Cuba vs. China vs. India
I don’t understand our long standing embargo of Cuba. Can someone help me out here? We won’t trade with Communist (oh no! Communists!) Cuba, but will import every known product from the true empire of evil, China? We will send every job available in the United States to India, where the Dalits and Devadasis face class discrimination and tolerated brutality, the likes of which anyone in this country has ever experienced. And yet, our government still sings the same old song about how the regime in Cuba is oppressing its people, surpressing and eliminating political rivals to keep any system of democracy from taking root.
I have heard stories about my dad travelling to Cuba in the 1950’s with a Dr. Blakely (who later died in a fire) from my Uncle Billie. I wonder what it was like then? I have seen articles in National Geographic about Cuba, it appears that the same vehicles that could have been on the roads when my dad was there are still in use today. Cuba has its own socialized medicine and its research scientists are making incredible breakthroughs in medicine and science. What can we say about China in that realm? Tainted Heparin? Lead in our children’s toys? Food for our pets that destroys their renal systems? Give me a break Big Brother! Stop dealing with China! Stop dealing with India! You just don’t make good sense….
Unfortunate as it is, the United States doesn’t enact an embargo based on how inhumane a country is. In fact, there isn’t a country on Earth who would be willing to do such a thing. Why? Because then that country would have to impose a ban on Middle Eastern countries, which would then mean more expensive oil (because they have to get oil from elsewhere or get the oil through rerouted trade) or no oil at all (extremely unlikely).
On the other hand, I always did get the feeling that the USA would love to impose a complete embargo on China (not necessarily because it was communist), but considering China is the manufacturing superman of the entire planet, the USA wouldn’t dare. Much of our $13 trillion dollar economy depends on China (and India) and to do such a thing would be astronomically imbecilic.
As for Cuba, the embargo was imposed during a time when the US was much more anti-communist (thanks largely to Russia), and it is still going on largely, I suspect, due to stubbornness. Fortunately, however, the US’ anti-communist feelings have largely waned in the last few years (since the collapse of the USSR), but apparently, we’ll still impose the occasional embargo (i.e. Venezuela).
China may be a manufacturing superpower but at what cost? India is an offshoring powerhouse but at what cost? I foresee a revolutionary groundswell from the havenots that will tip the balance within the boundaries of their countries. Too many folks “eating cake”…prosperity by the few churns a bitter butter. There is a lot more to be written in their history books and unfortanately, I personally don’t think there will be a very happy ending.