by William Neikirk
Sen. Barack Obama was not alone today in suggesting that the Cuban trade embargo should continue for as long as democracy continues to be squashed in that island nation just 90 miles from our shores.
Fidel Castro's decision to step down is not the real litmus test for relaxing or abandoning the embargo, the senator said in a statement. Just as the White House and other candidates have made clear, the Cuban leadership must begin "meaningful Democratic change," the senator said.
The statement indicates how much of a special case Cuba has been for the past half of a century. We have openly traded with brutal, non-democratic regimes over this same span of time. Witness the former Soviet Union and now China.
In fact, trading with the USSR, named the "Evil Empire" by President Reagan, was seen as a way to relax Cold War tensions and prevent a possible nuclear conflagration. China is a long way from being a democracy, but yet it has become a chief supplier of goods to the U.S. market. And U.S. firms also do a booming business in China.
You will not find many economists out there who will argue that a ban on trade is a good idea. In fact, they will tell you that fair and open trade generally boosts the standard of living of countries that take part in it. Economically speaking, both Cuba and the U.S. generally would have been better off with a normal economic relationship.
Yet the Cuban embargo persists, and will likely linger for a long time, because it is such a special case politically speaking. The anti-Castro forces in Florida have long resisted lifting the embargo until Havana becomes more democratic. And these forces, potent in presidential politics, are not easily ignored.
A fair question is whether a candidate of change like Obama should be pushing for using increased trade with Cuba as a way to improve our relationship and move the country more toward democracy. He has answered in the negative: It would be a big political risk to do so, and most political analysts would advise against it.
The next move is obviously up to Cuba.
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Comments
A point worthy of note... now who is going to do something about it?
Posted by: Steve S | February 19, 2008 4:20 PM
We the people should never trade with communistsas! I include Canada in their.
Long long ago we should have wiped them out! Canada just scare a bit.
Posted by: Bushman | February 19, 2008 4:24 PM
Yep, it can be very confusing trying to understand so-called Republican "principles". Another good question is why do Republicans hate immigrants who swim across the Rio Grande and land in border states yet they adore Cubans who land one foot on dry land (Wet foot, dry foot policy). Why aren't others escaping political persecution or cruel dictators given immediate legal status. Iranians, Syrians, and Venezualans would like to know.
Posted by: john | February 19, 2008 4:28 PM
This is getting ridiculous. This is NOT plagiarism. Clearly any intelligent person would know the definition of plagiarism. All candidate take other candidates sound bytes. Hillary has copied many candidates including her husband Bill Clinton. However apparently the rules don't apply to her.
http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/02/18/another-leading-democrat-has-a-plagiarism-problem/#comments
Another Dem Has Plagiarism Problem
By Dave
Feb 18th 2008 7:06PM
Filed Under:eHillary Clinton, Barack Obama, 2008 President
The Clinton campaign just undercut themselves on the plagiarism front:
Jake Tapper writes:
I asked Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass, if they could assure the public that neither Clinton nor McGovern has ever done what Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, did when he used the rhetoric of Gov. Deval Patrick without footnoting him.
They would not.
In fact, Wolfson seemed to say it wouldn't be as big a deal if it were discovered that Clinton had "lifted" such language.
"Sen. Clinton is not running on the strength of her rhetoric," Wolfson said.
Plagiarism isn't even the right word for it of course. Borrowing terms and phrases and well worn bits of rhetoric is not illegal or even uncommon. No one has a trademark on hope, or change, or whatever. It isn't bad that Obama borrowed, it might be lame, but it isn't evil. And in fact it is indeed a high compliment. if Obama uses your stuff!
But the last part is incredible. If Clinton did the same, it's OK for her, but not for Obama? That's the kind of stuff that gets you laughed out of the room. Another unforced error from Team Clinton as the team aims and fires at their own big toe.
I'm not voting for Obama based on his speeches... and to be honest quite frankly he inspired me long before Deval Patrick's run in 2006. The first time I heard and saw Obama was in 2004 at the Democratic Convention Center. Now that was a powerful speech, and it was powerful because it speaks of his own life. Obama wouldn't be here, if not for the American Dream. To have Hillary dig up his kindergarten essays, and try to use it against him to show he's always had dreams of being the President...
Well I quite frankly feel that is so adorable, and I was going to vote for Hillary before... but now I just can't based on principles and policies.
Why would I trust Hillary when she's failed on Health Care, hasn't helped the job loss in NY, and is poor in National Security. Those are just a few things I'm going to mention.
What I find the most unattractive quality in Hillary is her hunger for power... the I will do whatever it takes to win.
Posted by: jenn | February 19, 2008 4:44 PM
john,
Rarely has a smaller minority called our foreign policy tune for so long as the Cuban exile community. It may have to do with proximity, false pride at being foiled and confounded so close to our borders, and that our clandestine forces have been stymied for so long.
(BTW, did someone fart in here? (See above, you know who.) I say banish Bushman to the 'glass box with the French Mime'.)
Posted by: C.Morris | February 19, 2008 4:49 PM
john:
Because those groups don't grow up to be Republicans like the Cubans did.
Posted by: BobinATL | February 19, 2008 4:56 PM
john,
further;
Your posit re. Mexicans is also cogent.
make them legal, give em their own SS number, so they aren't trying to steal ours, and tax them.
win win win.
