Comments on CubaLibreBlog.com: Another Totalitarian Wellspring?

Pablo, excellent post.I share your mistrust of pre...

2008-10-20T22:54:00.000-04:00

Pablo, excellent post.

I share your mistrust of predictions by the Cuban government, specially self-serving ones, and agree that an oil-exporting Cuba would be a "game-changer" in multiple ways.

I do wonder whether Cuba will benefit from this, even if true. They have no technological skill to speak of, and none of its freinds do either. How will they get the stuff out?

Also, the US has embarked on a long-term oil-reduction program which is not likely to be reversed. Investments in wind and biofuels are growing at double-triple digits, states are implementing RPS standards, americans are buying smaller cars, and new building materials are being used.

Long-term, the US is moving away from oil, so prices are not likely to stay at current levels. Any future revenue stream will likely be much less than currently estimated.

Walter:Standing up for the right that Cubans have ...

2008-10-20T19:22:00.000-04:00

Walter:

Standing up for the right that Cubans have to a government that they freely elect is not attacking Cuba, it is defending it. That is what we do and it is born out of our love for Cuba and for our brothers and sisters on the island. On the other hand, defending, as you do, a government that that holds power by force and tramples upon the human rights of the Cuban people does not constitute a defense of Cuba, it is an affront to it and constitutes being an accomplice to tyrants.

If the energy that you and others like you spend making excuses for the Cuban government were spent defending the human rights of the Cuban people you could perhaps someday look back with pride at how you have focused your efforts.

With regards to your other arguments:

1. It is fairly clear you dislike capitalism and that thus you feel that the current global credit crisis and economic slowdown provides an opportune avenue to attack it as a model altogether. However, do not miss the big picture, the communist / command economy models that you seem to identify with has yet to create a single case of economic prosperity. Meanwhile, every developed country in the world runs based on a free-market economic system. As the largest economy in the world at approximately $14 trillion dollars, the U.S. economy will enter its next period of robust economic growth irrespective of whether or not it trades with a tyrannical government that, through its absolute control of Cuba's economy, has brought Cuba's per capita GDP to the lowest levels in Latin America (just about tied with Bolivia) and has only been able to take Cuba's total economic output to $50 billion per year (less than a third of the annual revenues of General Electric or about the same as the annual revenues of Sears). One day, Cuba will be a great trading partner to the U.S. as it once was, but that day will come when the Cuban people can realize their full potential in a free society.

2. It is not smart foreign policy or trade policy to unilaterally lift the embargo and trade with the very same tyrants who nationalized all private businesses in Cuba, oppress the Cuban people and who over 50 years have destroyed so much economic value in their quest to maintain power indefinitely by force.

3. In his speech to the CANF, Senator Obama mentioned clearly his support for not unilaterally lifting the embargo, a position consistent with ours, so there is no tune to change. He also agreed with CANF's policy recommendations to allow more direct aid to dissident groups who are working to build a free civil society in Cuba and to lift the current restrictions on Cuban-American travel to the island in order to facilitate more direct interactions between all Cubans so that, working together, we may peacefully resolve our country’s problems.

World capitalism is in such trouble that Washingto...

2008-10-20T09:50:00.000-04:00

World capitalism is in such trouble that Washington has to virtually nationalize the banking system, yet you only have time for attacking Cuba.

Cuba offers US companies a chance at being welcomed. They could invest in Cuba if Washington would only get in the way.

At a time when US business is already in deep trouble, revolutionary Cuba offers an open door, but the exile militants like yourselves don't want to take it.

After Obama's speech to the CANF, there's no change in your tune. Why don't you wake up and smell the cafecito, chicos y chicas?