U.S. Rep. Ron Paul: Cuba embargo propped up Castro

[low preference guy]

Talking about the Cuban embargo, Paul said the U.S. policy has failed.

"If we wouldn't have had this embargo for 40 years, (Fidel) Castro would have been gone a long time ago," he said.

When told his position might offend people in Florida who fled Castro's regime, Paul answered:

"They have their opinion and I have mine, because I look at mine through history. … History shows you're more likely to get rid of a dictator if you undermine his support by trading with him."

Read the rest. (http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/us-rep-ron-paul-cuba-embargo-propped-up-castro/1165236)

[devil21]

And of course the biased Cubans will cringe and boo when anything not terrible about Castro is stated. I remember that debate in FL during the last campagn. The Cubans are so blinded by hate of Castro that they can't think straight about the topic.

[eduardo89]

And of course the biased Cubans will cringe and boo when anything not terrible about Castro is stated. I remember that debate in FL during the last campagn. The Cubans are so blinded by hate of Castro that they can't think straight about the topic.

Yup.

[specsaregood]

Wow, quixotic in the very first sentence. This writer sure is a go-getter with a knack for originality.

[low preference guy]

Wow, quixotic in the very first sentence. This writer sure is a go-getter with a knack for originality.

I think this is the first article in a while that has quixotic.

[w2992]

And of course the biased Cubans will cringe and boo when anything not terrible about Castro is stated. I remember that debate in FL during the last campagn. The Cubans are so blinded by hate of Castro that they can't think straight about the topic.

i was at that debate also full of x cubans and venezulans who want the US to kill all the people there now so they can get "their" land back. there were few USA people at the debate the audiance was controlled by univision. they kept the 500 ron paul supporters out of site.

[specsaregood]

I think this is the first article in a while that has quixotic.
Guess he is still using the 2007 version of the AP handbook.

[low preference guy]

Guess he is still using the 2007 version of the AP handbook.

lol.

[ghengis86]

You all realize that Cubans just might have a justified hate of Castro, considering he's a mass murderer (among other awful things) and all, right?

That kind of hate can blind a person to even the most logical concept.

[sailingaway]

Wow, quixotic in the very first sentence. This writer sure is a go-getter with a knack for originality.

Florida is like that about Ron. Some Paultards took over some GOP committees and the party and media establishment in the state just has never been the same.

[sailingaway]

You all realize that Cubans just might have a justified hate of Castro, considering he's a mass murderer (among other awful things) and all, right?

That kind of hate can blind a person to even the most logical concept.

Yeah, but to think Ron doesn't despise him because he wants to undermine him through trade is shortsided. I understand the hate.

[specsaregood]

You all realize that Cubans just might have a justified hate of Castro, considering he's a mass murderer (among other awful things) and all, right?

That kind of hate can blind a person to even the most logical concept.

So they support policies that prop him up, keep him in power all the while punishing the innocent citizens of the country who go without modern conveniences available just 90 miles from their shore? Conveniences that their mass murderer leader has in spades?

[ghengis86]

Yeah, but to think Ron doesn't despise him because he wants to undermine him through trade is shortsided. I understand the hate.

Agreed. Just trying to understand the situation so we can make better outreach to different groups

[ghengis86]

So they support policies that prop him up, keep him in power all the while punishing the innocent citizens of the country who go without modern conveniences available just 90 miles from their shore? Conveniences that their mass murderer leader has in spades?

Their lack of education doesn't allow them to understand your point (and Ron's). We have to understand how their mind operates in order to reach them effectively. I'm saying we need to consider the larger situation to get the message across.

[low preference guy]

You all realize that Cubans just might have a justified hate of Castro, considering he's a mass murderer (among other awful things) and all, right?

That kind of hate can blind a person to even the most logical concept.

Yes, but letting your hatred blind your logic is a defect that makes you even worse off. One should still encourage people to think logically so that they can do what's best for them.

[specsaregood]

Their lack of education doesn't allow them to understand your point (and Ron's). We have to understand how their mind operates in order to reach them effectively. I'm saying we need to consider the larger situation to get the message across.

I think the younger ones get it. It is more of an attitude in the older ones that has been fostered/manipulated by wealthy corrupt cuban families that lost their lands and fortunes when Castro rose to power.

[ghengis86]

Yes, but letting your hatred blind your logic is a defect that makes you even worse off. One should still encourage people to think logically so that they can do what's best for them.

I agree. But how do you reach people with that level of hate? I can't imagine what I would do if my family had been murder by some commies (Castro, Che, etc. )

[ghengis86]

I think the younger ones get it. It is more of an attitude in the older ones that has been fostered/manipulated by wealthy corrupt cuban families that lost their lands and fortunes when Castro rose to power.

I have some hope in the younger generation on all continents, ours included. If it's going to happen, it will have to start with the younger generation.

[sailingaway]

On the other hand, having now read the link, it might be a good idea for Ron to have some idea about a state's governor when he visits.

[jmdrake]

I agree with Ron. But playing the devil's advocate, have open trading policies undermined the Chinese leadership? Still, you can't argue with the fact that the embargo against Cuba hasn't worked.

[sailingaway]

I agree with Ron. But playing the devil's advocate, have open trading policies undermined the Chinese leadership? Still, you can't argue with the fact that the embargo against Cuba hasn't worked.

It isn't open when they fix the price of their money.

[IDefendThePlatform]

I agree with Ron. But playing the devil's advocate, have open trading policies undermined the Chinese leadership? Still, you can't argue with the fact that the embargo against Cuba hasn't worked.

I'm not real educated on china but haven't they been getting more and more capitalist in the last few decades? I think your example might actually prove Ron's point.

[low preference guy]

I'm not real educated on china but haven't they been getting more and more capitalist in the last few decades? I think your example might actually prove Ron's point.

I think so too. They are becoming less oppressive than they used to.

[surf]

You all realize that Cubans just might have a justified hate of Castro, considering he's a mass murderer (among other awful things) and all, right?

That kind of hate can blind a person to even the most logical concept.
you are talking about the miami cubans, correct? i understand, but it's been 50 fucking years!

[jmdrake]

It isn't open when they fix the price of their money.

Their choice to fix the price of their currency has nothing to do with our choice to open our economy to them. If we dropped the embargo with Castro that wouldn't prevent him from monkeying with his currency, unless that was somehow a condition for dropping the embargo.


I'm not real educated on china but haven't they been getting more and more capitalist in the last few decades? I think your example might actually prove Ron's point.

More capitalist yes. But being more capitalist does not equal being more free. Besides, Ron said that the embargo is propping up Castro. That implies that without the embargo Castro would fall. China hasn't fallen. China with it's forced abortions, repression of the Falun Gong cult and the Tibetan people, and its trafficking in human organs is as strong as ever. If anyone in this equation is in danger of falling it's us. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for getting rid of the embargo against Cuban. But saying that would necessarily make Castro fall might be overstating the case a bit.

[jmdrake]

I think so too. They are becoming less oppressive than they used to.

That's debatable. Yeah they quit censoring porn to give young hackers less of a reason to break through the "Great firewall of China", but if you criticize the regime you can still end up in a work camp or worse an organ harvesting hospital. I don't believe Cuba is any more repressive than China.

[low preference guy]

I don't believe Cuba is any more repressive than China.

So? To see the effects of an economic policy you only consider what China would've been with and without the embargo. You do a logical analysis, not an empirical one. What you're doing is like saying that a high minimum wage is a good idea because Afghanistan which has a lower minimum wage than the U.S. also has a much weaker economy.