To fisk this claim: "One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - this argues that anything that doesn't succeed instantaneously is a failure.

Was it insane to oppose the USSR? Between 1918 and 1990, Soviet Russia didn't do much breaking up. That's 74 years. That's lots of days of getting up with the USSR still there. Three generations of insanity. If we had assumed that it was insane to persist when the USSR didn't collapse the day after we started opposing it (as an expansionist power infecting nation after nation with a death-loving ideology that as much as any political entity deserved to vanish down the toilet of history), the USSR might still be there.

I would say that "Insanity is doing nothing and expecting results" before I'd pitch that old chestnut that tries to make out persistence as some kind of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder symptom.

The Government shouln't have the power to tell me where I can go and how can I spent my money. That is exactly what Castro does btw. It doesn't matter if it is morally wrong to go there. That is _my_ problem. Is a problem of freedom.

Roberto
[name not withheld]

So, Roberto, you dont find this email in the least bit condescending? And you dont find this person's attitude as incredibly arrogant? A two week visit to Cuba to see for himself will automatically make him an expert on 46 years of oppression?

por favor, man.

Eso de travelling to Cuba to see for myself es un cuento chino.

Again:
My only problem with the restriction is that NO alternative was given and it just gives the USA bad PR.
As far as going there, those who want STILL do and those who send money STILL do.
I used to do both and now I do neither, just out of respect for the USA law (and perhaps 'cause I am chicken).
But my trips there where NOT to teach ME anything about KaSStro - hell you can smell that cesspool of horror from NY - But to talk to people , friends relatives who are in a complete state of mis-information regarding what it is , is happening in the USA.
A HUGE concern of the Cubans in Cuba is “will they take my house away?"
Well chance are that if you’re a commie big fish with a house in 5th ave , they WILL take your house away. But 99.9% of Cubans will have nothing to worry about.
Now delivering this message in a clandestine meeting with 12 economists & professors I could tell they felt a sense of relief.
I also explained to them that there WOULD be upcoming restrictions on or around May 20th of 2004 and that take the resulting KaSStrist propaganda with a grain of salt. The retrieval of the dollar was also looming in the horizon for anyone who was NOT in the island, so I advised them to get ready for that possibility.
It is kind of strange talking to people who hold the equivalent of a PhD and yet are SO naive about the world in general.
So I feel my travels did some damage to the regimen, but as we obey the law of NO aggression to Cuba from within the USA, we also must obey the restrictions

Hi Val,

I don't know anything about the sender of the email. I don't know his motives and I don't particularly like the email. But I hold de opinion that we can learn more from the things that we don't like that from the ones that we do like. Apart from the insanity bs, which are his points? [or my free interpretation of his email]

1.- People should be free to go wherever they want without Government intervention.

2.- Cubans frequently violate the same restrictions that support in the embargo.

I personally agree with point No. 1. The fact tha Cubans in Cuba doesn't have that liberty is totally true but, imho, that does not justify to do the same thing (albeit in a more limited maner). It seems to me a bad idea to look for Governement enforcement for this type of things. I understand that the alternative would be a permanent campaign explaining the facts, the corruption, the apartheid... and that is a lot more difficult than asking the DOJ to enforce our views. But I prefer the Governement as far from my life as possible and as weak as possible.

With respect to Point 2. I really don't know. But to the Americans not directly related to Cuba might sound weird that we support the limits on the trips and the expending but somehow manage to send 1 billion dollar a year to Cuba. Do I feel I have the right to tell anyone that has family in Cuba that he should not send them money? I don't think I have the right. Even if it is for a "Fiesta de Quince" and I found it just disgusting.

There are many things that can be done with respect to the embargo to make it better. No Federal Insured Credits; no Federal subsidized products (or return the subsidies), the Title 3 of the Helms-Burton (nobody pushes for that anymore) etc.. without resorting to give the Government (our Government) more power to limit our liberties.

[Sorry that this answer is probably a mess but I am writing in a rush...]

Roberto

I do not understand what the confusion is about. Money that tourists spend in Cuba stay in Cuba, but almost if not all goes to Castro's government. Money sent to a family member is directed more to that family member with Castro gaining (initially at least) less of an economic advatnage. We can continue to send tourist money to Cuba and help fund Castro's regime (he has shown no sign of changing his political policies based on foreign commerce restrictions, at least not any of his long term policies). So my question is why does the fact that Castro refuses to change regardless of what we do mean we should just give up? Wouldn't our giving up only ensure that Castro would continue in power but be better funded. He has the military to break any but the largest scale uprisings and as long as foreign visitors are segragated from the Cuban people it is unlikely that U.S. tourists will have enough of an impact in changing the makeup of the Cuban dissident community to justify giving more western tourist $$$ to Castro.

