Cuba - A Big Win For Obama

Obama is principled in spirit but he is a pragmatic politician to his worthy detriment. If the right can scare the bejesus out of people then he would have to appear to be taking care of it to stay in office. He is cynical when he could be courageous in his rightness. Really good men have a habit of being persecuted some unto death without selling out. I think if you want to claim leadership then politics is out. Good ideas and consistent good behavior inspire confidence but too many people think that the meat and potatoes are grown behind closed doors and under a roof.

 

Somewhere between haiti and the dominican republic

 

It’s a thaw but the embargo is still in place – that can only be lifted by congress I believe.

But this is definitely a step in the right direction and brings it more into line with the rest of the world (over a 150,000 British tourists visit every year for example) – it’s long been argued that the US policy toward Cuba was counterproductive actually strengthening the Castro regime, and that a more open policy would have been more effective in undermining the regime [the Cubans wouldn’t hate Americans but instead want what they had]

This is the kind of thing Obama should have done as soon as he got into office – but I get the feeling he actually [and naively] thought he could work with the Republicans and wasn’t going to do anything as provocative as this, know he’s a lame duck he doesn’t give a fuck.

 

They still have the same cars there .... and most of the buildings are unchanged as well.

But I guess it's not all that romantic.

 

Would the average American feel safer holidaying in Cuba more so than Mexico? If yes, then it will probably be boom time

 

A lot of people are fascinated with the antique cars, and many of the big hotels were built by big American chains. It would be kind of cool if some of them would buy their old buildings back and refurbish them.

Personally, I think Mexico is one of the scariest places on the planet right now. You couldn't pay me enough to go there. So, Cuba definitely has an opportunity to persuade people like me that it's better.

 

Seems like if I want a cuban holiday without american tourists I better go now...

 

Meh. I think the people who already visited Cuba and enjoyed the particular cultural atmosphere are scared it will change for the worse if the american tourist industry gets a big influence again.

Doesn't it depend on which part of Mexico you would go to? I think there are countries that overall are even scarier (Pakistan for example)

 

Other than my attitudes towards authority, cuba is indubitably much safer than mexico, and would be the logical destination for many types of vacation.

 

considering 143 students disapeared off the face of the earth in Mexico recently and just a few days ago roughly the same number of students were slaughtered in Pakistan by the Taliban I would say they are both equally dangerous. I think Mexico gets less publicity than the middle east, one reason being its a really dangerous place for journalists, so its dangers are overlooked by much of the world.


but either way. I would love to visit Mexico, Pakistan, and Cuba. But Cuba would be the only place I would actually visit.

 

US policy in Cuba has more to do with politics than interests. Florida is a swing state and has a huge anti-Castro Cuban population.

 

I have been to Cuba its a nice place and the people are friendly!
Hope you guys dont turn it into another las vegas that would be a shame

 

I think foreigners are still having harmless holidays in Mexico. At certain beaches for example. I would probably visit both Mexico and Pakistan if I really wanted to, just look into the destination areas first. When all my interests would be at dangerous locations then I would probably not go. I would most likely skip Mexico city and Ciudad Juarez for example.

 

I'm not sure if that would make it equally dangerous for me to go. But like I said, it would for a large part depend where in the country we would want to go to.

 

Nothing in Cuba is going to change and I don't see this as a big win for our lame duck. If he wanted to open relations with them, then fine but not this way.

 

We haven't done it to New Orleans yet.

 

I agree with this theory.

Obama's biggest mistake was writing a book detailing the importance of bipartisanship to his political philosophy and strategy. You never want your political opponents to know that much about you. The GOP used everything in that book against him.

 

The thing about being bi-partisan is that everything is supposed to be, it's not some big bragging point.

Obama is comically bad at negotiating (because he agrees with his alleged enemies). Yeah, he's got a tough lot, but he just doesn't try, he's not out there new-dealing it up and welcoming adversity from people with beatable positions, he's cowering when they tell him, and comes to discussions having already given up his meager almost-left goals.

If he was open about being strong, that would be one thing - but he's open about his absolute lack of conviction about any liberal ideals, nothing is sacred and he won't resist, and they know it.

Obama is not the obama we bargained for, he's a fucking republican - so this is absolutely amazing of him, this could be the one thing that he's done that actually helps the world or the US or anybody who's not a banker (though I'm sure it helps them too). This is one thing that should be common-sense bi-partisan and should have been decades ago, but the republicans are being held hostage by cuban expats - so don't be fooled or get excited by obama showing some leftist streak, he's not, this is just something that makes sense even from the right wing's point of view, if you're on the right but a democrat, like obama. But this is still excellent, and should help with russia and general global tension and all.

It's a chance to hopefully abort this cold war by ending the last cold war.

 

But the Republicans won't do it anymore. Their base says compromise is a dirty word. This is not the GOP of Regan and Nixon. By today's standards, Nixon was a total fucking bleeding heart liberal.

Sad, but true. I'm not sure Hillary would be any better. I may have to vote for Elizabeth Warren, if she runs.

It has been in the past, but will almost surely go to Jeb Bush if he runs. That makes this a good time to get this thing done with Cuba.

You know who is having a great time in Mexico? College kids in Cancun who have no fear of anything because they're young and stupid; rich people who can afford places in Acapulco with private security; lowlifes from San Diego who can't find weed and cheap whores anywhere but Tijuana.

Try the Dutch side of Saint Martin, if you want a warm beach in the winter. Or the Virgin Islands, American part or British part, or Jamaica if you want more local history and culture, or the Turks and Caicos Islands for reef diving. Fuck Mexico.

 

He should have. And if the democratic congress at the time was as great as you guys believed them to be, they very easily COULD have (in theory) No evil republican bastards stood in their way, right? Lol..

I think Obama's main interest in doing this now is to end his presidency on a good note that people will remember him by. And use the game of politics to make his opponents look bad.