TERB In Need of a Banner

Cuba may fall

Frankfooter

dangling member
Apr 10, 2015
108,304
32,346
113
All government is corrupt this isn't anything new. If you had to pick between a nation that's democratic or communist you'd probably pick demo. If you had to pick between capitalism and socialism you'd most likely pick capitalism.

You're some rich business man in Russia when Putin took over and gave oligarchs a choice otherwise telling them to leave Russia then you pick if you wanna support your country or not since the government used you as an ATM.

The government is generally made of folks who were already rich and have power or folks who wanna become rich and have power.

All party leaders in North America deal with corruption but would you rather start a business in North America to become rich or try in Cuba where chances are a lot less?
That's what corrupt governments tell you so you never bother fighting corruption.
Its still your choice to accept it or not.
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
33,599
7,443
113
I think you have basically set-up a straw man of somewhat comfortable existences for the people of Cuba and Iran. Can't really argue with that if you truly believe that. As I said, neither of us know what the Cuban people want. You can project things, but they lack that witness.

Cuba is not some economic bonanza for evil capitalists. You have to live with and know Cuban-Americans. They carry around a lot of anger. They also are in contact with the people on the island. It's just a unique situation.

By the way, Caribbean beaches, resorts, casinos, etc. are not so special. Rich and middle-class people play over the world now. There's nothing exceptional about Cuba anymore. I think you have been watching Godfather II.

Iraq was a mess, but again I am not sure the people aren't better off and happier with their government. Iraq was three ethnicities united under a common oppression. Same pretty much goes for Libya. I'm not sure why you mention Syria. I think you threw Syria in because you were kitchen sinking.
C'mon Wyatt, you know this is a Rubio vanity project, and the disaster capitalists will love it, especially if a bunch of rebuilding projects need contracts. They don't actually care if it succeeds, just that money is available. It's just as likely to end up another Haiti, but I genuinely don't think they really care. It's much easier to grift in chaos.

I threw in Syria because that was a US destabilize project as well. On behalf of Israel.

But back to Cuba if it does fall it won't just be a matter of sending in a couple of tankers to right things. It will fall apart, and the refugees will come. How kind will ICE be to them I wonder?
 

WyattEarp

Well-known member
May 17, 2017
9,423
3,365
113
But back to Cuba if it does fall it won't just be a matter of sending in a couple of tankers to right things. It will fall apart, and the refugees will come. How kind will ICE be to them I wonder?
I suspect Cuban refugees would arrive in Florida regardless of how the regime fell.
You don't want the Cuban regime to rule indefinitely, do you?

I want to double back to your negative perspective on U.S. investment. It's hard to argue with idealism, but here it goes.
What kind of future economy do you see for Cuba? Subsistence farming? Or more tourism and perhaps Cuban retirees?

How do you see a Cuban economy that differs from other Caribbean islands?

It's not enough to tell us what you don't like. What are the alternatives? Or perhaps you're fine with the status quo for Cuba.
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
33,599
7,443
113
I suspect Cuban refugees would arrive in Florida regardless of how the regime fell.
You don't want the Cuban regime to rule indefinitely, do you?

I want to double back to your negative perspective on U.S. investment. It's hard to argue with idealism, but here it goes.
What kind of future economy do you see for Cuba? Subsistence farming? Or more tourism and perhaps Cuban retirees?

How do you see a Cuban economy that differs from other Caribbean islands?

It's not enough to tell us what you don't like. What are the alternatives? Or perhaps you're fine with the status quo for Cuba.
It's not up to me to decide. But I think the Cuban people want self determination. And then probably a hybrid socialist state with capitalist parts. I think Democratic socialism is a better term.

What they likely don't want is massive foreign ownership and govt influence. Their beaches sold off to the highest bidders. It's absolutely not an easy road.

The best thing the USA could have done was to open up relations and gradually drop sanctions. Allow for some small percentage of USA investment that likely the Cubans would have allowed. In tourism. And then gradually use some foreign aid packages to upgrade infrastructure. Mostly from Europe and other places. From there it becomes natural for a growing middle class to start demanding reform.

What they are doing now is likely to create Haiti 2.0
 

Ceiling Cat

Well-known member
Feb 25, 2009
29,668
2,230
113
Obama sought to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba and reopen channels between the two countries. After Trump took office, many of those policies were reversed, and relations between the United States and Cuba deteriorated. Had diplomatic engagement continued, Cuba might have developed more fully as an international tourism destination and experienced greater economic growth.

Trump is a curse on America, a curse on Cuba and a curse on the world.


 

WyattEarp

Well-known member
May 17, 2017
9,423
3,365
113
It's not up to me to decide. But I think the Cuban people want self determination. And then probably a hybrid socialist state with capitalist parts. I think Democratic socialism is a better term.

What they likely don't want is massive foreign ownership and govt influence. Their beaches sold off to the highest bidders. It's absolutely not an easy road.

The best thing the USA could have done was to open up relations and gradually drop sanctions. Allow for some small percentage of USA investment that likely the Cubans would have allowed. In tourism. And then gradually use some foreign aid packages to upgrade infrastructure. Mostly from Europe and other places. From there it becomes natural for a growing middle class to start demanding reform.

