Sanders Doubles Down Communist Regime Praise, Gives Credit to China for Fighting ‘Extreme Poverty’

“The response was that when Fidel Castro first came to power … he initiated a major literacy program,” Sanders said.

“There’s a lot of folks in Cuba at that point who were illiterate, and he formed a literacy brigade … they went out and they helped people learn to read and write.

Bernie Sanders stands by his qualified praise of Fidel Castro's regime in Cuba: "(Castro) went out and they helped people learn to read and write. You know what, I think teaching people to read and write is a good thing" https://t.co/WEiDzKKvfb #CNNTownHall pic.twitter.com/yJLLUDApde

— CNN (@CNN) February 25, 2020

“You know what? I think teaching people to read and write is a good thing. I have been extremely consistent and critical of all authoritarian regimes all over the world, including Cuba, including Nicaragua, including Saudi Arabia, including China, including Russia. I happen to believe in democracy, not authoritarianism.

“But, you know, you can’t say — China is another example. China is an authoritarian country, becoming more and more authoritarian. But can anyone deny — I mean, the facts are clear, that they have taken more people out of extreme poverty than any country in history.”

As should be expected from leftists — and hypocritically wealthy leftists in particular — Sanders left out a few crucial points.

Of course, totalitarian regimes are efficient — governments that treat their citizens like cogs in a machine as a matter of course can be good at accomplishing many goals that involve controlling human behavior, such as initiating “literacy brigades.” (Goals like, say, growing food are a different matter.)

They are also extremely good at crushing the rights and hopes of those who are unfortunate to live under their rule — which is why millions of desperate Cubans have risked their lives escaping their island prison to get to freedom in the United States.

Sanders’ town hall words Monday night drew a heavy dose of social media criticism:

And this is why I’m #NeverBernie. He cannot help himself but praise authoritarian far-left dictators and regimes.

— Rick Hennig🇺🇸 (@rick_hennig) February 25, 2020

He also thinks Bread lines are awesome……….🙄

— Dalmer schnur (@Dal_Schnur) February 25, 2020

Castro was horrible to the people. My friend fled Cuba because they had no food and could only get certain foods after standing in line for hours on certain days. Her family was starving. No @BernieSanders Castro was an awful dictator.

— B D (@Bonnhere) February 25, 2020

Even the obscenely liberal former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg saw the problem. (Granted, Buttigieg is competing with Sanders for the nomination so he had his own reasons for attacking, but even a stopped clock is right once a day.)

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