I Am Going To Cuba!

WizardOfAz · September 10th, 2003, 02:32 PM

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...a_030910143420

Chris_Sanders · September 10th, 2003, 02:56 PM

I like Flake's reasoning in the article.

Lead by example instead of reinforcing ignorance.

schutd · September 10th, 2003, 08:21 PM

At least we know how far America will go to show its stubborness. 4 freaking decades and both parties in power over and again and WE STILL embargo a country based solely on its political structure.

We are really pretty babyish in this whole deal.

Chaz · September 10th, 2003, 09:14 PM

It had to be a pride thing over the BOP.

I mean if Regan and every president since than can go to USSR/Russia why can't anyone go to Cuba?

I think the stance is softening a little because people think Sr. Castro will be dead soon.

Dback Jon · September 11th, 2003, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SirChaz
It had to be a pride thing over the BOP.

I mean if Regan and every president since than can go to USSR/Russia why can't anyone go to Cuba?

I think the stance is softening a little because people think Sr. Castro will be dead soon.

Exactly!
If detente opened up the Communist Bloc, and made possible the overthrow of Soviet power, wouldn't the same work in Cuba? If anything, the embargo has HELPED Castro retain power.

SirStefan32 · September 11th, 2003, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dback Jon
Exactly!
If detente opened up the Communist Bloc, and made possible the overthrow of Soviet power, wouldn't the same work in Cuba? If anything, the embargo has HELPED Castro retain power.

And I agree with that. Embargos and Sanctions make people even more dependable on their dictator. Same was true in Yugoslavia.

Chris_Sanders · September 11th, 2003, 07:47 AM

Finally an issue we can all agree on!

CardLogic · September 11th, 2003, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chris_Sanders
Finally an issue we can all agree on!

A historical moment!

WizardOfAz · September 11th, 2003, 11:24 AM

Maybe we can agree on this, then:

From the story:

"Bush has said, however, that he would veto any legislation relaxing the four-decade embargo of Cuba."

Why is this?

Dback Jon · September 11th, 2003, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by WizardOfAz
Maybe we can agree on this, then:

From the story:

"Bush has said, however, that he would veto any legislation relaxing the four-decade embargo of Cuba."

Why is this?

Because, he needs every single Cuban-American vote in Florida he can get.

WizardOfAz · September 11th, 2003, 11:29 AM

So, in your opinion, pandering to a bloc of voters in one state will get him futher than vetoing legislation from a representative with a very solid, conservative background?

WaywardFan · September 11th, 2003, 11:40 AM

Okay.

Admitedly, I've cared very little about the whole Cuba thing. Therefore, I haven't paid much attention to the subject.

I know a little about Cuban Missile Crisis. I know they are a very close to us communist nation. I know Castro mistreats his people.

I assume the embargo is in place to keep money from flowing into such a country. I can see value in this. Why give an enemy a way to gain strength?

I also see the value of exporting not only our products but our political ideologies and freedom to Cuba.

So, why does the embargo stay in place.

Conversely, why remove it?

I think I'm predisposed to keep the embargo, but I can certainly be swayed with an intelligent argument for the opposite.

And why do the Reps in block want the embargo? Why do the Dems as a block want to lift it?

Dback Jon · September 11th, 2003, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by WizardOfAz
So, in your opinion, pandering to a bloc of voters in one state will get him futher than vetoing legislation from a representative with a very solid, conservative background?

Yup - because a good number of Cuban-American voters base their vote solely on a candidate's Cuban policy - the harder the line on Castro, the better.

The rest of us, while we may have an opinion on it, this is not a make or break issue.

Bush knows that he and Jeb can not win Florida without a strong Cuban American vote

WizardOfAz · September 11th, 2003, 11:47 AM

So where does this leave Arizona's Rep. Flake and the balance of the more conservative congressional delegation who are pushing for this?

Dback Jon · September 11th, 2003, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by WaywardFan

I assume the embargo is in place to keep money from flowing into such a country. I can see value in this. Why give an enemy a way to gain strength?

I also see the value of exporting not only our products but our political ideologies and freedom to Cuba.

So, why does the embargo stay in place.

Conversely, why remove it?

I think I'm predisposed to keep the embargo, but I can certainly be swayed with an intelligent argument for the opposite.

And why do the Reps in block want the embargo? Why do the Dems as a block want to lift it?

I am not an expert on this by any means, but your two top statements above do summarize the pros and cons nicely.

Businesses see Cuba as an untapped market - a market that is being exploited as we speak by Canadian and European companies, shutting out US companies. The embargo is not effective, since the US is about the only country that is doing the embargoing. The embargo allows Castro to portray himself as the strong Cuban leader protecting his country against the big bad US. In many ways, I think Castro wants the embargo to stay as well. Everytime we get close to thinking about lifting it, Castro does something crazy sure to inflame Cuban-American passions.

Lift the embargo, Castro goes away, IMHO.