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Info on Podcast #115

Dems health insurance victory? Cuba Rising. On the day Obama signs the Senate bill just passed by the House, Margaret Flowers, MD returns to critique the bill and renew the call for single payer. Dr. Flowers, who was arrested on the order of Sen. Baucus for demanding hearings on single payer, describes the major shortcomings of this legislation, and agrees that the limited benefits delivered–such as an end to pre-existing conditions, lifetime caps and policy cancellation–do not come with adequate enforcement or penalties. Dr. Flowers urges single payer advocates to continue the struggle here. PBC cites a valuable myth-busting chart from Jane Hamsher and Firedoglake.com which refutes the happy-talk talking points we are hearing from Democrats about this “historic reform”. And we take a fresh look at the island nation of Cuba with Jonathan Showe, author of the new book Cuba Rising: An American Insider’s Perspective. Showe has been to Cuba over 80 times in the last 12 years, and offers many interesting comments on the Castro Brothers, a half century of failed US policies of sanction and isolation, the power of Cuban exiles in US politics, attitudes toward the US and Guantanamo, and more.
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