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Cuban-Americans Watch Obama and Worry
The president-elect already faces pressure to make nice with Havana. Will he cave?
Already the American left is agitating and pushing Obama to go back on his pledge to Cuban-Americans. At the Huffington Post, an anti-embargo activist agreed that Cubans didn’t buy the kinder, gentler approach to Cuba but also believes that this fact gives Obama license to flip back to the position he held before he flopped.
Cynthia Tucker, the editorial page editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, similarly urged Obama to work with Congress to engineer the lifting of the embargo in her appearance Sunday on ABC’s This Week. She actually used the disingenuous term “blockade,” which is oft repeated by the Castro brothers and their lackeys in the official Cuban press, demonstrating where Ms. Tucker gets her news and opinions.
A “blockade” would imply that the U.S. controls what goes in and out of Cuba, but the truth is that Cuba trades with — and owes money to — virtually every other country in the world. Even under the embargo, the U.S. is Cuba’s largest food supplier. Agricultural products and medicines are exempted from the embargo with the key condition that they are paid for with cash.
Really, the U.S. embargo on Cuba has been severely weakened over the years. But it does three key things that make it worthwhile:
First, it prevents U.S. corporations from becoming minority partners with the regime the way other foreign companies have. The Castro regime does not allow majority foreign ownership and dictates to the minority partners the terms under which business is conducted. For example, employees are provided by the regime and the foreign partner must pay the regime the going rate for such employees. But then the Castro brothers pay the workers whatever they want, pocketing the difference.
Second, it keeps U.S. tourists from legally frolicking on the beaches of a totalitarian state and otherwise being a source of revenue that the regime uses to fund the repressive apparatus and spend on arms.
Third, it prevents Cuba from receiving credit from U.S. firms and banks. Cuba has proven to be one of the world’s worst credit risks because the Castros don’t believe in capitalism and thus the regulations that govern it (i.e., repayment of debts).
Current U.S. law does not permit lifting of the embargo until certain conditions exist in Cuba such as the freedom of Cuba’s internationally recognized political prisoners and the legalization of political opposition to Cuba’s ruling communist party.
One could argue the merits of the embargo for days on end — Lord knows that I have — but one cannot argue what Barack Obama’s position on it was while he was running for president. As president he will be under extreme pressure from his own party to lift the embargo completely or dismantle it piece by piece. Time will tell if he is a man of his word, though we have some indication that he isn’t by his broken pledge to accept federal funding for his campaign and thus the spending limits associated with them.
If Obama reneges on this pledge to maintain the bulk of the embargo not related to family travel and remittances, he will be the latest in a long line of Democratic presidents to stab Cuban exiles in the back and allow the Castro regime to get over on them, further reinforcing Cuban-American identification with the Republican Party. More importantly, the president that was elected on a platform of change will have proved that he’s just one more politician that says one thing and does another. Not exactly a big change.
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Henry Louis Gomez is Cuban-American and blogs at BabaluBlog.com.
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37 Comments
1. vivo:It’s time to be humanitarian and become friendly with a neighboring nation. Cuba is not trying to export its ideology to the USA. The Cubans in Miami are the complete opposite with the Cuban government, but that’s THEIR problem. Why hold hostage to their right-wing beliefs? They are not in their country anyway, and as the article says, the blockade is not working in many fronts. If Communism is the problem, why not isolate countries like China? We can’t run the internal politics of other countries, or shouldn’t. If we apply our Constitution to other countries, where is the freedom of speech and other rights? That’s why other countries look at us as hypocritical.
Nov 17, 2008 - 4:43 am 2. Mike T:One upside to lowering the embargo is that a largescale increase in trade would make it easier to smuggle guns into Cuba. Just put a dozen AR-15s here, a few dozen there in pieces in packages in large cargo containers and pretty soon, you have enough weapons to start outfitting a few battalions of armed men to oppose Castro on Cuban soil.
Nov 17, 2008 - 5:46 am 3. Craig:“The Cubans in Miami are the complete opposite with the Cuban government, but that’s THEIR problem. Why hold hostage to their right-wing beliefs?”
