Cuba to lay off a half million government employees

Notice I didn't say workers, because to call these wards of the state workers is an insult to people who actually work for a living.  Yep after 50 short years, Fidel finally has figured out that socialism doesn't do much to build an economy.  Cuba has figured out that people who work in private industry actually produce things that people want and do it in an efficient manner, something the current occupant of the White House and majorities of Congress don't understand.

Has Castro seen the light?  Probably not because he punked  liberal journalist Jeffrey Goldberg regarding his views on capitalism.  But this is a good first step.  I'm looking forward to the day that the Castro brothers kick the bucket and maybe, possibly allow Cuba to have a real democratic revolution and enter the 21st century.

Update:  The Cuban regime has released a 26 page document revealing who will go first, and it is revealing:

The 26-page document — which is dated Aug. 24 and laid out like a PowerPoint presentation with bullet points and large headlines — explains what to look for when deciding whom to lay off. Those whose pay is not in line with their low productivity and those who lack discipline or are not interested in work will go first. It says that some dismissed workers should be offered alternative jobs within the public sector.

The document hints at higher wages for the best workers, but says, "It is not possible to reform salaries in the current situation."

The document says workers at the ministries of sugar, public health, tourism and agriculture will be let go first, with layoffs having already begun in July. The last in line for cutbacks include Cuba's Civil Aviation, and the ministries of foreign relations and social services.

The outline includes a long list of "ideas for cooperatives" including raising animals and growing vegetables, construction jobs, driving a taxi and repairing automobiles — even making sweets and dried fruit.

Imagine that, getting rid of high paying (relatively high for Cuba) low production jobs in government.  Excuse me for being cynical, but wouldn't that be most of them?  Show me a bloated bureaucracy, and I'll show you a government agency.

It's a shame the Obama administration won't take Castro's lead just this one time.