What they are doing now is likely to create Haiti 2.0
The last sentence kind of blew any sense of reasonableness. I don't think even cruise ships want to go to anywhere need Haiti.

I don't think you really know Cuba. The government already has plenty of partnerships with foreign investment in the tourism sector. It just doesn't rise to a world-class destination because of the Cuban government's involvement. This investment isn't even new. These partnerships go back about thirty years.

Now one would think even some foreign investment in the tourist sector would stimulate periphery enterprise. The Cuban government requires everything to be small scale. It's kind of charming, but it hinders capitalism and the government still taxes the hell out of these small proprietors.

Yes, it will not be an easy road. The regime is generally inflexible and often unfriendly towards investment. The idea that this type of government can reform itself when it is about almost total control is unrealistic.

This is what I think is more likely to happen. The regime will fall one way or another at some point. It will be chaotic initially. I don't think the institutional structures that existed in Eastern Europe are as strong in Cuba. U.S. and Western aid will rush in to prevent a humanitarian crisis. As stability is restored, Western investment will flow to Cuba. I suspect the cultural ties between Cuban-Americans and the island will foster a type of Cuban entrepreneurialism.

As far as your comment regarding a growing middle class, I don't see that happening under the Castro regime. The Castro regime doesn't allow enough private ownership for a real middle class to develop and compete for influence.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jsanchez

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
33,599
7,443
113
The last sentence kind of blew any sense of reasonableness. I don't think even cruise ships want to go to anywhere need Haiti.

I don't think you really know Cuba. The government already has plenty of partnerships with foreign investment in the tourism sector. It just doesn't rise to a world-class destination because of the Cuban government's involvement. This investment isn't even new. These partnerships go back about thirty years.

Now one would think even some foreign investment in the tourist sector would stimulate periphery enterprise. The Cuban government requires everything to be small scale. It's kind of charming, but it hinders capitalism and the government still taxes the hell out of these small proprietors.

Yes, it will not be an easy road. The regime is generally inflexible and often unfriendly towards investment. The idea that this type of government can reform itself when it is about almost total control is unrealistic.

This is what I think is more likely to happen. The regime will fall one way or another at some point. It will be chaotic initially. I don't think the institutional structures that existed in Eastern Europe are as strong in Cuba. U.S. and Western aid will rush in to prevent a humanitarian crisis. As stability is restored, Western investment will flow to Cuba. I suspect the cultural ties between Cuban-Americans and the island will foster a type of Cuban entrepreneurialism.

As far as your comment regarding a growing middle class, I don't see that happening under the Castro regime. The Castro regime doesn't allow enough private ownership for a real middle class to develop and compete for influence.
The last sentence is quite a reasonable assumption. When you create a failed state to remove a dictator all you are left with is a failed state, with multiple minor power lords all trying to take control. That is likely exactly what will happen to Cuba after this if it falls.

Is the USA prepared to take full control of the island? Doubtful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Knuckle Ball

geezerbuter

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2025
267
269
63
The last sentence is quite a reasonable assumption. When you create a failed state to remove a dictator all you are left with is a failed state, with multiple minor power lords all trying to take control. That is likely exactly what will happen to Cuba after this if it falls.

Is the USA prepared to take full control of the island? Doubtful.
The new model for an empire is to have the leaders of countries in your pockets not to actually take over. That was you get the same effect with virtually no cost and when it all gord to shit you just move on
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frankfooter

Frankfooter

dangling member
Apr 10, 2015
108,304
32,346
113
The last sentence kind of blew any sense of reasonableness. I don't think even cruise ships want to go to anywhere need Haiti.

I don't think you really know Cuba. The government already has plenty of partnerships with foreign investment in the tourism sector. It just doesn't rise to a world-class destination because of the Cuban government's involvement. This investment isn't even new. These partnerships go back about thirty years.

Now one would think even some foreign investment in the tourist sector would stimulate periphery enterprise. The Cuban government requires everything to be small scale. It's kind of charming, but it hinders capitalism and the government still taxes the hell out of these small proprietors.

Yes, it will not be an easy road. The regime is generally inflexible and often unfriendly towards investment. The idea that this type of government can reform itself when it is about almost total control is unrealistic.

This is what I think is more likely to happen. The regime will fall one way or another at some point. It will be chaotic initially. I don't think the institutional structures that existed in Eastern Europe are as strong in Cuba. U.S. and Western aid will rush in to prevent a humanitarian crisis. As stability is restored, Western investment will flow to Cuba. I suspect the cultural ties between Cuban-Americans and the island will foster a type of Cuban entrepreneurialism.

As far as your comment regarding a growing middle class, I don't see that happening under the Castro regime. The Castro regime doesn't allow enough private ownership for a real middle class to develop and compete for influence.
americans are clueless about Cuba.
Canadians have been tourists there for a long time and there is a bigger connection, other than dissidents in Miami.
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
33,599
7,443
113
The new model for an empire is to have the leaders of countries in your pockets not to actually take over. That was you get the same effect with virtually no cost and when it all gord to shit you just move on
Well not new. About 80 years its been the American Empire norm.
 

