One thing I would like to hear more intelligent conversation about is the fundamental differences between Socialism, Communism, and a Revolutionary government. I get that Bernie's a socialist mouth-foaming Robin Hood who wants to take money from the rich and re-distibute it to the poor. I get that China (and perhaps formerly USSR) are/were communisms where the state controlled resources and distributed the bounty to the people in their comune through government programs (controls). Of course the governments of communist countries inevitably experience corruption, elite officials and/or dictators, and an oppressive regime persists that perverts this well-intentioned but systematically flawed form of government. Maybe Singapore found a benevolent dictator, but there are still feelings of exces government controls despite a modern economy. So we westerners perport democracy as the true saviour and only viable political system we recognize. When I visited China, I thought I would experience communism and possibly an oppressive dictatorship that ruled with an iron fist. Guess I was a product of western media, because what I saw was that China is a rampant capitalism where people are encouraged to progress, just don't rock the boat and criticize the government. So I think China actually has a transitional government in place now. They saw what chaos happened in Russia where a huge nation tried to undertake political reform and economic reform at the same time. China is clear--economic reform first, which could create a stable platform for progressive political reforms. No way a perfect system and I think China is a freight train that now can't stop pumping coal into the furnace. But it is becoming the biggest economy on earth, so we will see if political, environmental, and human rights reforms emerge. We shall see. Back in Cuba, they don't have the economic engine China does. This is a huge point blocking political reform. The USA perpetuates a 50 year old Loser's Snit claiming idealogical righteousness. Hah! If they really wanted to help Cuba reform, the best approach would be to help it grow economically, and admit that the sanctions have done absolutely nothing to help reform Cuba. The USA has only hurt the Cuban people by its policies. Fidel Castro has always referred to the Cuban Government as a Revolutionary Government. I get it. The Revolution happened 50 years ago. So what the heck is a Revolutionary government if you have already overthrown the former evil dictator, put social programs in place for the people, created law and order (albeit rather harshly in the case of crooks, degenerates, and dissenters), and won the war? Well, it seems the war is still perpetuated against the Cuban government because it refuses to play by our rules of democracy. So we westerners perpetuate condemnation of the Cuban Government on moral principles, but I think we blindly do more harm than good by trying to replace a dictator instead of trading with their people. If the Cuban economy improves, a Revolutionary Government will no longer be needed because there will be no tyrant to fight, which was the foundation of the Revolution in the first place. So I am proud to be a Canadian when we thumb our nose at the juggernaught to the south, trade with Cuba, maintained positive political relationships, and open our hearts to the Cuban people even though their political climate is different than ours. I was proud to visit Cuba, enjoy it's unique culture, wonderful well-educated people, excellent coffee and other goods. I had the opportunity to speak with two reporters from Havana in a casual, behind the scenes discussion. Yup, they have to be careful not to criticize the government, but other than that, they could report on whatever they want. Hmmm, sounds a lot like China. The one wish they had was to see improved trade, but they were also proud Cubans, supported being an inpedendent state, and would not want to see Cuba revert to a puppet government for the sake of being politically acceptable.
Now then we democracies include capitalism as a fundamental engine of our economies, which leads to both incentive, national wealth generation, and greed. So much greed that western governments supported dictators like Batista, and the Cuban people were exploited. Fidel was a journalist, spoke out about it, was jailed, exciled, and was ready to fight and die to revolutionize Cuba. And he did. Our media clips focus heavily on the dissenters, but I found the majority of Cubans to feel Fidel was their liberator. Who knows if political reforms could have occurred, but as long as the economic wall remains, the fight is still on, the big bully is still trying to inflict its will on little old Cuba, so the revolution continues. I am hopeful that world leaders step up and support the cuban people. Ignore the government--you've already failed to influence it. Start trade and commerce as the path to reform. Get rid of the political rhetoric and discontinue the economic wall that inhibits progress.
Mr. Trump, tear down that wall!
-Punt.