Hi KillCastro,

[nice screen name btw]

Just a quick comment about your "will they take my house away?" thing.

It seems to me that many of the problems that Cuba -and many Latin Americans countries- have Today derive from a total lack of respect for private property (under the "common good" bs that we sadly witnessed last week from our very own SCOTUS in Kelso vs New London). And it would be a bad idea to perpetuate that. The right answer -in my very humble opinion- would be "that is not your house. You didn't pay for it. We will try to make everything possible but private property must be respected".

Regards,

Roberto

The hypocrisy lies in the fact that these folks who complain so much about the USA "restricting" their freedom to visit Cuba are engaging in blame-the-victim mind games, instead of focusing on who is truly responsible for the Cuba-USA state of affairs. That "who" is kagasstro. By the way, it was he who started the whole business of travel restrictions, when he first started restricting travel out of Cuba, in 1960. I know, I was there, and well remember it. One went from being able to travel freely, with the equivalent of $500 pesos/dollars, per person, currency allowance, to being held to $25 per person, and then, zilch, nada, nothing. And on top of that getting "permission" from the authorities to leave the island.

Some will argue: "Well! Only the well-to-do could afford such trips and have $500 pesos to spend!" Maybe so, but in fact, anybody could go anywhere they wanted, "BC", subject only to being granted a visa by the country being visited, and, needless to say, for short hops to, for example, Key West, one did not need $500!

The point is, no matter how imperfect the country may have been back then, people did have the freedom to travel in and out of Cuba. And those Cubans who traveled for the most part came back home. Except after 1959. Wonder why??

I'd like to see these complainers protest the restrictions kagasstro has imposed on his people at the Cuban "Interests" Section in DC...then maybe they'll earn some respect for their currently fallacious and hypocritical arguments.

Hello Alberto,

I really don't know if your post includes me in the complainer but just in case here goes my opinion (rightfull one, btw): I oppose any Government limiting the freedom of movements of their citizens. In particular I oppose the Governement of USA in doing so because it affects me (I have never been to Cuba afte I leave or intent to go any time soon, btw). I oppose too, and by the same reasons, the restrictions (among other attrocities) that the Castro dictatorship impose on Cubans.

Regards,

Roberto

(Name withheld) Probably you also missed the pleasure of seeing for yourself the horrors of the death camps in Nazi Germany. Or maybe those luxury vacations in apartheid South Africa? How about that visit to the Gulags in Siberia back in the good old days of Stalin? Oh, those were different you say? How so?

Every dollar that goes into Cuba is used to maintain the Castro Dictatorship. Does this guy not know that or does he just not care? He travels to Cuba ,sees for himself how horrible it is and comes home more anti-castro but leaves a few hundred U.S. dollars to help the the tyrant oppress our people. Que Come mierda!!

Guys, the issue, put plainly, is not about "travel" or "remittances" or anything else like that. The issue is at hand is freedom. Freedom for the people of Cuba. Period. Everything else is gaslight.

What steps need to be taken in Cuba to end the regime that is causing ALL of the problems there? I know we aren't causing the problems, although perusing some pro-castro sites and posts you'd think the exiles and the travel restrictions and the embargo were the cause of the problem and not the effect.

So Roberto, what do we do to eliminate the cause of all of these problems?

Regarding visiting to see for yourself: You don't have to stick your head in the sewer to know it stinks!!
I and others go as a necessary evil. I do not party it up in Cuba nor will I until other Cubans can do so freely. We help starving relatives. My cousin (and yes that still is family for a Cuban) does not a have an athletic body, but one you might see in Africa. Her bones show through, she is blind in one eye and losing her sight in the other. She is dieing daily with her rations. My help will only help keep her alive. I do not frequent the tourist stops or restaurants. I visit with family, eat with family, and cry with family. I too bring the soap, the medicine, the food, the underwear, etc. What a Cuban today would consider a luxury. If you are not there to help and I dont mean getting a Cuban drunk, I mean to genuinely help someone to survive then I believe that you should not go. I don't go to take luxury items such as vcr's, fancy jewelry, etc. But thats my personal opinion. There is a great difference in helping victims survive and supplying goodies to those who don't want to see a change. Thats my two kilitos worth.

Although I agree that the government shouldn't be in the business of telling people where they can travel (whether or not they can tell you how to spend your money is another issue) I generally agree with that principle.

