Cuban Embargo: How long is too long?

[MessiahDecoy123]

What's the point of the embargo?

Is it getting the intened results?

What would be wrong with ending the embargo today?

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I think the basic intent of the embargo, the point of it, was to force Cuba to become a democracy. Isolate them, ignore them, and then they'd choose to change. They'd choose to become a democracy.

I think we can say that after so many years...it hasn't worked.

 

[SV Fan]

What's the point of the embargo

Florida is a swing state and there is alot of exile Cubans in Florida who want the embargo who are 1 issue voters(although as time goes on that number decreases)

What would be wrong with ending the embargo today?

It might cost you a lot of voters in Florida elections for the next few cycles

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

It's very selfish.

It's like if China starved the American people until the leaders decided to change the government

5 decades later, Americans still suffer and the embargo continues.

It's ridiculous.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

It might cost you a lot of voters in Florida elections for the next few cycles

Democrats haven't needed Florida to win a presidency since 2000.

 

[SV Fan]

5 decades later, Americans still suffer and the embargo continues.

I don't think a very large majority of Americans suffer but Cuban's do. It's a rather petty grudge the US holds.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I don't think a very large majority of Americans suffer but Cuban's do. It's a rather petty grudge the US holds.

I was giving a scenario where China was capable of enforcing an embargo on the United States similar to the Cuban Embargo.

We need to put ourselves in the shoes of the Cuban people.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I lived in Florida for ten years, before moving back to New York. And I can say that all of the old school Cubans, older people who were born and or lived there before making the hazardous trip to Florida are deadly serious in their animosity towards the Cuban government. Just outright angry. The Cuban-Americans that I knew, mostly teenagers around my own age at the time, didn't seem to be as angry. Some were, but it was driven by their parents and grandparents who'd made it out.

I mean...honestly, I think there have been a number of Cubans I've met that outright wanted the U.S. to invade Cuba, and liberate it. Kill Castro and all.

 

[souvlaki]

You know what the best way is to turn Cuba into a democratic nation? Lift the embargo and introduce them to Western culture.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Pretty much. I'm going to laugh my ass off when Spring Break does what the US military-intelligence community couldn't do in 50 years (topple the Castro regime).

 

[SV Fan]

You know what the best way is to turn Cuba into a democratic nation? Lift the embargo and introduce them to Western culture.

Yeah put a Starbucks on every corner and give then Free HBO

 

[Lilbaz]

It's sad. I've been to a few communist countries. The people are great and just get on with their lives like everyone else. Even had dinner with a few Laos government officials. They are certainly not evil. I do believe in democracy though and think that if we were more open to them they will gradually change. China is on the right path. It will not happen over night, but a growing middle class (that travel) will soon demand it.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Raul Castro wants to be like China.

Why not let them?

Then they could lend us money.

 

[chamber-music]

The embargo was about as relevant as the Berlin Wall.

Cuba has already been loosening up their socialist policies a little and allowing more capitalist trade amongst their citizens in recent years. They aren't far off reforming into what China is trying to be these days.

The Castro's will be dead within twenty years anyway and I think once most Cubans get a taste of American culture they will probably want to change things.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Raul Castro want to be like China.

Why not let them?

Then they could lend us money.

At the checkout counter in China, there's a little sign under the cash register that says "Do not accept cheques from ..." with a picture of the US, Greek and Russian flags. t:

 

[The Overlord]

It seems like many Republicans think if they just left the embargo in place for a little while longer, it would have worked:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/17/politics/us-cuba-2016-reax/

If Republicans don't want to trade with dictators, then why don't they propose embargoes against China and Saudi Arabia?

 

[SV Fan]

It seems like many Republicans think if they just left the embargo in place for a little while longer, it would have worked

*sarcasm* We were only 1 year away from the embargo working and Obama ruined it

 

[The Question]

At the checkout counter in China, there's a little sign under the cash register that says "Do not accept cheques from ..." with a picture of the US, Greek and Russian flags. t:

That's not how our debt to China works. We're not "in debt" in the sense that you're implying. China owes just as much debt to the US as the US owes to China. No one will ever be expected to pay it back.

 

[hippie_hunter]

If Republicans don't want to trade with dictators, then why don't they propose embargoes against China and Saudi Arabia?

Cuban-Americans are an important bloc to the Republican Party and are often key to countering heavily Democratic areas like Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Gadsen County, etc. Older Cuban-Americans are very anti-Castro regardless of the logic behind it and it is really nothing but pandering to a crucial bloc that is critical to GOP victories in Florida.

 

[hippie_hunter]

That's not how our debt to China works. We're not "in debt" in the sense that you're implying. China owes just as much debt to the US as the US owes to China. No one will ever be expected to pay it back.

Also with the amount of debt that China holds, they wouldn't even be able to repo Rhode Island.

 

[hippie_hunter]

What's the point of the embargo?

To pander to a group of critical voters in Florida.

Is it getting the intened results?

No.

What would be wrong with ending the embargo today?

Nothing.

 

[The Overlord]

Cuban-Americans are an important bloc to the Republican Party and are often key to countering heavily Democratic areas like Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Gadsen County, etc. Older Cuban-Americans are very anti-Castro regardless of the logic behind it and it is really nothing but pandering to a crucial bloc that is critical to GOP victories in Florida.

Except that's the older generation, younger Cuban Americans don't have the same hatred for Castro the older generation has and are more willing to look to the future. We can either look to the future or be stuck in the past and the GOP can't assume this issue will play for them forever. The GOP can't just pander to same old generation that doesn't want to move on from the past. The embargo was going to end sooner or later, addressing failed policy is more important then trying to pander to a base that is slowly disappearing anyway.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

*sarcasm* We were only 1 year away from the embargo working and Obama ruined it

 

[SV Fan]

Except that's the older generation, younger Cuban Americans don't have the same hatred for Castro the older generation has and are more willing to look to the future. We can either look to the future or be stuck in the past and the GOP can't assume this issue will play for them forever. The GOP can't just pander to same old generation that doesn't want to move on from the past. The embargo was going to end sooner or later, addressing failed policy is more important then trying to pander to a base that is slowly disappearing anyway.

Problem is older ones are 1 issue voters and a solid GOP base, younger ones are more likely to vote for other things and lean Democrat

 

[hippie_hunter]

Except that's the older generation, younger Cuban Americans don't have the same hatred for Castro the older generation has and are more willing to look to the future. We can either look to the future or be stuck in the past and the GOP can't assume this issue will play for them forever. The GOP can't just pander to same old generation that doesn't want to move on from the past. The embargo was going to end sooner or later, addressing failed policy is more important then trying to pander to a base that is slowly disappearing anyway.

While the older generation is more passionate, the younger generation's views are still going to be molded by their parents, not only in their anti-Castro views, but in economic views as well that kinda lean more Republican.

That is exactly why this dumb policy continued.