You must be all of 23 years old to make a statment like that. Or you’re older and wouldn’t know a Geo car from Geopolitics
Nov 17, 2008 - 6:19 am 4. steve:Uh, Vivo,
Nov 17, 2008 - 6:25 am 5. Matthew Avitabile:Our constitution is for us; not others
Why am I not surprised?
Nov 17, 2008 - 8:09 am 6. Steve P.:Wrote about this a little while ago:
http://jumpinginpools.blogspot.com/2008/10/cuba-expects-obama-to-lift-embargo.html
vivo: “It’s time to be humanitarian and become friendly with a neighboring nation. Cuba is not trying to export its ideology to the USA. The Cubans in Miami are the complete opposite with the Cuban government, but that’s THEIR problem. Why hold hostage to their right-wing beliefs?”
Couldn’t have said it better. It’s ridiculous that such a very small group of rabidly right-wing Cuban militants holed up in the Everglades have such a large impact on our foreign policy as it relates to Cuba.
Nov 17, 2008 - 8:48 am 7. The Historian:ON BARACK WATCH
Now, more than ever before, we all must remain extra vigilant relative to the President-Elect.
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2008/11/on-barack-watch.html
Nov 17, 2008 - 9:06 am 8. Susan:Shouldn’t we all be alarmed at Russia’s recent announcement that they are sending their President to visit Cuba and Venezuela? This buttressing of friendships comes at a very bad time for the U.S. If we lift the embargo now, what message is that going to send to Putin and Chavez? I fear a lack of backbone at this point will only serve to fuel a rebuilding of the cold war.
Nov 17, 2008 - 9:45 am 9. Kit:If Obama and Congress lift the blockade for the purpose of inducing change in Cuba, Americans may be surprised to find that Cuba is less than excited about the prospect of opening its doors to fifth-columnists. The next months will test Democratic principles on Cuba. Democrats were willing to support bills to end the blockade when they were assured of a presidential veto, but will they do so without that assurance.
Nov 17, 2008 - 10:28 am 10. deguello:Vivo: your brain is muerto.As in freedom in Cuba.
Nov 17, 2008 - 10:31 am 11. Pat J:3. Craig:
“The Cubans in Miami are the complete opposite with the Cuban government, but that’s THEIR problem. Why hold hostage to their right-wing beliefs?”
You must be all of 23 years old to make a statment like that. Or you’re older and wouldn’t know a Geo car from Geopolitics
——————-
Very adult of you Craig. So what do you thing we should do?
I’m in favor of at least talking to the Cubans. Start thawing relations and maybe offer some cultural exchanges. But we should not lift the embargo entirely. Not until the regime releases some political prisoners. Funny how despite the embargo we’re still Cuba’s 7th leading exporter.
Nov 17, 2008 - 12:06 pm 12. More CHANGE® !!!! « DPGI - the aftermath:[...] via Pajamas Media – Cuban-Americans Watch Obama and Worry [...]
Nov 17, 2008 - 1:05 pm 13. susan:vivo and pat j are probably kids at the kindergarden, they have no idea of geo politics.
Historically, if they had half idea of what history means everytime you show yourself weak, there are others wishing to take advantage of it.
It happens in the animal world too.
People like pat and vivo would have been humanitarian and friendly even with hitler.
The kumbaya leftist psychology is pretty pathetic, always.
Nov 17, 2008 - 2:51 pm 14. cedarford:susan:
vivo and pat j are probably kids at the kindergarden, they have no idea of geo politics.
Historically, if they had half idea of what history means everytime you show yourself weak, there are others wishing to take advantage of it.
Whereas you appear to be a moron follower of the Neocons who argue that any talk or trade with any rival nation must be feared completely because it will show us – weak…
As if Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan feared how talking and even trade would show us “weak”. Or gave a crap about “Chinese human rights violations”. Even more recently, McCain and other Viet Vets told the Cult of the POW/MIA members to buzz off, and we resumed normal relations and trade with the Vietnam and Cambodian and Laotian Commies.
