I read it. It is a superb analysis of the situation.

Pretty deep analysis about the situation. I would only disagree on a couple of things:

1. There are rural transportation systems worse in Latin America than Cuba. People walk.

2. "Cattle exports, and the meat and hide business, a successful and homegrown industry since the arrival of Columbus, one that needed no outside support in the past, has gone downhill since Castro arrived."

Cattle is NOT an efficient industry. It takes too many inputs and is not labour intensive. It would not create jobs and it would use a lot of resources to benefit few people in a small country like Cuba. He hit it better with the private farming - more jobs + more foods. The only problem with exporting is the unfair trade barriers from the rich countries (just ask Mexican corn growers). But at least it would be more efficient to grow food for Cubans.

3. "The Cuban peso is not exchangeable, the only currency in the world without an equivalent value in foreign countries."

Not true. There are lots of countries that are not traded internationally and have no value outside their own country. That's why some countries dollarize.

Other than that, makes good points.

Thanks for the suggestions. They'll be adjusted tomorrow.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS
People walk. Yes, as they have for centuries...since time began. My intent was to point out that in general things have retrogressed in Cuba, but in the U.S. media this is never mentioned. Any mention at all simply parrots fidelito's prattling.

Reporters have the VERY best sources of information available to them possible, the new arrivals (Balseros), those who lived through the tyranny and can give them first hand accounts as soon as they land here, but the Liberal press seemingly regards them as both traitors and poisoned in mind because they failed to appreciate the benefits of a true socialist society while there. In doing so, the media betrays us all.

Howarde,
Don't know your ethnicity, but as a Cuban myself, you could not have said it better. The worthlessness of a transition czar is just more "someday Cuba will be free" rhetoric. We Cubans continue to be pacified with the annual "viva Cuba libre" from politicians just to get the token Cuban vote. It is time for action and as you said that will be the only solution. I don't mean to ruffle feathers, but if we (me included) are not willing to pay a price for a free Cuba, then lets get some more long term Cuba blogs going because we'll be talking till the day we die, as well as our children, as well as our grandchildren. We can hate, we can hope, we can do anything but take action and when all is said and done nothing was really done. The Cubans in the US have more than enough money to fund and participate in a military coup or other methods.And no I don't buy the "the US won't let us". There is no permission necessary to strive for freedom. I appreciate the blogs and emotions, but at Howarde said it is action that is necessary. Otherwise lets get the Raul blogs warmed up.

Howarde,

I understand what point you are trying to make. I don't want to play down the rural transportation problems in Cuba, but at the same time the rural life in many parts of Latin America is as austere as it comes. To say it is "far" worse than "any" Latin American country may not be addressing the needs of many very poor Latin Americans. But I agree with you making it a point to emphasize the transportation problems in Cuba.

FREE ENTERPRISE
Question: Ethnicity. Both grandparents arrived in the U.S. in 1880's on father's side. Mother's side...one fought in Civil War.

Main point in transportation is that there was a good system in place in 1958, and with free enterporise it would not be horse and buggy today, except for Central Park style tourist rides.

Back in '41, small shops lined the downtown streets in Santiago, sidewalks were full of shoppers, streets filled with traffic, people seemed happy and vital. Over 60 years later from written accounts, photos and the stories of those who finally made it to the U.S., and 47 years after Castro took over, the system is no where close to what it was.

The same lines for food, the same lack of modern conveniences, the necessity of paying small bribes to get rationed foods or services...all of this was described to me by people who fled the USSR and other socialist/communist countries in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. I also saw it first-hand during the war in the USSR. I spent many hours listening to their stories, first hand witnesses to what went on behind the Iron Curtain, and I am still listening.

Reading history, living some of it, and certainly living long enough to experience it, dictatorships don't simply fall. Something has to happen. With the USSR we were most fortunate, because Mikhail Gorbachev came along and... Well, is there another Gorbachev in line in Cuba? That might take another 30 to 40 years, and in the meantime, Venezuela goes down the drain and we have to hope for a Gorbachev there as well!

Can you refresh the link? It is no longer working.
I love this site.