U.S./Kooba

[Snaggletiger]

Is it just me or am I wrong in thinking this President makes more outrageous decisions on his own than any other President in my lifetime?  You guys know I'm not huge into politics.  Loathe them for the most part.  But sometimes, things just give me that WTF was that all about feeling.  Obama up and makes the decision to "normalize" relations with Cuba and is pushing to lift a 50 year old trade embargo.  Where did that come from?  Why?  Was this even being discussed?

From what I understand, this would do nothing more than put tons of $$$ in the hands of a communist regime that controlled, oppressed, jailed and killed it's own people for decades.  It changes nothing for the Cuban people. What am I missing here? 

[dallaswareagle]

This was my fear after the mid-term elections. He is going to carpet bomb everything he can get away with. As with any deals he has made they get the goose we get goose shit.

What can anybody do?


As for Cuba, its not like we aren't in bed with countires as bad as they are.

[Vandy Vol]

Meh.  Have we achieved anything with the Cuban embargo?  Not really.  They're not going to change, so what's the purpose?

Sure, you can argue that if the embargo is lifted, we'll be indirectly or even directly funding a communist regime that violates human rights.  But if that's truly the concern, then why are half of my electronics from China?

I know, I know...we're financially dependent on China for a variety of reasons, but if we're going to take financial stability over the moral high ground, then you have to look at the fact that it is estimated that the Cuban embargo costs us billions of dollars a year in lost sales from exporting, and that additional jobs related to agricultural exports could be created if the embargo were lifted.  I don't know what the costs are of enforcing the embargo, but that should also be considered.

I'm not gung ho about lifting the embargo, but I don't see a huge deal if it were lifted.  There will likely be positives and negatives to it, but the whole concept of keeping it simply because Cuba is "evil" doesn't really jive with our relations with other "evil" countries.

[WiregrassTiger]

And in addition to this, we let N Korea hack into Sony's computer system and steal stuff. Now, Sony decides it isn't even going to release the comedy which apparently pokes fun at  Kim Jong-un.

I know this isn't anything that Obummer is directly responsible for but it's a cavalier attitude toward the US that he's definitely contributed to.

They aren't afraid to attack us through the interwebs and I think realize that we are slow to react, if we even react at all.

This Cuba thing doesn't do anything to help the Cuban people. And although dallas is right about us being in bed with countries just as bad. But, they aren't 92 mi off our shore.

Anything we can do to help them become democratic is a good thing. I haven't figured out who this helps except the Castros and communism in general.

[dallaswareagle]

And in addition to this, we let N Korea hack into Sony's computer system and steal stuff. Now, Sony decides it isn't even going to release the comedy which apparently pokes fun at  Kim Jong-un.

I know this isn't anything that Obummer is directly responsible for but it's a cavalier attitude toward the US that he's definitely contributed to.

They aren't afraid to attack us through the interwebs and I think realize that we are slow to react, if we even react at all.

This Cuba thing doesn't do anything to help the Cuban people. And although dallas is right about us being in bed with countries just as bad. But, they aren't 92 mi off our shore.

Anything we can do to help them become democratic is a good thing. I haven't figured out who this helps except the Castros and communism in general.

If this holds and Cuba plays it right, within the next 5 to 10 years Cuba could be a vacation mecca for us mericans.

[Kaos]

Lift or don't. That's not the issue here. The problem is the emperor making imperial decrees like this.

No debate.  No discussion. Just a proclamation from on high.

Fuck that. This is America. Not Kenya.

[Snaggletiger]

Lift or don't. That's not the issue here. The problem is the emperor making imperial decrees like this.

No debate.  No discussion. Just a proclamation from on high.

Fuck that. This is America. Not Kenya.

This^^^ was as much my point as anything. 

[dallaswareagle]

Lift or don't. That's not the issue here. The problem is the emperor making imperial decrees like this.

No debate.  No discussion. Just a proclamation from on high.

Fuck that. This is America. Not Kenya.

Not yet.

[Vandy Vol]

Lift or don't. That's not the issue here. The problem is the emperor making imperial decrees like this.

No debate.  No discussion. Just a proclamation from on high.

Fuck that. This is America. Not Kenya.

I guess we were living in Kennedy's Kenya when he made the initial presidential proclamation to prohibit U.S. exports to Cuba.  Damn pussy slaying communist and his imperial dictatorship.  Who did he think he was, the leader of the executive branch endowed with certain powers?

[smooth_operator]

I guess we were living in Kennedy's Kenya when he made the initial presidential proclamation to prohibit U.S. exports to Cuba.  Damn pussy slaying communist and his imperial dictatorship.  Who did he think he was, the leader of the executive branch endowed with certain powers?

If he was so smart he would've had a roof on his car.

[Jumbo]

If he was so smart he would've had a roof on his car.

You tell em' cabbage.

[chityeah]

I guess we were living in Kennedy's Kenya when he made the initial presidential proclamation to prohibit U.S. exports to Cuba.  Damn pussy slaying communist and his imperial dictatorship.  Who did he think he was, the leader of the executive branch endowed with certain powers?

Ummm. Kennedy didn't do it.

[Kaos]

I guess we were living in Kennedy's Kenya when he made the initial presidential proclamation to prohibit U.S. exports to Cuba.  Damn pussy slaying communist and his imperial dictatorship.  Who did he think he was, the leader of the executive branch endowed with certain powers?

Kennedy was a dickhole too. Fuck him.

[Vandy Vol]

Ummm. Kennedy didn't do it.

Ummm.  Kennedy issued an executive order in 1962.

I fully understand that the "Cuban embargo" as we know it is comprised of a variety of laws that were passed by Congress, some of which were passed prior to Kennedy's presidency.  However, my point was that an executive order was issued by Kennedy in order to prohibit U.S. exports to Cuba.  Decision by a dictator and all that jazz.