Is it time to end the U.S. embargo of Cuba?

[kramerfan86]

If you disapprove of them you disapprove of having a working economy.

 

[Takhisis]

Is that so?

 

[kramerfan86]

Is that so?

If you refuse to trade with communists and dictators... where is the oil coming from?

 

[_random_]

Well, if we were willing to drill offshore and in ANWR, we could be pretty well off for oil.

 

[Takhisis]

If you refuse to trade with communists and dictators... where is the oil coming from?

Brazil? The North Sea? Canada? Cork? Texas? Spexico?

 

[kramerfan86]

I think you underestimate how much we consume. And if Canada and Brazil know we refuse to buy from anyone else they can negotiate higher prices. If we REALLY could just consume oil strictly from the US and Canada dont you think we would already be doing so? There is a reason we import so much from unstable regions in the first place.

I mean logically think about it, if the US could get oil at the same prices strictly from itself and democracies in stable regions you really think it would waste its time associating with and protecting countries like Saudi Arabia? How does that make any sense?

 

[Evie]

More to the point, does anyone actually benefit from those embargoes? It sure hasn't done any good at toppling evil regimes so far.

It's not an attempt to help anybody. It's a weapon used to harm people who angered the United States.

 

[Formaldehyde]

That is really what it comes down to, which is the same case as Iran. How dare they overthrow our far-right puppet dictatorship which was exploiting their own people for our financial benefit?

 

[Tani Coyote]

More to the point, does anyone actually benefit from those embargoes? It sure hasn't done any good at toppling evil regimes so far.

Well an embargo is effectively a tariff taken to the extreme. No competition from Cuban goods, so those who'd face competition from such companies obviously enormously benefit.

Even moreso given how the USA is a massive market and is either the largest market or second largest depending on who you ask.

 

[chad187]

Why does NATO not do a bombing campagine like we did in Libya to bring down the regime? seems alot more effective.....

 

[caketastydelish]

That is really what it comes down to, which is the same case as Iran. How dare they overthrow our far-right puppet dictatorship which was exploiting their own people for our financial benefit?

I am Iranian from my dad's side, and what I think you are referring to is the Shah. The Shah had his flaws, but wasn't near as evil as the current regime of Iran.

 

[Tani Coyote]

Why does NATO not do a bombing campagine like we did in Libya to bring down the regime? seems alot more effective.....

The fallout from the intervention in Libya remains to be seen.

Iran and Cuba are both examples of spectacular results from foreign intervention.

Spreading democracy is a noble goal but in practice it is too easily corrupted. The most we can hope to do is foster a nation's economic prosperity until its citizens are wealthy and educated enough to end their serfdom to the government.

 

[History_Buff]

Well, if we were willing to drill offshore and in ANWR, we could be pretty well off for oil.

No, no you wouldn't. There's simply not enough, and what is there would be more expensive than the oil you import. Folks wouldn't stand for both the destruction of the environment and more expensive gas. You folks panic every time gasoline rises to realistic prices as it is.

 

[Agent327]

Well, the Constitution says that Congress can regulate foreign commerce, so embargoes are okay. If other countries aren't going to respect capitalism, I don't see any merit in trading with them.

´Respecting capitalism´ isn´t at issue here. And the Cuba embargo simply means there´s no legal trade going on with Cuba.

Why does NATO not do a bombing campagine like we did in Libya to bring down the regime? seems alot more effective.....

Simple answer: there´s no popular uprising going on against the Castro regime. In effect, the US are the only NATO member that has an embargo going on.

If you refuse to trade with communists and dictators... where is the oil coming from?

Brazil? The North Sea? Canada? Cork? Texas? Spexico?

Don´t forget Iraq, China, Russia, etc.

The US has no history of refusing to trade with Communist or dictatorial regime. Indeed, as the latter concerns, US foreign policy has generally been in favour of imposing dictatorial regimes.

Well, if we were willing to drill offshore and in ANWR, we could be pretty well off for oil.

US oil consumption far exceeds local production.

 

[Disgustipated]

The easiest way to end a communist system though is to expose people to the benefits of the free market, how does that happen with a childish embargo going on?

my sentiments exactly.

 

[Traitorfish]

Communism can't be sustained. Cuba's going to have to embrace democracy and capitalism eventually, and then we can consider ending the embargo. The Castros are evil, so this really isn't something we should be compromising on because of some stinky cigars.

Capitalism, sure, but why democracy? China's getting by just fine without it, while countries like Singapore seems to consider it something of an optional garnish. Obviously Cuba represents a different set of circumstances, but there does not seem any self-evident impulse towards democracy short of a popular revolt, which is unlikely to be tripping over itself to hand the country to the private sector. (Let's remember that the original anti-communist revolts in Eastern and Central Europe were in favour of a more liberal socialism ("socialism").)

 

[bernie14]

I am Iranian from my dad's side, and what I think you are referring to is the Shah. The Shah had his flaws, but wasn't near as evil as the current regime of Iran.

some would say the same about batista, but then again, others would say that you are spouting nothing less than ultra right wing ideology....

 

[luiz]

Another problem with the whole mess is that it's held Cuban racial equality back by decades, because Afro-Cubans are so afraid that the Miami scumbags will get back in power that they daren't make a fuss. (Even the entrenched racism of Castro's Cuba is preferable to out-and-out white supremacy.)

Fulgencio Batista was a mulatto, as were many prominent Cubans back then (just look at the exiled community; it's hardly a little Scandinavia in Miami). I don't see why black cubans should fear the Miami guys more than the all-white Castro regime.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I am Iranian from my dad's side, and what I think you are referring to is the Shah. The Shah had his flaws, but wasn't near as evil as the current regime of Iran.

He could equally be referring to Mohammad Mossadeq, a decidedly contrary character to the present regime.

 

[say1988]

I think you underestimate how much we consume. And if Canada and Brazil know we refuse to buy from anyone else they can negotiate higher prices. If we REALLY could just consume oil strictly from the US and Canada dont you think we would already be doing so? There is a reason we import so much from unstable regions in the first place.

I mean logically think about it, if the US could get oil at the same prices strictly from itself and democracies in stable regions you really think it would waste its time associating with and protecting countries like Saudi Arabia? How does that make any sense?

Not to mention, oil is a commodity. You don't really get choose who you buy it from. Most oil effectively goes into one big pool that everyone draws out what they are willing to pay for. If the US embargoed Iran, what would happen is that instead of a tanker going from Iran to the US, it would go to China while a tanker from Saudi Arabia would go to the US instead of China.
The only change might be some increases in some transport costs, and the price of all oil would rise in response.

The only way this changes if you get enough countries to join the embargo to reduce aggregate demand below their supply.