But the issue here Roberto, is not if the government prevents you from going, is whether it's OK to practice tourism knowing that your money is going to support tyranny. It's a moral issue in which you take a stand. I'm all for unrestricted family travel and remittances - family is family. But going just to take a looksie? It's not a circus, it's not an exhibition in a museum. Those are real suffering people.

I agree 100% with Val. Most of the people who raise that argument just want the cheap cigars, the cheap booze and the jineteras. Others feel a morbose curiosity to see "how it is before it all changes". It's like rubbernecking at a fatal accident on the highway. If it were your relative dying there, wouldn't you find that curiosity offensive?

gensibele:

"It's a moral issue in which you take a stand"

100% agree. It is a moral issue. As I said before a never returned to Cuba after leaving. I don't have a Cuban Passport. I don't send any money. Merit from my part? - None, because I have no family left there. Would I criticize someone that sends money to his mother over there? - No way! Would I criticize someone that sends money to Cuba for parties or that goes there on sex trips? Sure!. Would I try to use the power of the USA Government to stop it? No!

We agree in almost everything. But I think the issue is too if we keep on thinking about the Government -any Government- as anything else than a limited administrator of some resources, as the source of power and the tool to impose our will on others.

I see more than one issue here, but, as you said, the way we relate to Cuba and Cubans in the Island is a moral issue. That is exactly the way I see it.

Regards,

Roberto

George,

"The issue is at hand is freedom. Freedom for the people of Cuba. Period. Everything else is gaslight."

Nothing to disagree with here... except the "everything else is gaslight" part... :-)

I would like to know what would work in finishing Castro's regime without a bloodshed... but I don't. I do know that it will have an end and I like to think that is not far ahead. And because of that, among other things of no least importance, I think we should think about freedom, about individual liberties, about limiting the power of the Goverment, about talking about this things and trying to change some concepts that apparently are well rooted in our culture (like the paternalistic all powerfull state for example and the imposibility to argue, to compromise, with respect. You still hear some many wonderfull things about the 1940 Constitution! Quite often the answer to some opinion that deferes from ours is ¡Comemierda! Sometimes It seems that we are ready to finish Castro just to start a new cycle.

We know that the utimate source of the problems (if we are forced to select one) is Castro's dictatorship. But when responding to that fact we can make mistakes or take the wrong approach. Today I would vote to keep the embargo (in spite of my opposition to the Government mingling in my life) because lifting the embargo would be a very slippery slope and we would en financing 10-15 more years of dictatorship. But that doesn't stop me fron recognizing what I think are defects and mistakes.

Insteresting thread, though probably not what Val had in mind :-)

Regards,

Roberto

My response:

Dear Sir:

First of all the United States cannot tell its citizens where they can and cannot go. You are free to travel to Cuba any time you like. But the United States has economic sanctions in place against one of the most historically repressive regimes of the last half century. The money you carry in your wallet is US legal tender and the government can regulate where that money goes.

I will take your claim that you want to go there to see for yourself at face value. But most people that want to travel to Cuba have less altruistic goals in mind. These include dining and dancing and maybe a little sex with the locals while the masses of Cuba are oppressed. That truly is disgusting. Why is it that there is such a clamor about travel to Cuba and nobody wants to go to North Korea?

In the 1980's there was a campaign among musicians in the US to boycott South Africa. You may even remember the son "I ain't gonna play Sun City". People didn't need to go to South Africa to see for themselves what was widely reported. An apartheid system that discriminated against the black majority in favor of the white minority. It was morally repugnant to go there to frolic and have fun while people's civil rights were being crushed. And it's the same thing in Cuba.

The historical failure of the travel ban is a fallacy. For one thing no economic sanctions were going to affect Cuba as long as it was a client state of the Soviet Union. After the Soviet collapse, American travel to Cuba was VERY easy. Although there were laws on the books (like ones against jaywalking) they weren't enforced. Yet this travel did nothing to bring about change in Cuba. Real enforcement of the OFAC (office of foreign asset control) regulations only began a couple of years ago. So don't make it sound like this has been around forever.

When it comes to Cuban-Americans sending remittances to relatives in Cuba, I wish they had some restraint. I think 6 months or a year of suffering is not unreasonable if it will mean the end of the tyrant. That's easy for me to say though since all of my immediate family is here in the US. So I understand the dilemma. But it's true that any money spent or sent Cuba eventually end up in the hands of the regime. That's because Castro ultimately controls all enterprise in Cuba. Even the black marketeer has to spend his "ill-gotten" money somewhere and that somewhere is always state-controlled.

