Chavez once again porves he's a tin pot dictator in the making.

[Ned]

Oerdin, good post.

The difference between liberals and the socialists is that the liberals will actually help the poor while the socialist will take over the enonomy in the name of the poor, driving out private business, causing an economic meltdown, impoverishing everybody and saying everything is better because everybody is now equal.

Cuba's communist economy is 1/10th of what it was in '59. But that's OK because every is equally poor, except, that is, for those who are more equal that others. We know who they are, do we not?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Ned
Cuba's communist economy is 1/10th of what it was in '59. But that's OK because every is equally poor, except, that is, for those who are more equal that others. We know who they are, do we not?

Funny thing. Very very few Cubans miss Batista.

[Kuciwalker]

Very few Americans miss Eisenhower, but that doesn't make Bush a good president.

[Last Conformist]

I'd like a cite for the Cuban economy contracting by 90% since '59.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Very few Americans miss Eisenhower, but that doesn't make Bush a good president.

Eisenhower isn't the most recent alternative to the current regime in memory. OTOH, It looks like quite a few people do miss the Clinton years.

And you have many Batista-nostalgics in Florida. I've heard a reformist Cuban explaining to me that the Floridan exiles are a threat for Cuba's democratization, because they are completely at odds with Cuban society, because they'd import a foreign model that isn't fit to a Cuban society they don't know about anymore, and because their money would make them very powerful in Cuba nonetheless.
I saw a report on TV recently, which went entirely in this directioon. Floridan Cubans seemed really clueless about their previous country as it stands currently, and they were very keen about pushing their cluelessness with their dollars.

[Dinner]

It'd like to point out that nationalizing foreign assets and then filling the state run company with party yes men is exactly what countries like Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Algeria have done. Hell, Cuba did this in 1959 what has it gotten them? What has this gotten any of them?

In the end it consentrates power into the hands of the dictator, results in low growth or even economic contraction, and it stiffles innovation. That's why those countries are so damn backwards while places like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebannon, and Egypt perform so much better. Those countries have tried to professionalize state industries or even privitize them. The laggards haven't.

The same story will play out in Venezuela.

[Spiffor]

Yeah, Iran is an economically and technologically backwards country, in comparison with its neighbours

[Dinner]

Iran didn't nationalize whole sections of it's economy other then oil & gas and even that it has backed away from recently. Through the mid1990's the Iranian economy remained an under performer. One of the few good things the "reformers" actually accomplished was the economic liberalizations in the 1990's. Sure, they failed to make any reforms on the political or social front but they did at least get some positive movement going on the economic front and the current high oil prices are helping even more.

[DanS]

Originally posted by Spiffor

Funny thing. Very very few Cubans miss Batista.

It's no wonder, considering that very few Cubans alive today were also alive during Batista's time.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Spiffor

Eisenhower isn't the most recent alternative to the current regime in memory. OTOH, It looks like quite a few people do miss the Clinton years.

And you have many Batista-nostalgics in Florida. I've heard a reformist Cuban explaining to me that the Floridan exiles are a threat for Cuba's democratization, because they are completely at odds with Cuban society, because they'd import a foreign model that isn't fit to a Cuban society they don't know about anymore, and because their money would make them very powerful in Cuba nonetheless.
I saw a report on TV recently, which went entirely in this directioon. Floridan Cubans seemed really clueless about their previous country as it stands currently, and they were very keen about pushing their cluelessness with their dollars.

It would certainly have been better if there had been regime change in Cuba decades ago, I agree.

However I think the above problem will be manageable. For one thing many younger Miami Cubans dont miss Batista either. And the older ones who do, will soon find themselves exposed to Cubans in Cuba, and will have to adjust to maintain influence.

[Last Conformist]

How many of the younger generations will want to return at all?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Last Conformist
How many of the younger generations will want to return at all?

depends on the opportunities, I suspect. Youre correct many younger Cubans here well integrated into American society (though i suspect less so in Miami than elsewhere) They dont necessarily have to move back to have influence. They can visit, do volunteer work, use their wealth, and use their lobbying ability in Washington. IE they can wield influence somewhat the way some American Jews do in Israel, except in Cuba theyd be dealing with a society much more open to influence.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by notyoueither


Why? This guy would get ***** slapped 5 seconds after he thought of attacking a neighbour.

Why ?? I am not saying this is his intent but if he say . annexed Guyana, who is going to go in to stop him.Guyana is pathetically small such that Ven. forces would probably take over in a day. They have historical claims to a lot of the territory etc etc.

Perhaps the world might get uppity and intervene but I'm not so sure. Assume it would take military action and that China is willing to buy their oil . . . who steps in?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by DanS
It's no wonder, considering that very few Cubans alive today were also alive during Batista's time.

I already made that point, though Spiffor seems to have missed it.

[Kontiki]

I'm pretty sure the US would be on them like stink on a monkey if they annexed Guyana.