27 thoughts on “Two Tyrannies In One Day”

1. I don’t know why I’m supposed to oppose diplomatic relations with Cuba. It seems to me it’s just a holdover from the Cold War when Cuba was a really serious problem. What do we gain? Surely it would be better to let them join the 21st century, let them become part of the modern world, and become more like China, with all its totalitarian faults but with its tremendous growth and growing connection to the rest of us. Is Cuba any worse than the very many thuggish governments with which we have relations?
   I know some aging Cuban nationals in Florida are very angry, but I’m not sure that’s a good enough reason.

   1. I don’t know why I’m supposed to oppose diplomatic relations with Cuba.

      We don’t have to oppose it per se, but we shouldn’t grant it as a reward to brutal dictators, at the moment of their greatest weakness. Once again, Obama treats allies as enemies, and enemies as friends.

      1. This is a “reward” they could have had fifty years ago. The fact that they didn’t was a pretty good punishment: they remain pathetic compared to a number of their neighbors. Do you want them to genuflect? Forget it – we are so much the dominant civilization that we don’t need them to do anything.

         1. Though I don’t remember the exact quote or where I saw it, there was once a letter from the emperor of China to a rebellious province, something like this: “How have the people of your province sinned so badly that you would deprive them of being part of Great China?”

         2. I don’t know what you mean by “we,” but the political prisoners certainly need them to do something.

   2. IMO, people are less upset that it happened than Obama the Diplomat couldn’t get a good deal.

      Have to remember too that Obama is one of those Democrats that when pressed will respond, “So, what is wrong with communism?” Obama likes the Castro’s and their brand of revolution. He mimics Maduro’s tactics against the opposition. Remember when he claimed that the Tea Party was being run by foreign interests?

      I don’t know why we would expect Obama to negotiate a deal when both sides at the table want the same things.

2. We broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961, the year after my Mom graduated high school and 5 years before I was born. What exactly did those 50+ years of diplomatic isolation accomplish?

   I have been amused to see that anonymous death threats against women gamers should be ignored while anonymous threats to attack movie theaters apparently require a Presidential response.

   1. We broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961, the year after my Mom graduated high school and 5 years before I was born. What exactly did those 50+ years of diplomatic isolation accomplish?

      Because they were propped up first by the USSR, then Venezuela. We just gave the Castros what they wanted, at zero cost, not a single prisoner released, not a single concession in human rights. As Rubio says, Obama is the worst negotiator in history.

      1. It’s a win for the U.S., it’s a win for the Castros, and it’s a win for the Cuban people. Postponing a win-win-win deal another year or decade so we could squeeze a few more concessions out of the Castros would come at an opportunity cost for everyone else.

         As Rubio says, Obama is the worst negotiator in history.

         Then why couldn’t Bush make this deal? If a Republican had negotiated this deal Rubio would be singing its praises. We and Cuba would be better off if this deal had been struck at any point in the last 40 years.

         1. Then why couldn’t Bush make this deal?

            Because Cuba’s economy wasn’t being brought to its knees at the time.

         2. Nothing that is a win for the Castros can be a win for the Cuban people, except among those who think Che was dreeeeeamy.

         3. Why is it a win for the US? Cigars? The US has nothing to gain from trading with a group of thugs.

   2. What exactly did those 50+ years of diplomatic isolation accomplish?

      Must it always accomplish something? How about, we’re not going to support a thug.

      1. We have diplomatic relations with thugs in places like Vietnam. Do you want to argue we’re supporting Vietnam?

         1. I agree with you. Let’s be consistent.

   3. Gerrib claimed that Zimmerman, the cops on the scene, and the paramedics that treated him lied about his injuries based on low resolution photo posted by ABCNews. What did Gerrib accomplish?

   4. ” I have been amused to see that anonymous death threats against women gamers should be ignored while anonymous threats to attack movie theaters apparently require a Presidential response.”

      The anti-gamergate crew is also responsible for nasty comments. Either side making claims of rhetorical impropriety is rather ridiculous. And it wasn’t death threats against an entire gender of videogame players.

      You can surely seem the difference between feminists fighting with nerds, one of the most marginalized and disrespected minorities in our society, and a nation state threatening terror attacks for us exercising the right to free speech? I don’t remember, what was your position on Obama scapegoating a guy who posted a video on YouTube for them attack on Benghazi?

      Obama is such a strong defender of the first amendment that he will throw people in jail for exercising it…

      1. a nation state threatening terror attacks for us exercising the right to free speech? – I am opposed to anybody threatening terrorist attacks on anybody for exercising the right to free speech.

         scapegoating a guy who posted a video on YouTube for them attack on Benghazi? Obama didn’t do jack to the guy. A Federal judge arrested him for violating parole. I do continue to wonder how a twice-convicted guy on parole for bank fraud found the money to pay actors for a video. Perhaps the person who paid him was working for Al Qaeda?

         1. I do continue to wonder how a twice-convicted guy on parole for bank fraud found the money to pay actors for a video.

            You might read about movie stars getting million-dollar deals, but most actors don’t make nearly that much. Especially for non-union Youtube productions.

            1. The actors in question reported that they were paid, and the studio was paid a rental fee. The total budget was estimated at $100,000. Now, I’m in considerably better economic condition than a guy fresh out of prison, but that’s a bit more than walking-around-money for me.

3. I’ve never seen the point of it either. We have diplomatic relations with many obnoxious nations. It really isn’t clear to me why a capitalist, free market nation should block the sale of Cuban cigars… which, by the way, it has failed at quite miserably. Back in the late ’90’s they were easily findable in NYC via the huge Carribean immigrant population. If you liked cigars, you could get them.

   I think the trade and tourism would have done more to undermine the country than pariah status. Let free individual decide whether they are going to buy Cuban goods or not.

4. This was my first reaction when I heard about this move: Conservatives are _not_ going to fight the president on this one. Some will, but lots won’t. A true bipartisan action; the president hasn’t done too much of these.

   1. What are Republicans to do to stop it? By your logic Obamacare and the IRS scandal are bipartisan.

      1. The embargo of Cuba will continue until the Helms-Burton act is repealed, and I expect that Republicans will balk at doing that, out of oppositional reflex if nothing else.

5. A strict timetable for free elections might have merited Obama’s move. So might have Cuba’s adoption of freedoms of movement, speech, press, property, and religion — for starters.

   Yeah just like China and Saudi Arabia.

   Obama’s Christmas present to these aging autocracts lacks the geopolitical genius and strategic benefits of President Nixon’s February 1972 overture to China.
   Yes it was a realpolitik gesture to undermine the Soviet Union. Fine. But now that the Soviet Union is gone why does China still have regular market relations with the USA? If it is about getting oil now Cuba has oil too.

   America’s surrender to North Korea and its hackers is even more bothersome.
   America? That was some stupid movie theaters caving in. The fact is North Korea just got its network taken off the Internet after a massive DoS attack on the routers that connect them to it.

   1. now that the Soviet Union is gone why does China still have regular market relations with the USA?

      You don’t think China has lobbyists in the US? Or diplomats, who throw expensive parties?

6. I’m finding it difficult to get worked up about this. A modest chance that this will hasten the eventual dissipation of the communist regime in Cuba, and little chance it will prolong it. I think Rubio is being an ass about the whole thing, solidifying my already fairly low opinion of him.

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