intake" of food every month. Of course the rations can be subsidized with market purchased food a large portion of Cuba cannot afford the price.

The government in Cuba has strict policies regarding owning a computer and accessing the internet. Only a selected few may even access the internet and those few are closely monitored regarding online usage. Leaving the country is almost out of the question seeing as the government regulates out-of-country travel and rarely lets people leave. Dictatorship is in full effect in Cuba and regardless of it's sustainability I do not believe it would be a good place to live.

HOWEVER, American government is much different than Cuban, hopefully this is a obvious fact but I can understand your confusion if you where thinking of the last Presidential Administration. I believe that with people free of oppression we can not only model but surpass Cuba in so many ways. The hardest part is going to be getting the average American to realize the urgency of the situation, once this is done America will do what it always has in the past, rise to the challenge.

With large corporations spreading half-truths and lies it's very difficult to sort out the truth from the fairytale. If you watch the commercials during Monday night football, you'd be reassured that every company is going green but if you did a little research online you'd think the world was going to end tomorrow. The truth lies in between the extremes, but seeing it is very difficult. It's like trying to hear someone tell you their idea, with two other people screaming at you from left and right. Regardless American's can do it.

Yes we are much larger than Cuba and our government can't literally force us but we have something that Cuba didn't. In America we have access to more resources and more people willing to use them. When you force someone to do something, it get's done half-ass, when you make someone understand the importance of getting something done, they do it right (usually!). So to basically answer the question posed in class, Do you think America can do what Cuba did for the energy crisis? My answer is yes, and we can do it better.

Sources:
In class Movie and other Ualbany classes.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/10/2009102624829972232.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba
http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_CUB.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107443.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationing_in_Cuba