It's funny that you mention the "we know what's best for you" attitude. That's exactly how we feel. We're constantly being told by the American left that all 1 million+ Cuban Americans are going about it all wrong. That they have the quick and easy solution to all of our problems. More than slightly patronizing, don't you think?

Like I said, if you want to go to Cuba that's your problem. You can surely do it. You can go clandestinely, you can get a license from OFAC or you can have a foreign national invite you and pay all of your expenses. But will that really help you to "see" what's going on there? I doubt it. You sound as if you are very blind indeed.

Henry Gomez

Dear Val,

Your emailer's point of view is more common than you might think. It is not a leftist, unthinking, knee-jerk reaction to US policy, but, rather, a reasonable question if one does not have a full understanding of the situation. Even if he does the research he may come to a different conclusion. And in a free country we all respect that. Your emailer seems curious and says he has an open mind. Good. Ask yourself the following questions:

Is fidel castro good or evil? If you are the type of person that believes in moral relativism - and don't like terms like good and evil - then change the question to, is fidel castro, on average, mostly good or mostly bad? And Why?

Why won't he allow a free and independent media to exist, or independent libraries? What is he afraid of? Why won't he let people open up small businesses? Cuban people are starving, why won't he even let them go fishing, and feed themselves? Why must he have absolute and total power? Who elected him the God of the Cuban people?

With all that power, ask yourself, what does he want to accomplish? What are his goals and aspirations? If power is his means what is his end?

Is the United States an enemy to fidel castro? If so, why? Who was who's enemy first?

Why has castro meddled in other South and Central American nations by trying to foment revolutions against their democratic governments? Why does he continue to shelter foreign terrorists? What are castro and chavez up to, with thier alliance? What do they hope to achieve together? After over forty-five why have most of his adventures failed? Which country in the world has always stood in its way?

How many countries have embargoes with Cuba? Why does Cuba owe so many countries so much money that they don't intend to pay? Why do those countries continue to do business with him, and continue to get burned again and again? What was the defintion of insanity again? Why would we believe that he would pay US companies? If those debts get written off by the US corportation's profits who's governments revenues get short changed?

Why does Castro forbid doctors in Cuba to travel anywhere outside Cuba? Why aren't Cubans allowed to pay and enjoy the resorts that you want the US to allow you to visit? Isn't that apartheid? Didn't we have sanction against the apartheid government of South Africa because we were morally opposed to that?

If American started traveling in droves to Cuban-owned hotels, will castro spend those profits to improve conditions for the cuban people or will he continue to pursue his real dreams?

My opinion: US policy towards Cuba isn't perfect, but it's better than the alternative. Cuba problems are because of Cuban policies. The embargo and travel ban, I agree, has failed to bring him down, but it has succeeded in preventing the fidel castro virus of infecting the United States.

Hey, isn't a hippocracy a state run by hippopotamuses?

Dear Name Withheld:

Taking medicine to a sick family member is not the same as traveling to Cuba to party and have at young prostitutes. You as an American who doesn’t speak the language could spend a year in Cuba and the government will never allow you to see the real Cuba. You would be restricted to the areas they have for tourists only. In the last few weeks the government has increased the separation between the Cuban population and
tourists, thereby, maintaining the illusion that Cuba is a people’s paradise.

What you should do if you want to see for yourself is continue to read this blog. I also suggest the you read Fidel Hollywood’s Favorite tyrant if you want a good picture of what like was like in Cuba before castro.
Further if you want to educate your friends alert as many people as you can to this blog and others like it such as Paxety or the Real Cuba. You will get more out of that than traveling to the island prison that is Cuba.

mojoman, adding on here. the link is therealcuba.com If you do a Yahoo search for the real cuba, a cuba travel site with a similar url is the first listed. I found this just recently and I don't think it's a coincidence.

Roberto:
Yes I FULLY understand the value of respecting private property" but at this stage I feel it rather counter-productive to debunk the KaSStrist’s lies with a "and by the way, that house ain’t yours" because all of a sudden you have someone who *IS* scared and who may INMEDIATELY think :
” Mas vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer"
So what do I say to someone who's only concern is "will the Cubans coming back take my house away" ( and by the way I am NOT talking about Mansions I am talking SHITHOLES with 46 years of total neglect.

Do you REALLY think that would be the proper way to give these marginized and hopeless people a sense of comfort as far as getting rid of KaSStro?
In fact I was NOT lying it is in the Transition document. I am sure that this is a sore enough point that noone would dare ignore it, and the document does provide for both : Compensation to prior owners and assurances to allow whoever lives in the house NOW , to stay in the house.