Though all were cowed by the money and media clout of Zionists, and after LBJs time – with Florida politics and extremist exile groups controlling the Cuban immigrant community’s vote.
Still, from time to time, in our national interest, Presidents have had to tell Israel off. It is time to tell off the Cuban exiles. Their failed blockade was called off by the rest of West Hemisphere nations in the early 70s. As another poster mentioned, Cuba is America’s natural trade partner by location and the mutually complimentary resources and skills that can be exchanged. They are already almost back to were they were before the “genius idea” of blackade 1st surfaces as the 7th most important consumer of US products. I think waiting to drop the blockade and renormalize trade, travel, relations – until Castro’s end, would be face-saving.
Raoul has already done some reforms and signalled that other measures are negotiable with the US, while saying the US will not dictate terms. Part of the problem with the Bushies is that they had Neocons trying to shape Latin American policy known long to be in the pockets of the exile zealots. (John Bolton, Cheney).
Brother Raoul’s time will not be long in transition, and Cuba after the Castro’s time will be a lot more moderated in nature without hard-liners pointing to the US as “the nation still at war with us.”
Nov 17, 2008 - 3:45 pm 15. lycope:Much of the American-Cuban leadership comes from those who were Cuban in name only-they had businesses in Cuba and apartment and house in Miami,Washington or New York-rarely visiting their homelnd,and even then to oorced fromtheir country villas divorced from the masses.
Nov 17, 2008 - 3:55 pm 16. SAF:Inordinate profits were gained from the low wages they provided their Cuban workers.This profit was not used for the benefit of Cuba but was repatriated to benefit their living in America lifestyle and later after the fall of Batista to gain control of the Cuban-American community.
Cuban communism must be destroyed but not by much of the current Cuban-American leadership that has never cared for Cuba or its people.
Obama will move to open relationship with Cuba, his previous denials not-withstanding. He is a man with a mission and he will execute it. Remember he feels that a lot of the world’s problem’s are USA induced.
Nobody took him seriously when he said he would maintain the current policy did they?
Nov 17, 2008 - 4:16 pm 17. nina:lycope
Nov 17, 2008 - 4:45 pm 18. julian merrill:You are an ignorant a**. Keep you greasy brain and hands of the Cuban community. What do you know about the Cuban legislators in Miami. They represent our beliefs very well and that’s why no matter how much money the rats spend here they will never win.
Cuban exiles should give up this insane idea that the U.S. is the Boss of the world and face the fact that the embargo is a red neck ploy to win your votes. When is the U.S. ever going to join the world community and stop acting like they are the policemen of the world?
More specifically for Cuba a lifting of the embargo would clearly benefit the people of Cuba. You Cubans in Miami are the biggest detriment to the advancement of the Cuban people back home. I suggest you study how West Germany’s open approach to communist East Germany helped the people there. West Germans gave East Germany everything it could and today the two are reunited while you Miami Cubans continue to insist on starving the poor people back home. That is a failed policy and if Cuba is lucky Obama will lift the embargo.
Nov 17, 2008 - 10:23 pm 19. vivo:3. Craig:
“You must be all of 23 years old to make a statment like that. Or you’re older and wouldn’t know a Geo car from Geopolitics”
Thank you for making me look younger. Thank you for making me look older than a Geo.
The geopolitics here is that right-wing extremists are holding hostage their “own” country and don’t want their former compatriots to have a better life without being exploited as they were before 1959 (by them). They are mostly Catholics but they don’t have a Christian soul. Their faith allows them to commit all sins (violence, revenge and hate) and then pound their chests asking for their god’s forgiveness just like nothing happened. They’re going straight to their Catholic HELL.
Nov 18, 2008 - 4:06 am 20. vivo:4. steve:
“Uh, Vivo,
Our constitution is for us; not others”
Oh, yeah? Follow the rules inside the USA but break all hell loose around the World?
HOW NICE . . .
