Fidel Castro is outliving Fidel Castro. The statement is bitter fruit for many Miami Cubans who waited decades to dance on Fidel's grave. Change is coming to Cuba, faster than Washington. The hard liners still control Cuba politics in DC. But the unwillingness to change-- for fear of losing Miami-Dade's Cuban American voters-- mirrors the inability of our own politics to cast aside failed economic models. We cling to the belief an economic recovery will refloat the debt-laden, capsized ship of hyper-consumption. Then we will fix the rigging, keel-haul Fidel, and continue our merry ways.
America's follies are increasingly irrelevant to the rest of the world. Life goes on. Fidel outlives Fidel. A younger generation of Cuban Americans is ready for change, and so is a younger generation of Cuban leadership that understands models of economic development in formerly command and control economies offer a range of options and not just capitulation to Miami.
There is the nub of it. While conservative Cuban Americans-- mainly, but not exclusively of the GOP-- have consolidated their grip on local construction and development by uniting votes against a vilified dictator, Cuba has reached out to Brazil, Spain, Canada, Germany-- and of course Venezuela-- to build some sort of superstructure over their own decrepit socialist enterprise; like building a new Miami International Airport over the scavenged carcass of what existed to serve an earlier, simpler time and corruption. Cuba under Fidel made many, many mistakes, but the one mistake it did not make was to embrace the political and economic culture that made Miami.
This is a harsh statement but one that takes into account the deformation of representative democracy in Miami and the economic crash in one swoop. Fidel and the ruling junta are ready to change-- it is inevitable-- but not to make nice with the Miami Cuban Americans who stir their own pot (here) with dreams of exporting their recipes to Havana. It is unlikely to happen, and I -- for one-- would welcome to hear from Cuba, why not.
9 comments:
Diaz-Balart
right to the quick. great piece. I was reading up on US-Cuban policy the other day for an interview with FIU prof Dario Moreno (http://www.beachedmiami.com/2010/09/15/joan-didions-miami-exist/) and the one thing that stood out to me was how much Cuba stood to gain from our concessions and how little we seemed to stand to gain from theirs. Ending the travel restrictions, for ex, could pour tons of money into Castro's coffers but what do we get out of it? Not sure the Cubans get much out of it either, considering they will not share in the wealth of a government-run tourism industry. Complicated issue. Like so much pending US foreign policy, bound to have a disappointing end.
Politics on the Republican side is in chaos. Did you read Pat Buchanan today? They don't know their ass from their elbow. You can't expect them to have a Cuba policy that makes sense.
Comrade Gimspierre you just can't bring yourself to entirely knock the communist central planning model can you?
As long as Cuba is ruled and populated by Cubans it will be a political basket case (see Miami Dade County), always has been always will be.
Next to last anon define "we", I would remind you that you live in the US where rights are not collective (we) they are Individual (I) so restricting travel and trade is a violation of the individuals right.
Keep in mind that rights are imaginary and can be taken from you (as they habitually are) at the whims of those in positions of power (see Cuba,Miami Dade County and USA)
Please allow me to be politically incorrect in Miami, from Tampa;
As I was telling a Cuban friend yesterday, those Cubans who fled when the Castro regime revealed itself to be a socialist movement are a disingenuous lot. He didn't like it, but that doesn't change the fact. They rage from a safe distance. They bemoan the fate of their country while enjoying the lifestyle and benefits of this country. Real patriots would have stayed in Cuba and fought to regain their country in the same way Fidel did to take it over. The men who fought, died, and were captured at the Bay of Pigs were Cuban patriots. Those who have taken action that places their physical safety at risk are Cuban patriots. The rest is just noise and bandwagon riding because in Miami, you don't act any other way or you get hurt. By the same people who don't have the stones to hurt the person they really wish to, Fidel Castro.
To speak this way in Miami is heresy, but someone needs to say it. And now, the second, third, and fourth generation of Cuban-Americans stand to be the in the driver's seat when The Cigar takes his last puff.
In the end, el Comandante will have the last laugh when he dies peacefully in his bed from natural causes after having exerted more influence throughout the world than any third world leader before or since.
Despite the deserved political hatred extended to him by Cuban-Americans and the US government, you have to grudgingly admire the impact on the world stage, perseverence in the face of numerous assassination attempts by the best the Mafia and US government could put up against him, and longevity in office in a country where changing leaders had become as regular an occurence as changing shirts.
The Cubans in the US should pay for and send 100,000 computers to Cuba. Let more Cubans get educated and Cuba will be free sooner.
The US is an increasingly bizarre force on the world stage. Witches, like O'Donnell in Delaware, and valets, like Rubio in Florida, are nominees for the US Senate.
This nation is now dismissed as irrelevant in Europe and ignored by Chinese save their concern for the investments they've made by way of Treasuries.
The cowards over at Babalu are afraid to let you know that they're talking about this post so I will.
Cuba is isolated... surrounded by water. Can't infiltrate arms thru borders... it's not Colombia, etc. You can't bring in arms by just crossing the border. There are no borders.... just surrounded by water :(
How can the people revolt without arms????????
Cuba is unfortunately, unique in its malady.
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