re: #788 jwb7605

When Cuba first happened (I was not quite military age …) my thoughts were “why don’t we invade them with Capitalism?”. I thought that all the way through Reagan and Clinton. I probably would have accompanied you on a trip to Cuba.

After 40+ years, though, it looks like the structure of the place has deterioriated to something slightly above Afghanistan. North Korea is probably a better analogy.

I currently don’t think a boycott is effective (since the U.S. is about the only country that honors it), and I’m not sure I can see any positive impact for the foreseeable future if we stop boycotting, and allow travel. There is little, if any, chance that funds from trading or tourism would actually trickle down to the citizens.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t from my warped perspective.

True enough. But lifting the embargo would allow one other element into the country - investment. Cuba used to be rolling in cash thanks to Americans boating over for a couple of days or weeks to play on the beaches and at the casinos. Some of those buildings are still in reasonably good shape. A restoration of a couple of luxury hotels and casinos on beach front property would take a pretty large pile of dough - but there are plenty of investors who are probably champing at the bit at the thought of such a prospect.