Nov 18, 2008 - 4:11 am 21. vivo:8. Susan:
” If we lift the embargo now, what message is that going to send to Putin and Chavez?”
That we are a FAIR country and want to be friends, and that we respect their (”wrong”) beliefs, AND we are NOT AFRAID of ANYONE. They are not DUMB.
Nov 18, 2008 - 4:16 am 22. vivo:14. susan:
People like pat and vivo would have been humanitarian and friendly even with Hitler.
The kumbaya leftist psychology is pretty pathetic, always.”
Yes, Susan, go ahead and start another beautiful WAR.
You can be friendly with Hitler until he starts killing all your brothers and sisters.
The leftist psychology can be pathetic, so is the rightist. Now re-label me . . .
Nov 18, 2008 - 4:28 am 23. susan:“Whereas you appear to be a moron follower of the Neocons who argue that any talk or trade with any rival nation must be feared completely because it will show us – weak…”
cedar ford, if you consider cuba a “rival” nation, it already means that zerobama succeeded in making USA a third world country.
Once there was USA for africa, now there will be africa for usa.
And yes negotiating with communists only get them stronger and makes you look weaker.
This is the communist way of doing things, too bad you come from the same mindset and cannot see it
Nov 18, 2008 - 4:31 am 24. Craig:12. Pat J
“Very adult of you Craig. So what do you thing we should do?”
Do what we’ve been doing. Continue choking them off socially, economically, and politically. Bad behavior is never rewarded. There has been a large underground network of dissidents who are working to undermine Fidel and his brother Raul since 1959.
And those anti-Castro citizens still ’stuck on the island’? Not to worry, they’ve been getting money and support from their Miami family and friends for years.
The others who have embraced Castro- get what they deserve: bad health care, no future, and a collapsing infrastructure.
20. vivo
“The geopolitics here is that right-wing extremists are holding hostage their “own” country and don’t want their former compatriots to have a better life without being exploited as they were before 1959 (by them). They are mostly Catholics but they don’t have a Christian soul.”
Wow. What a mountain of vitriol. I work with a colleague whose parents are Cuban refugees. Her, her husband and both families started over from nothing. All are highly educated and successful- as well as caring, compassionate and LAW ABIDING.
They must be that extremely rare exception, huh? Intolerant Right Wing Christians who don’t rob, steal, and kill then show up for Sunday service.
Nov 18, 2008 - 6:43 am 25. Pat J:14. susan:
Nov 18, 2008 - 6:43 am 26. Dick Schwanz:———-
Funny how you left out the part when I said we should not lift the embargo entirely.
This last election was the silver bullet that finally killed the obnoxious political influence of the Cuban American community. Obama won Florida without their support. In addition, they reelected their Republican represenatives in the House.
And, finally, they are the ones that put the vile Bush Administration in power that has brought this country to its worst crisis since the Great Depression.
Here’s news for you Henry, the rest of the country could care less what you Cuban Americans think. Your time is over.
Nov 18, 2008 - 6:55 am 27. susan:“Yes, Susan, go ahead and start another beautiful WAR.
You can be friendly with Hitler until he starts killing all your brothers and sisters. ”
LOL, so hitler was a good guy. You will have to re-write all your koskid demented posters with Bush=hitler.
I guess that will send your collective brain a seizure.
Nov 18, 2008 - 9:23 am 28. susan:pat j
I usually do not play with children in their sand box.
BTW, the embargo is like linining up the chairs on the titanic.
In your little barbie&ken universe (or ken&ken) there is no space for real deep thinking.
I met several cuban people that could leave cuba through marriage and they weren’t political people, they didn’t have any specific position.
I guess in your sad and wealthy american life, the mere idea of living without ipod or D&G jeans can make you crazy. Those people’s tales are far more thought provoking than any poor, pathetic, poorly thrown together post you could ever write.
I suggest you to go back playing with myspace with your fellow obamatrons and dream about being rescued by a big black man with strong arms. You have no idea what the world is outside your basement.
