Only Obama Could Go to Cuba

[hopper68]

illegals can't get welfare benefits? drivers licenses? sanctuary cities ring a bell?

Fort McCoy in 1980. Thanks President Carter (way before Obama).

 

[Kutnupe14]

illegals can't get welfare benefits? drivers licenses? sanctuary cities ring a bell?

That's the way it should be. Surely you don't have a problem with that? A whole new group of voters.

 

[JTScribe]

View attachment 46149

 

[PistolBob]

I'd be willing to trade him for three bottles of Cuban rum, and a half dozen pork cuban sandwiches...

 

[jamil]

100% no. But the taking the risk has gotten significantly less appealing. Would you not agree?

It is naive, they still have decades to go. It's not something that will be solved probably in my lifetime, but the potential is obviously there.

The impact for both depend on how much a restoration of economic ties with Cuba would actually impact the people's lives. For some, undoubtedly, navigating the ocean in a homemade raft will have gotten less appealing. How many Cubans will have their lives improved enough for that to matter? This is a dictatorship and not a very benevolent one. In other words, all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. Some will benefit. Many may not.

 

[jamil]

View attachment 46149

Obama may as well have a stickie note on his back that says, "kick me".

 

[Kutnupe14]

The impact for both depend on how much a restoration of economic ties with Cuba would actually impact the people's lives. For some, undoubtedly, navigating the ocean in a homemade raft will have gotten less appealing. How many Cubans will have their lives improved enough for that to matter? This is a dictatorship and not a very benevolent one. In other words, all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. Some will benefit. Many may not.

I don't know if you read the link, but there's an instance of a refugee coming here, applying for benefits, opening a bank acct, and then going back home. Heck I know Cubans who have family that made it here, and then decided to go back. I don't know if they did the same, but it makes sense that they did. On the surface, that seems to indicate that it isn't all gulags, death and firing squads in Cuba.

 

[printcraft]

The impact for both depend on how much a restoration of economic ties with Cuba would actually impact the people's lives. For some, undoubtedly, navigating the ocean in a homemade raft will have gotten less appealing. How many Cubans will have their lives improved enough for that to matter? This is a dictatorship and not a very benevolent one. In other words, all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. Some will benefit. Many may not.

I'm still trying to figure out, since we are the only country to NOT trade/funnel money to Cuba and the conditions over there are deplorable,
WHY anybody thinks we will magically make all the difference in the world?

The dictatorship of Cuba has only been strengthened by cash, why is it going to change now?
Castro family gets stronger, people continue to suffer. A few tourist dollars are not going to stop the flow of rafts.

 

[KittySlayer]

Before I plan my Cuban excursion, does anyone know if "Superman" is still performing?

Just watched Godfather II last night. Amazingly Cuba looked the same as the snapshots from the royal family's visit today. Any building of substance seemed to be built before the revolution and just looked a half century old. They stole all that stuff and then didn't even bother to take care of it.

Spending the weekend with a couple that just returned from Cuba last month. I am interested to hear their impression.

 

[jamil]

I don't know if you read the link, but there's an instance of a refugee coming here, applying for benefits, opening a bank acct, and then going back home. Heck I know Cubans who have family that made it here, and then decided to go back. I don't know if they did the same, but it makes sense that they did. On the surface, that seems to indicate that it isn't all gulags, death and firing squads in Cuba.

Depends of those are the exceptions or the rules. Still you haven't really address how restoring relations will magically make them want to stay where they are. And since some come here for the welfare benefits, create bank accounts and move back, and we assume that things aren't all that bad back there, why would restoring relations make that suddenly better? I suppose it would make it harder to get benefits since they probably wouldn't be given special refugee status. But it's not like there are no states where they can get bennies as illegal immigrants.

Also, would restoring relations make it legal for them to immigrate to the US? Or, would they have to escape to immigrate. Seems like not so bad conditions would make a country not have to prohibit their people from leaving.

 

[HoughMade]

Just watched Godfather II last night...

I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!

 

[jamil]

I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!

When I first watched those movies I didn't appreciate them. Maybe it was because at that age I had different interests. But now. Classic.

 

[OakRiver]

Looks like business relationships are normalizing also; US hotel firm Starwood strikes historic Cuba deal - BBC News

 

[actaeon277]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...d8d2c0-ef6b-11e5-a61f-e9c95c06edca_story.html

 

[indiucky]

Just think of all the shirts the dipstick leftists in this country would want of the the next che guevara type figure!

 

[indiucky]

I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!

Was that the first mainstream film onscreen kiss between two males????

 

[voidsherpa]

Anybody watching obama speak in Havana? I hate when people do faux Spanish accents.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

illegals can't get welfare benefits? drivers licenses? sanctuary cities ring a bell?

I was listening to NPR while reloading yesterday (yeah, I know) and they were interviewing illegals and supporters of illegals (undocumented....) who were upset about having to pay out of state tuition at public universities in a certain state. My favorite quote "they have been treated like 2nd class citizens" Uhh....welll.....

 

[Kutnupe14]

I watched excellent speech. I was several times I was expecting Castro to "pull the plug" on his speech, as he said some pretty uncomfortable things aimed at the regime. And how does one do a "faux Spanish" accent, when speaking Spanish. I try to sound German, when I'm speaking German.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Well that will cost millions by itself. Hell his vacation to HI cost how much? Something like 5 million just for transportation and security, then add in lodging and food/recreation/etc. But I'm just going to guess that he is not referring to that. How long until we start giving them cash, hell we already do to how many countries including China which hold how much of our debt?

I'm not sure I'm following why you're disgruntled. This isn't a vacation. This is a long overdue restoration of diplomatic relations.

I'm not disgruntled about the cost of the trip. You asked someone what would cost millions, the trip? I replied that it would cost millions by itself and used his HI vaca as an example of costs. Then stated what IMO he was referring to. Do you doubt we will start giving them "humanitarian aid" sometime in the most likely near future? And that those would most likely be more per year than his trip, way more.

Cardboard boat refugees will be the first to go. No more refugee welfare benefits. Even if Obama's trip cost $20M, in the long term, not have increasing abusers on the dole, we'd make out better.

Investigation: Cuban Refugees Abusing, Funneling U.S. Welfare to Cuba - Breitbart

Why do you say no more refugee welfare benefits?

I suppose it would make it harder to get benefits since they probably wouldn't be given special refugee status.

Why do you say they probably wouldn't be given special refugee status? Wouldn't it take an act of Congress to change it for Cubans?