[jbravo]

Originally Posted by Magnulus

...While politically Castro's regime has been ugly and brutal, economicly it has spread alot of the wealth of the island to alot of people, even in the face of a crippling embargo and the destruction of its benefactor, the USSR... .

Your post was well written.
I disagree with the part quoted above. After all, when you spread poverty around what do you get but more poverty. Cubans had a higher standard of living in 1959 than in 2006 as measured by UN statistics.
Also, don't bet too much on a Marxist future; Cubans are notorious capitalist, even in Cuba under Castro!
Don't get me wrong, I agreed with 80% of your post, I just pointed out were I see things different.

[vpcats]

I agree with JBravo and I was going to nit-pick on something.

Cuba HAD one of the highest standards of living. It has been going downhill for almost 50 years and it is miserably, dirty, hungry, shelterless, run-down and sick now. Book learned Yes. Socially NO. They're in survival mode.

As far as a Marxist type regime in the future..... I don't think so. I think some of the more "open" minded may have tendencies or lean towards a Marxist concept, which is beautiful in theory, but not in practice. Other than that, I think Cubans will run far, far away from anything slightly resembling communism as the infamous motto is "the only good communist is a dead communist".

[Magnulus]

You really think so? I can understand how Cuban Americans personally feel angry at Castro's regime... but I have to say the US's political influence in Latin America has not been for the better (economicly, US influence is usually good, trade is almost always good... what is not good is controlling the resources of a particular country for another country's benefit). I think Castro/Chavez/Morales are the lesser of the evils. Until Latin Americans can become ecoonmicly empowered, they are always going to have evils imposed on them from inside or outside their countries. That's why I'm saying opening up trade with Cuba and ending the embargo, would ultimately help Cuba, and Latin America in general. Right now there is huge demand for American goods and services in Cuba that cannot be met (and probably a similar demand for Cuban goods and services), yet the embargo exists only because of politics.

[tallrick]

Oh and don't forget south Florida's communist party offices!

http://www.miamidade.gov/teametro/home.asp (broken link)

Castro is proud of them!

[TravelingDude]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

Lets talk about this one, what are your views?
The University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies says federal agencies currently estimate Castro's death will bring 8,000 to 10,000 refugees to the country, primarily to South Florida. The institute's estimates are much higher - as many as 500,000 individuals would seek economic opportunity in the United States if Castro's successor fails to make good on promises for a better life.

Can you imagine a cuban exodus to Florida?

Many analysts believe the real Cuban change will not happen in Havana, "It will happen in Washington."

Communism has failed everywhere in the world. The onyl reason it is still going in Cuba is because Castro is an oppressive dictator that is overfed and lives very well while the people starve and suffer.

Cubans have done a lot of good in South Fla, but we cannot continue to take in people in the USA. There are too few public services and not enough people paying taxes in these areas to support these services.

[Lisa_from_Debary]

I'm sorry but did no one notice that Cubans leave Cuba BECAUSE OF Castro...They resent him terribly, especially the ones that are here. I have spoken with them about it out of curiosity...they want their country back, they want to be near their families...

Sociologists have examined this difference, they only sought a life here in the US because of Castro...the belief is they will want to return assuming some despot just as bad isn't set up in his place...

The same is not true of other hispanics especially Mexicans, their country never had it as good as Cuba used to have.

But then again I prefer the mixture of different nationalities here in Florida but then I don't live in South Florida...

[jbravo]

Originally Posted by Lisa_from_Debary

I'm sorry but did no one notice that Cubans leave Cuba BECAUSE OF Castro...They resent him terribly, especially the ones that are here. I have spoken with them about it out of curiosity...they want their country back, they want to be near their families...

Sociologists have examined this difference, they only sought a life here in the US because of Castro...the belief is they will want to return assuming some despot just as bad isn't set up in his place...

The same is not true of other hispanics especially Mexicans, their country never had it as good as Cuba used to have.

But then again I prefer the mixture of different nationalities here in Florida but then I don't live in South Florida...

Said it better than me, and I'm Cuban!

[triton1]

I would figure that when Castro dies, a lot of Cubans would move back to their home country of Cuba. Surely there must be thousands of Cubans who miss their families?

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by TravelingDude

Communism has failed everywhere in the world. The onyl reason it is still going in Cuba is because Castro is an oppressive dictator that is overfed and lives very well while the people starve and suffer.

Cubans have done a lot of good in South Fla, but we cannot continue to take in people in the USA. There are too few public services and not enough people paying taxes in these areas to support these services.

Don't forget that we all are from someplace else... This country will continue to accept everyone that comes in in a legal way.

Maybe is time that we revisit our own goals as a nation and set priorities for our country. Public services are at the top of the list....

I listed the definition of communism below for everyone to take a look. Years back in college we discussed this topic and the concept was corect, the individuals that applied the process had other ideas...

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. It can be considered a branch of the broader socialist movement. Communism as a political goal is generally a conjectured form of future social organization, although Marxists have described early forms of human social organization as 'primitive communism'. Self-identified communists hold a variety of views, including Maoism, Trotskyism, council communism, Luxemburgism, anarchist communism, Christian communism, and various currents of left communism, which are generally the more widespread varieties. However, various offshoots of the Soviet (what critics call the 'Stalinist') and Maoist interpretations of Marxism comprise a particular branch of communism that has the distinction of having been the primary driving force for communism in world politics during most of the 20th century. The competing branch of Trotskyism has not had such a distinction.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

Don't forget that we all are from someplace else... This country will continue to accept everyone that comes in in a legal way.

Maybe is time that we revisit our own goals as a nation and set priorities for our country. Public services are at the top of the list....

I listed the definition of communism below for everyone to take a look. Years back in college we discussed this topic and the concept was corect, the individuals that applied the process had other ideas...

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. It can be considered a branch of the broader socialist movement. Communism as a political goal is generally a conjectured form of future social organization, although Marxists have described early forms of human social organization as 'primitive communism'. Self-identified communists hold a variety of views, including Maoism, Trotskyism, council communism, Luxemburgism, anarchist communism, Christian communism, and various currents of left communism, which are generally the more widespread varieties. However, various offshoots of the Soviet (what critics call the 'Stalinist') and Maoist interpretations of Marxism comprise a particular branch of communism that has the distinction of having been the primary driving force for communism in world politics during most of the 20th century. The competing branch of Trotskyism has not had such a distinction.

Any comments?