(quote above from gwb post, but quoted words are from the Cuban immigrant, Congresswoman) Well, of course, I have banged this drum pretty hard of late. Wassup with this continuous bullshiite from the left that they have no access to anything due to the embargo? They are broke because their economy is a failure and they have nothing to trade with the rest of the world. Yeh, we get that American money would make it better (although, as I said before, I am not sure. we would arguably just be propping up the regime. If Cuba needs medicine. Canada has medicine. You need beef? Argentina has plenty. Oh, I see. You are broke. Okay. Well let that be the explanation then. The lefties here and elsewhere point out that we trade with Russia and China and other corrupt, flawed countries and that is absolutely true. And as a sovereign country it is our choice based on our own cost-benefit analysis. But if you are just a shit-hole country that just pokes your finger in our eye decade after decade but brings nothing else to the deal, well fuck ya. Countries like Viet Nam wised up almost immediately and left that bullshiite behind and it has created a better economy and life for them. Good, not a problem. Their choice and our choice. I am glad to see them getting some benefits from a better economy but if it had gone the other way, I would be spending zero time thinking about. Again, their choice, and our choice. Cuba continues to take a lot of cues and leadership from Venezuela. Go for it.
Nicole's first point is quite valid but how does she pivot from that to AOC is a communist sympathizer? Not sure I saw AOC saw anything positive about Castros or current government. Typical bullshit from politicians to deflect EVEN WHEN THEY MAKE A VALID POINT!
It is in the United States best interest to trade with Cuba and continue the Obama Administrations policy toward Cuba. This is also in the best interests of the Cuban people. The wrong headed U.S. policy toward Cuba that was followed until the Obama administration and then re-adopted during the Trump administration has a political origin. It remains illogical in other respects. AOC is correct.
To answer the OP's title question...Yes, she can get dumber. We're only 6 months into Biden's admin. Give her some time. You ain't seen nothing yet.
But it is a good point raised that Since 1960 Russia was heavily s upporting Cuba until they collapsed in the 1980s and Cuba entered a very harsh economic environment. There was a resurgence in the 1990s as Spain invested in numerous hotels in the beaches and keys (I stayed at a Melia Hotel in Havana and there are 2 of them). China has been selling/offering equipment and aid for many years and last time I was there , there were signs for two new large hotels being built by Chinese companies near Old Havana. When the Pope was coming for a visit the city had fresh coats of paint and repaired many places to look good. Plaza Vieja is quite beautiful with Spanish architechture etc.. Since China, Spain, Canada and Mexico are significant trading partners with Cuba. In fact you can buy American items like M&Ms and Coke in Cuba because they are sold from Mexico which is legal. I have stated that the embargo is no longer required and given our pasts with Vietnam, China and Russia, we should find a way to open up trade and require government reforms and changes like we have done with other countries. We should stop being hypocrites. But Cuba has had access to many other countries and agricultural and manufacturing support and aid for at least past 30 years. The government is a dictatorship and gives the people the bare minimum. They can rightfully claim that their literacy rate is the highest in Latin America and all kids go to school and everyone can see a doctor when they need it but there is no employment freedom (controlled by the government) or upward mobility or availability of simple items like tires and medicine. People lack new cars not becuase of the embargo but they are too poor to buy them so no one wants to invest in car dealerships there. They still have a food rationing program but is essentially bankrupt which makes no sense. The newee busses and taxis are from China and only because tourism is so strong. The government does not know how to manage anything because it micro manages everything in a dictatorial way. China and Vietnam and Russia found their path despite their flaws but Cuba is a living museum of the past.
Even if the new guy there is solidly in power, Raul will be "moving along" at some point. This happens to people in their 90's. The new guy may or may not be more open to some changes but we know for sure that Raul is not, so when he goes that will create opportunities. The new guy may blow it, but at least it is a shuffling of the deck and the previous hand sucks so statistically the next one could be better. The new guy will always try to live off the Castro brand but like China and Vietnam that still beat the commie drum, they have moved into 2.0 and 3.0 versions of their previous selves. If the new guy goes that would be great too but there does not seem to be much momentum their other than a day or two of protest that seems to have blown over. I see all the media crowing about growing cuba protests. Yeh, then you read their articles and it is all in Miami.
Using capitalism to promote socialism. Yes, she is that stupid. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/br...tent&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
Goods were traded under bartering and feudalism, so it's not contradictory to sell goods under socialism.
When is it appropriate to embargo Cuba has threatened the USA and does influence other countries against USA interests