Nov 18, 2008 - 9:28 am 29. Robert:“Here’s news for you Henry, the rest of the country could care less what you Cuban Americans think. Your time is over.”
Alas, if I only had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that…
Nov 18, 2008 - 9:37 am 30. Pat J:Hey Susan. I thought I made it clear I favor the embargo to an extent. I agree whole-heartedly with Craig. Bad behavior should never be rewarded. And those who embrace Castro get what they deserved.
Nov 18, 2008 - 11:20 am 31. vivo:25. Craig:
“They must be that extremely rare exception, huh?”
Yes there are exceptions.
” Intolerant Right Wing Christians who don’t rob, steal, and kill then show up for Sunday service.”
Showing up for services doesn’t make them innocent . . . If they tell you their truth, you might be surprised.
Nov 18, 2008 - 12:53 pm 32. look at the past:Perhaps there is a lot of similarities between present day America’s want for “change” and 50’s Cuba want for change. The Cubans were promised change and they got it.
Nov 18, 2008 - 1:15 pm 33. john:How come the Cuban immigrants just dont go fight, and free Cuba themselves?
Nov 20, 2008 - 5:15 am 34. Rafael:It something that I don’t undertand,why the U.S.A. maintaing a good friendly relationship with the China,South Arabia, Vietman, Yemen, Somalia. While impose a Blokade for 49 years to a country that never been in war with U.S. Make no sense,. If Obama lift the embargo to Cuba the entire world comunities would see a real positive change in the U.S. policy and attitud toward other countries.
Nov 21, 2008 - 4:17 pm 35. john:Oh, who cares what the Cuban immigrants in Miami think anymore. Why dont they just fight for their nations freedom. We did. Dont you Cuban immigrants think for a moment that we are going to fight for your nations freedom. You go do it.
Nov 23, 2008 - 7:06 am 36. BizzyBlog » Things I’d Like To Post About Today ….. (111808, Morning):[...] Henry Gomez, “Cuban-Americans Watch Obama and Worry” — They should. It ought to become a free island after Fidel Castro dies. The instinct of Obama’s advisers, if not Obama himself, will be let its half-century of unspeakable tyranny and hopelessness continue. [...]
Nov 25, 2008 - 9:03 pm 37. howell clark:THERE IS PART OF ME THAT SAYS IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON AND DROP THE EMBARGO AND OVERRUN CUBA WITH UNFETTERED TRADE AND ALL THAT THAT BRINGS ON. IT MIGHT WELL BE THE DEATHNELL OF FIFTY YEARS OF THAT ONE TYPE OF DICTATORSHIP THAT OUR CUBAN NEIGHBORS HAVE HAD TO ENDURE. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT IT GOES AS EASILY AS THE BERLIN WALL FELL. THERE ARE HARDSHIPS ENVOLVED BOTH WAYS FOR THE CUBAN FOLKS, JUST AS THERE WERE FOR EAST GERMANS AND MANY RUSSIAN FOLKS USE TO THE NANNY STATE UMBRELLA. GETTING USED TO NO NET TO PREVENT FAILURE IS A HARD CONCEPT TO SWALLOW AND APPRECIATE IF YOU HAVE ONLY KNOWN THE RIGORS OF STATE SPONSORSHIP ALL YOUR LIFE. THE OTHER PART OF ME SAYS DROP THE EMBARGO AND LEAVE THEM ALONE IN THERE OWN MESS. WE HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS TO SOLVE IN OUR OWN LITTLE PART OF THE UNIVERSE. FREEDOM WILL COME TO THOSE FOLKS WHEN THEY WANT IT BAD ENOUGH TO TAKE THE HARM THAT WILL COME THERE WAY WHEN THEY HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP AGAINST THEIR LEADERS. NOTHING COMES WITH OUT A PRICE, ESPECIALLY THE RIGHT TO FAIL. ALL WE CAN DO IS END A GOOD OR BAD INTENTION, THE CUBANS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REST.
Dec 22, 2008 - 1:33 pm