WyattEarp

Well-known member
May 17, 2017
9,423
3,365
113
The last sentence is quite a reasonable assumption. When you create a failed state to remove a dictator all you are left with is a failed state, with multiple minor power lords all trying to take control. That is likely exactly what will happen to Cuba after this if it falls.
Yes, that is EXACTLY what will happen after Cuba falls. You took out your crystal ball and nailed it. Again, certitude is arrogance.

I see very little in common culturally, economically and institutionally between Cuba and Haiti. The biggest commonality is geography. One can also infer that communism leaves institutions that can become the foundation for stability and then reform. It will not easy, but that is the power of capitalism once free enterprise is introduced.

I could speculate that Havana could develop like Cartagena. My conjecture could easily be more accurate than your conjecture. If you are obsessed with equity, equal distribution and public ownership the economy will continue to wallow. Private ownership is the catalyst for growth.

Lastly, I think you have set up some type of idealistic view that the regime will gradually reform itself. Dictatorships tend to break not bend.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jsanchez

WyattEarp

Well-known member
May 17, 2017
9,423
3,365
113

jsanchez

Well-known member
Apr 8, 2004
3,250
3,382
113
T.O.
Yes, that is EXACTLY what will happen after Cuba falls. You took out your crystal ball and nailed it. Again, certitude is arrogance.

I see very little in common culturally, economically and institutionally between Cuba and Haiti. The biggest commonality is geography. One can also infer that communism leaves institutions that can become the foundation for stability and then reform. It will not easy, but that is the power of capitalism once free enterprise is introduced.

I could speculate that Havana could develop like Cartagena. My conjecture could easily be more accurate than your conjecture. If you are obsessed with equity, equal distribution and public ownership the economy will continue to wallow. Private ownership is the catalyst for growth.

Lastly, I think you have set up some type of idealistic view that the regime will gradually reform itself. Dictatorships tend to break not bend.
We don't know what will happen next, my guess is Cuba would veer to the right under another general if the communist regime falls.
Let if fall if you ask me, the regime is past its best-before date.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WyattEarp

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
33,599
7,443
113
Yes, that is EXACTLY what will happen after Cuba falls. You took out your crystal ball and nailed it. Again, certitude is arrogance.

I see very little in common culturally, economically and institutionally between Cuba and Haiti. The biggest commonality is geography. One can also infer that communism leaves institutions that can become the foundation for stability and then reform. It will not easy, but that is the power of capitalism once free enterprise is introduced.

I could speculate that Havana could develop like Cartagena. My conjecture could easily be more accurate than your conjecture. If you are obsessed with equity, equal distribution and public ownership the economy will continue to wallow. Private ownership is the catalyst for growth.

Lastly, I think you have set up some type of idealistic view that the regime will gradually reform itself. Dictatorships tend to break not bend.
Private ownership with CUBANS as owners is a catalyst for growth. From US private Equity?

Ask how that is going in Vegas right now.

The USA is not altruistic in these matters. Just worried about next quarter profits.
 

WyattEarp

Well-known member
May 17, 2017
9,423
3,365
113
Private ownership with CUBANS as owners is a catalyst for growth. From US private Equity?

Ask how that is going in Vegas right now.
I'm sorry you are confused.

Vegas' whole raison d'etre is gambling and entertainment. Vegas has gone through many business cycles and always reinvents itself.

Perhaps all the Canadians who are avoiding Las Vegas and Florida can go to Cuba. That's a win-win for Canada and Cuba.
 

WyattEarp

Well-known member
May 17, 2017
9,423
3,365
113
We don't know what will happen next, my guess is Cuba would veer to the right under another general if the communist regime falls.
Let if fall if you ask me, the regime is past its best-before date.
Some here see the regime in a more sympathetic light.
U.S. derangement syndrome produces some strange bedfellows on social media.
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
33,599
7,443
113
I'm sorry you are confused.

Vegas' whole raison d'etre is gambling and entertainment. Vegas has gone through many business cycles and always reinvents itself.

Perhaps all the Canadians who are avoiding Las Vegas and Florida can go to Cuba. That's a win-win for Canada and Cuba.
What I'm referring to is Private equity bought up the land under the casinos and has created the present overcharging going on that is driving away people. It isn't just Foreigners avoiding Vegas.

Quite simply US involvement is not always a good thing. In many cases its a bad thing. You don't want to add value, just extract it now.

Sorry Wyatt. The world is indeed changing. And you are going to find that gradually people are going to do less business with your nation. Because we can't trust you to keep your word anymore.
 

jeff2

Well-known member
Sep 11, 2004
2,152
1,233
113
I'm sorry you are confused.

Vegas' whole raison d'etre is gambling and entertainment. Vegas has gone through many business cycles and always reinvents itself.

Perhaps all the Canadians who are avoiding Las Vegas and Florida can go to Cuba. That's a win-win for Canada and Cuba.
They can get some shade on the beach without waking up at 6:00 am if they can find a way down at the moment.
 
Ashley Madison
Toronto Escorts