I have gone back and fortunately my house was kept within my family, but in a house were 3 people lived now live 9! It sickens me. My LITTLE childhood bedroom accommodates 4 grown people. Am I gonna drop another ounce of uncertainty and anguish by telling them "And remember *I* own THIS house?

I took pictures of houses owned by friends and when they saw the pictures they just started crying. These are NOT "houses" in the sense that you and I may describe a HOUSE. This is Berlin after WWII , This is Lebanon this is Bosnia.
I don’t think that is just the right moment to give anyone a lesson in ethics and economy I think singularity of purpose is a lot more conducive to a free Cuba. And *THAT* I feel I have achieved.

One problem is that the exiles aren't just taking medicine to relatives. Remittances are one of the larger sources of income for the island. There are many Cubans that party and buy consumer items from the remittances. Thus the travel ban has less effect when relatives too are injecting money into the Cuban economy.

Another problem is that there is conflicting opinion from Cubans. On the net (such as this blog) there is strong opinion that under no circumstances a person should travel to Cuba. Through personal experience no Cuban has told me in person to stop going, on the contrary they always ask me when I'm going to visit again.

I respect both opinions. I'm just pointing out there is strong polarized opinion between Cuban themselves. Or the very least, a significant segment of Cubans that does not share the opinion of a travel ban. It's not only a question of exiles vs. tourists opinions. There are exile vs. exile viewpoints as well.

Digressing a bit from the main subject, my last centavo's worth: regarding the fear of the people in Cuba about us "Miami Mafia" coming to take back our homes, suffice it to say that, from our family's point of view, no one has anything to fear there. We wouldn't trade almost 46 years of freedom for the "pleasure" of getting back something probably in need of a massive rehabbing-remodeling job(funny thing, though, and to show the arbitrary workings of kagasstro's diseased mind: I have been sent scanned copies of a book published in Cuba, detailing the restoration of "our" former corner of Havana, to the tune of over $30 million (US) - this while the rest of the city is collapsing around it), more so if occupied by some unfortunates who had no direct involvement in the take-over of our former home.

However, were we to find some member of the ex-nomenklatura or some oily foreigner living in it, then things might get nasty...

Kill,

I understand your point. I understand that you want the transition to look as smooth as possible. And is a valid argument. But I was thinking from another perspective and not exactly from the perspective of the - rightful - previous owners but just trying to figure out what would be a good start to a new Cuba. Surely some sort of compromise will be necessary. But at the end shouldn't be such a big deal (though probably it is been seen that way from over there): how many of the Cubans in USA and other places have arrived with NOTHING and started again from Zero sometimes at not a very young age? -Practically all. Is a painful experience but quite often not a bad one (and always and educating one).

Roberto

Hey Henry Gomez, estas clarisimo!!

"I will take your claim that you want to go there to see for yourself at face value. But most people that want to travel to Cuba have less altruistic goals in mind. These include dining and dancing and maybe a little sex with the locals while the masses of Cuba are oppressed."

(You read my mind! Seems like he wants to go get a jinetera and "see for himself" how low they fall for a lotion or a soap)

"When it comes to Cuban-Americans sending remittances to relatives in Cuba, I wish they had some restraint. I think 6 months or a year of suffering is not unreasonable if it will mean the end of the tyrant."

I coudn't agree with you more. I DO have lots of close relatives still in Cuba and I DO NOT send money and they understand! It all goes to Fidel.

Fidel has lots of ways to get money, not only turism and money from relatives outside. He has contraband of ivory and weapons in Africa and several other ones. I only mention that one because it's the only one I can give my word for, cause I've seen it!
So... Money is getting to Cuba no matter what, pero de mi bolsillo no sale ni un peso!!

We must remember that we live in the United States and must follow the laws of this country. Most if not all Cubans arrived in this country and were automatically granted asylum under political persecution status without having to prove it as strenuously as other immigrants from other countries have to prove political and other persecution in other to be granted asylum. We enjoy the privileges of living in this country and get assistance from the government to make the transition to living in the United States easier. Then how can we claim we are being persecuted and return to the country that is persecuting us to visit our family. Most Cubans traveling back to Cuba to visit their families claim that the reason they left Cuba was economic not political. I suggest that all Cubans that wish to visit their families in Cuba do so, but to return to the United States they have to reenter under a economic visa and wait their turn as all the other immigrants entering the United States from other countries. I believe that the great need to visit the family in Cuba will diminish tremendously. If you live in Miami and have contact with the people that return to Cuba most of them do not go to visit and help families, they go to party, have a good time, spend money on hookers, they go to do business, they go to live there while receiving the retirement checks from this country, and even renting jewelry to show off to the people back in the island how good they have it here. The United States government should not have to install restrictions on Cuban-Americans not to travel to Cuba, If American citizens want to go to Cuba they should be able to and the government should not stop them. We Cubans should be the ones not traveling to Cuba in a voluntary manner in other not to support the Cuban government. Until we Cubans start doing all we can to get rid of the Cuban government (stop visiting Cuba, stop calling Cuba, stop sending money to families in Cuba, etc) the government of Cuba will continue to exist.