It would bring a lot of young workers into the system, thus extending the solvency of the Social Security System, plus give them a stake in it's future.
BTW, in the town I live in there are whole developements, commercial and residential, that would not even exist without the $$$ coming in from the recent immigrant community.
Posted by: C.Morris | February 19, 2008 4:59 PM
jenn,
You are, simply put, correct.
Speakers paraphrase others words many times without including a rhetorical footnote.
This is a huge non-issue that can only hurt Hills in the end. Why? As you have pointed out, everyone borrows when 'speech-a-fying'.
Posted by: C.Morris | February 19, 2008 5:34 PM
The article failed to mention that Castro nationalized all US investments on the Island which at the time where enormous and he did it without compensation. The embargo was the right thing to do at the time, or we would have faced nationalizations of US assets all over the world.
At this point in time, the embargo is fruitless and it has helped keep Fidel in power. The last thing Fidel wants is the embargo lifted. This is his largest propaganda tool. Without the embargo, he is nothing. Now is a great time to take advantage of the opportunity and knock Raul out of the picture by exposing Cuba to our opinions, investments, media, and our tourists.
Almost free at last, almost free at last, thank God almighty, almost free at last.
Posted by: Joe Lopez | February 19, 2008 5:35 PM
jenn, are you saying that you can't plagiarize a speech? Tell that to Joe Biden, who got crucified for it in the '88 primary.
Obama did admit that he should have given proper credit for the speech. However, I agree that this is overblown, mainly because the person who really said those things claims to have given Obama permission. If he doesn't care, and they are his ideas, I don't either.
Posted by: Herbie H. | February 19, 2008 5:35 PM
HH,
Well put. Can't wait to see what 'Bama digs up on McSleepy.
Posted by: TheReamer | February 19, 2008 5:51 PM
Bobinatl,
Right, buddie, move to Spain then! If you don't like it. Hope you like it down their.
No more tolerance of your bad ideas!
Posted by: Bushman | February 19, 2008 6:17 PM
"jenn, are you saying that you can't plagiarize a speech? Tell that to Joe Biden, who got crucified for it in the '88 primary."
To be honest, what Biden got crucified for was borrowing a part of a speech that had specific autobiographical details that were not true for him, not so much for just reusing a rhetorical device.
Posted by: Luke | February 19, 2008 6:25 PM
Ten bucks says Castro is already dead.
Posted by: Jeff | February 19, 2008 6:42 PM
"CHINA / RUSSIA SPEAKS"
HEY, HEY, HEY, WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTRIES THAT YOU CAN TRADE WITH. CUBA IS STILL SO COMMUNISTIC THAT THEY REALLY SHOULDN'T BE TRUSTED.
DON'T BY THEIR "WHEAT" DON'T BUY THEIR "BEEF" DON'T BUY THEIR "OIL"
DON'T BUY THEIR THOUGHTS OF DEMOCRACY.
THEY ARE COMMUNIST, THEY WILL KILL YOU WITH BAD BEEF, HIGH OIL PRICES, AND $85.00 BUSHELL OF WHEAT.
COME ON SEE HOW BARACK IS THINKING, HE IS FLIP FLOPPING HUH. FLIP FLOPPING LIKE WE DO, FLIP FLOPPING ON DOING BUSINESS WITH RUSSIA WHO ISN'T A COMMUNIST COUNTRY BUT WE WISH THEY WERE, SO WE COULD UNDERSTAND WHY WE DEPEND ON "CHINA" SO MUCH THAT IS A COMMUNIST COUNTRY THAT COULD LOSE A LOT IF SOMEONE WAS TO DO BUSINESS WITH CUBA ON DIFFERENT MONETARY TERMS.
Posted by: Roger Morris | February 19, 2008 6:52 PM
Bill Neikirk can always be relied upon to speak up on behalf of the poor, downtrodden Communist dictators of the world.
Posted by: Marti | February 19, 2008 7:18 PM
Bushman,
If you put John D., Jerry White, and Paulo together and stirred, they wouldn't be as stupid as you:
Gus: These Canadians suffer from a serious inferiority complex. That's why they built this: The Canadian National Tower! World's largest free-standing structure!
Gus: Canadians are always dreaming up a lotta ways to ruin our lives. The metric system, for the love of God! Celsius! Neil Young!
U.S. President: The American people, Mr. Smiley, would never ever buy this.
Smiley: Mr. President, the American people will buy whatever we tell them to.
Edwin S. Simon, NBS News Anchor: The Canadians. They walk among us. William Shatner. Michael J. Fox. Monty Hall. Mike Meyers. Alex Trebek. All of them Canadians. All of them here.
[TV Announcer describes the Canadian National Tower in Toronto]
Edwin S. Simon, NBS News Anchor: It is the height of six American football fields, or five Canadian football fields. As if Canadian football really counts.
Smiley: When have you ever heard anyone say, "Honey, lets stay in and order Canadian food"?
Edwin S. Simon, NBS News Anchor: Think of your children pledging allegiance to the maple leaf. Mayonnaise on everything. Winter 11 months of the year. Anne Murray - all day, every day.
Edwin S. Simon, NBS News Anchor: Like maple syrup, Canada's evil oozes over the United States.
Posted by: dt | February 19, 2008 7:29 PM
Dt, I'm "borrowing" that, Obama-style, whenever Chuckman chimes in.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2008 9:24 AM