re: Rand Paul backs Obama on Cuba

Rubio says Paul "has no idea what he’s talking about".

LINK

We should have normalized relations with them 20 years ago.

quote:

---

Will be be huge boom for Gulf Coast.

---

This is just laughable

quote:

---

Got it. It can't be statesmanship because it's Obama. Thanks for proving my point.

---

Not what I said. I said he is not a statesman, not that he is incapable of being one. If he wanted to rise above the politics and be a statesman then he has opportunities.

He could come out and say after the most recent elections and speaking to people throughout the country he realizes that the affordable care act is very unpopular and not what the country wants. He can say that he likes a lot of things in the act but in their haste to try and get everyone healthcare they may have over reached a little. And while he will still fight to include certain things to make health care better and more affordable for all he is open to over hauling the law and meeting with doctors, outside groups, and the conservatives to reach some sort of bipartisan plan for the future of health care in this country. That would be statesmanship.

Making a stupid political decision because the polls tell you its ok to do it now is not statesmanship. Cuba was going broke. They were having to cut back on their social programs, which was weakening the government. They were having to move away from communism because they needed money. Obama just threw a lifeline to a drowning dictator. Probably because it would take longer than he has in office for Cuba to get to a breaking point and the Communists thrown out of office. He wanted the credit.

And for the people that think this is going to be some great thing for Louisiana, its not. Yes in 1958 a lot of Cuban goods came through New Orleans. Nola was also a top 15 city population wise then. Since then Port of Houston has become the number one foreign tonnage port. Port of Tampa has become the number one port in Florida. The Port of Miami was just built in 1960. Plus there is only 11 million people in Cuba and 80% work for the government and make 20 dollars a month. And care to guess what their number one export was back before the embargo? Sugar.

quote:

---

It is important to note that the sugar industry is vital to Louisiana’s economy – with an annual economic impact of $2.2 billion to cane growers and raw sugar factories, while also generating an overall economic value of $3.5 billion. Sugarcane is produced on more than 400,000 acres of land in 22 Louisiana parishes – with production of approximately 13 million tons of cane yearly. About 17,000 employees are involved in the production and processing of sugarcane in Louisiana

---

quote:

---

Rand Paul: Cuba Isolationists Just Don’t Get It

Sen. Rand Paul
December 19, 2014

Paul is the junior U.S. Senator for Kentucky.

Let's hope cooler heads will ultimately prevail and we unleash a trade tsunami that washes the Castros once and for all into the sea.

I grew up in a family that despised, not only communism, but collectivism, socialism and any “ism” that deprived the individual of his or her natural rights.

As a kid, I listened to the stories of an old Ukrainian fisherman who talked of fighting the Bolsheviks. More times than I can remember, I’ve heard horror stories of those who fled Castro’s Cuba. I ran for office to fight for the individual and against statism of any kind anywhere and yet… I think a policy of isolationism toward Cuba is misplaced and hasn’t worked.

I support engagement, diplomacy, and trade with Cuba, China, Vietnam, and many countries with less than stellar human rights records, because I believe that once enslaved people taste freedom and see the products of capitalism they will become hungry for freedom themselves.

President George W. Bush wrote that “trade creates the habits of freedom,” and trade provides the seeds of freedom that begin “to create the expectations of democracy.” Once trade begins it is hard to hide the amazing products of capitalism. The Soviets used to produce documentaries depicting poverty in America but it backfired when Russian viewers noticed that even in the poorest of circumstances you could still see televisions flickering in the windows. Once trade is enhanced with Cuba, it will be impossible to hide the bounty that freedom provides.

...

---

LINK /

quote:

---

Rather a tough argument to accept that a regime that has survived 50 years is contrary to what the people want.

---

Do you honestly believe that the durability of a government is a reliable measure of its desirability? If so, you aren't giving tyrants much credit for the lengths they will go to to stay in power.

I agree with him in that it is a failed policy but I hate when it is suggested that Cuba is a 3rd world country because of the embargo. They can trade with every other country in the world. The suggestion that the US is the reason for Cuba's poverty is beyond ridiculous.

quote:

---

Rather a tough argument to accept that a regime that has survived 50 years is contrary to what the people want.

---

I guess the North Koreans love their situation. And the Russian people loved being under communism for 70 years, except when the government collapsed, and now the communist party of Russia has about 150,000 members total. When a dictator takes over and kills or imprisons anyone who disagrees with him and then has his propaganda taught in elementary schools they tend to hold on to power.

Plus over a million Cubans have left the country. That is a huge part of an island whose population was just 7 million when Castro took over.

quote:

---

Since a few posters are not on Twitter, would you mind expanding upon this post?

---

I'm not on Twitter either, so I'm not sure what he's posted lately, but I saw on another website where he tweeted these out earlier in the afternoon.

quote:

---

Hey @marcorubio if the embargo doesn't hurt Cuba, why do you want to keep it? 12:45 PM - 19 Dec 2014

---

quote:

---

Follow Senator @marcorubio is acting like an isolationist who wants to retreat to our borders and perhaps build a moat. I reject this isolationism. 12:46 PM - 19 Dec 2014

---

quote:

---

The United States trades and engages with other communist nations, such as China and Vietnam. So @marcorubio why not Cuba? 12:48 PM - 19 Dec 2014

---

quote:

---

.@marcorubio what about the majority of Cuban-Americans who now support normalizing relations between our countries? LINK 12:51 PM - 19 Dec 2014

---

The difference is Paul actually thinks regime change is needed while capt Hussein-O thinks Castro is just peachy!