Robert -
I actually want the transition TO BE as smooth as possible. There are plenty of hurdles to overcome without throwing the "property" issue into the equation.
I was just having a phone conversation with my good friend CB (who is a regular poster here) and He agrees that the most difficult thing is going to be to stop the bloodshed. If a UN (or hopefully a USA) contingent were to keep things in order I assure the first to run for protection will be the ñangaras.
I have a cousin whose son has told me flat out "el dia que se caiga KaSStro a mami la cuelgan" This is a 50+ woman and the one doing the prediction is his 30 year old son.
Why? Not because she has been an instrument of malice but just because she is SO FUCKING adamant about being anti-USA and pro-Kasstro. So if her own son is disgusted by her rhetoric imagine how the neighbors feel!
I am SURE she has at one point or another said some stupid fucking thing that has pissed off a LOT of people.
On my last trip I told her to SHUT THE FUCK UP, because KaSStro IS coming down and her neck is on the line, and what the fuck is she so defensive about, she has NOTHING! And STILL she sticks with KaSStro!
So we STILL have people enamored with the ideals (read bullhsit) spewed by KaSStro on his arrival to La Habana. You do not dissuade people like that by re-enforcing the lie KaSStro keeps hammering day in and day out and telling them , “we come to TAKE away what little you have”
As far as how to take Cuba out of the middle ages economically politically and socially.
I think there will be a LOT of foreign money poured into Cuba.
I think that the first line of revenue (initially) WILL be tourism. Hey it WORKS for Las Vegas, and they are in the middle of the fucking desert.
The infrastructure will be quite difficult and the 9 people to a house will last for a while.
But... as some in Cuba flourished with just a LITTLE of private ownership I am sure they will again flourish in the middle of a capitalist economy.
The part that is REALLY not clear is.. Who will OWN the small tourist places like La Cecilia and 3 Gardenias?
Those places KaSStro built as dollar producing establishments.
Perhaps making the workers the owners would be a nice equitable solution.
Employee owned private enterprise.
Now there is a nice bit of news that we SHOULD be pushing BACK to the Cuban people!

I think the economic issues will sort themselves out pretty quickly once the regime is gone. The more complicated thing will be bringing the perpetrators to justice. History tells us that most will simply get away with their crimes. I think there will be a building boom in Cuba. All kinds of new residences such as apartments and Condo's. My suspicion, is that those people that previously owned property in Cuba and want it back will have to purchase it, but it won't be too hard or expensive. I think most of the current residents would rather live in a new apartment than an old crumbling home. Is it fair? Who knows? but like I said these things tend to sort themselves out.

Thanks for the plug, KillCastro! I will quote KillCastro in many items I am touching below:

Well, there are a few things here.
Economic boom and construction boom do not come in a short period of time. Specially in a country where work ethics and initiative are practically inexistent and where investment will have to come exclusively from abroad. And one never knows if the investors are more interested in garbage recycling or in the production of rum than in building houses and developing tourism. The future government of Cuba will start with no money in the arks and it will be kept like that as far as possible by the enemy government of Mexico (and not only that one) which will hate to see all the tourism going the other way. Who is going to set a seed money fund for a new government in Cuba? I don't count with my millionaire (and silent) countrymen, for sure. The American tax payers cannot take that burden, unless Cuba becomes one state.
The main thing will be to try to avoid the almost unavoidable carnage and establish the rule of the law. Then, the population will have to be trained in such practical things like writing a check, taxes, socially aceptable behavior and so on and so forth. Do not forget that we are talking of almost half a century of obscurantism and complete abolition of morals, religions, liberties, duties, and social obligations. There's no way that Cuba can be inundated with consumer products from one day to the next. Why? Nobody has money to buy anything. First jobs will have to be created and people will have to be able to keep those jobs, and for that they have to abandon the vices of socialism and it paternalistic society. The worst mistake will be to establish a welfare state. Investment in meaningful industries will not yield immediate results. Casinos will, and that's not the best of the choices for a sick society that needs to be morally healed as soon as possible.
Another issue is immigration. People will try to migrate, and if rights conditions of life are not created right away, that will provoke certain chaos in the US. I think that immigration towards Cuba has to be encouraged, but only from friendly countries. Your country abused Cubans and was cagastro little helper? Well, I am sorry, you aren't accepted as an immigrant. To make Cubans stay in Cuba there's only one unlikely solution, that everyone become an American citizen overnight, so they don't have to leave, but that's very unlikely. (Of course I am not talking of short term solutions)
The people living in dilapidated property will try to stay there in accordance to the old adage and axion (or dogma?) of real estate, location, location, location. They are not easy to displace. And they don't like to be displaced. Not today, not tomorrow. Anyone trying to get a property back from another Cuban (who proabably is also anticagastro) will set up all the conditions to transform a perfectly good human being into a potential clandestine supporter of cagastro. Or at least a nostalgic cagastrolover.
Do not forget Iraq. cagastro was instrumental in the setting in place of Saddam's government. He sent his doctors and soldiers there way before they were sent to Venezuela, and I can assure you that the terrorist upheaval in Iraq was inspired by the cagastrist doctrine of "la guerra de todo el pueblo" (the war of all the population) and his own terrorist forays. He was the first terrorist in the world who could wind up in office, and he has been teaching the lesson to everybody who wanted to listen. cagastroterrorism in Cuba is a very likely possibility. His elements feed on the lack of control and confusion and their are master at fostering those conditions. They have hidden caches of explosives and weapons and a cell structure ALREADY in place. Those cells are pretty autonomous and they already know that they have nothing to win or to loose, but they will be blinded by fanaticism and desperate and they will try to put all sort of obstacles to a new Cuba, that the real heritage that cagastro is leaving.

Hi CB,

You said "... unless Cuba becomes an State". I wonder if the Senate, House, American public, etc... would like the idea. And, would it solve anything? How is Puerto Rico doing after more than 100 years? My point is that if you don "fix" the culture it doesn't matter what or where you are.

Do you think the Cuban Adjustment Law (that is the real support of the Cuban Immigration not the Asylum procedure) will stay after Castro's death? I doubt it.

"Anyone trying to get a property back from another Cuban... a perfectly good human being into a potential clandestine supporter of cagastro"

I think is a bad idea to start making that kind of concessions. And I don't think that is a good idea to start throwing people to the streets either. For me the basic idea is that private property plus market economy is the main (only?) source of wealth. I would like to nail down that concept from the very beginning; To put it together with the other things that we consider part of a national identity. Btw, only under those conditions will the investment capital flow (as Kill suggested). Obviously there are Castro supporters now and probably there will be in the future. So be it.

Regards,

Roberto

(Cuba becoming a State)That step would be wise in avoiding a carnage Roberto and a chaotic flight of people who would become like any other indocumented at the time of cagastro's demise. It would create livable condition in a country that has been raped and savaged along the last fory six years. To me, if Cuba becomes a state would be better off. That can get me fried, I know it. That also will put some degree of control and will allow the states to control what otherwise can evolve into a lawless country with a lot of people who can become potential terrorists (hey cagastro trained several terror groups and all the instructors are Cuban).
To allow people to continue living in the houses they are now is not to make a concesion is to be sane and start healing that country.
They didn't kick the owners of those properties out. cagastro did. They squatted in most of those properties or the old maids stayed after the owner left and from there, other people started coming etc. cagastro did give house to his henchmen. Then those traded the houses off to other people and all sort of complicated things. They are already in the worst possible conditions of living that you can ever imagine, why make their lives worse? To give crumbling buildings to whom? Those people have live under dictarship all their lives and the majority have been born in those dilapidated abodes. Otherwise, a lot of tensions will arise and the cagastrist element will use it at their adavantage.
That's what market enters. Market needs a healthy social fabric to thrive. Otherwise, it becomes Africa or Haiti all over again.
National identity: That was the first casualty in the war of cagastro against the Cuban people. It was killed by killing morals and religion, by separating families and imposing the soviet model. You'll be surprise to know than Cubans abroad are more patriotic and concerned with national identity that those in Cuba, who associate -thanks to the endless government propaganda- cagastro with their national symbols and as the embodyment of national identity, did you hear of Ein Reich Ein Volk Ein Fuhrer? Well, that's the same, in tropical version without AC or an iced drink.

Sorry Roberto, I am very busy this morning and I left something out of my answer: Maybe the Congress and the Senate get interested if they look at the Census and they learn that Cubans are the most suscessful immigrant group in the States (census data supports this). Education, income, energy, scientific achievements, and integration to the life in this country are certainly very attractive facts about us.

I apologize to y'all for my multiple misspellings. I really didn't have time to check neither misspelling or typos... So please, read the meaning of my comments and don't let those "language road bumps" stop you!

misspellings, which misspellings? :-)

Why do you think that Cubans would approve annexation in a referendum?

Those meassures of success are certainly true but don't forget that somebody said a long time ago that "emmigration takes the best from every people"... Currently we have 1 Senator and 4 House Representatives (and one Secretary)... we need more, a lot more... :-)

Roberto

R

If the referendum is held in Miami, no. If the referendum is held in Cuba... Well, they better redesign the flag soon to have star fifty-one in place! Cuban immigration is different. cagastro prevented many of the brightest Cubans from leaving. Then he used the weakness of Carter and Clinton to send the worse of the lot in Mariel and Guantanamo alongside with the overwhelming majority of honest and hardworking Cubans, so we came here as a very mixed bag. But the success stories are prevalent and the success is recorded in both the census and IRS archives.

Cuba a state? What are you crazy?
Cuba will be able to stand on her own two legs someday. The answer to Cuba's woes is not to become a state. the answer is for her to be FREE!!
This smacks with the other posts I've been commenting on. Let other countries come in and absorb Cuba and then we can have our tropical playground and the jineteras can at least earn minimum wage!!! That will make it all better. Yeah right. Its about Cuba not anything else!

Pototo, I think that it would guarantee rights and duties for everyone, specially the right of a dignified life and a functional society. 46 years of corruption and crime bestowed onto the population have not done much for it. And it also will guarantee that never more a tyrant would be able to subject the country to all the humiliations that they have now. It would be as good and as bad as a State of Union is, but I tend to think that it's a positive balance. Just an opinion, and I wouldn't call you crazy for not sharing it. Whatever we had before led us to cagastro. I don't think that Cubans want to repeat the experience.

CB,
I didn't mean a personal jab at you. Disculpa?
But we must focus on the fact that our people did not choose a socialist/communist/marxist/etc.-castro. These folks were more anti-Batista than pro castro. It was later, once in power, that castro revealed his true colors. What we had before did not lead us to castro, but an ignorance that spread. Many other countries in history went the wrong direction and they all had different exisitng situations. the people wanted change and they got it. They just didn't realize what they were getting. We as Cubans must not compromise our Cuban-ness in order to be free or secure. Wasn't it Franklin that said that he that sacrifices freedom for safety deserves neither?
We are more than capable to lead Cuba in the right direction. I personally will never be willing to sacrifice being Cuban in order to be free. Being Cuban means more to me than where I live. Its as many things we read on this very blog. Its the way we walk, talk, think, eat, and most importantly the way we live. Being Cuban is something we must preserve. Once while in Cuba I told a man that Cubans in Cuba have lost their Cubanismo. Let that not be the case of those of us in exile! Viva Cuba Libre! I appreciate the comments, I just cringe at the thought of Cuba not being Cuba :(

Pototo,
No need to apologize, it's just an exchange of ideas. Cuba will be Cuba even if it integrates into the States for its safety and progress. That's something that will never change, like Texas will be always Texas. I only hope for the best solution possible for the country in which I was born. It's interesting that we have noticed the same -Cubans getting lost in today's Cuba, while in exile the culture actually flourishes and thrives. Even Spanish language writers do it with a very special force and talent. It's because this country has been very generous with us, and we have found a place that allows for all of our creative juices to flow freely. It's not sacrificing freedom for safety, is getting safety through a guaranteed freedom. We never know what can happen in a post cagastro Cuba, but I am convince that cagastro has a plan in place to destroy the country even more when he is not around, in an Iraq-like fashion. Satan Hussein was only his very mediocre student. The US is the better warrantor that we have for both liberty and safety. Don't worry, Cubans will be Cuban as we are here!

CB,
I still respect your opiniones . Although we must agree to disagree. Cuba must be independent as well as free. Texas is not the Mexico of old although it has its flavor. We are Cubans in exile and Miami will never be Habana.
My prediction ????
Should castro know he was near death he would provoke the U.S. into a confrontation. If he should die without the 46 year old promise that the Americans are coming he knows he will go down in history as a nut. I can guarantee this!He will do his best to do his worst and destroy Cuba. He has come close, but he hasn't done it yet.
Patria o Muerte!

That's the beauty of all of this. You can have your opinion and I can have mine and everything is ok!