Tuesday, January 03, 2017

In which we briefly address our neighbor to the south

It’s Cuba for February PF. And the simplest possible resolution, about maintaining the embargo, with no confusing clauses in the phrasing where people can get lost in the weeds. Either we lift it or we don’t lift it. Go!

Cuba is probably becoming more interesting in the next few years. You could measure the complexity of the country’s situation in the various reactions to the death of Fidel Castro. The US officially demonized him for the last fifty years, but it was never as simple as that, either for Cubans on the island or those who left. Plus there’s a deep history pre-Castro of the US and the island that students should learn. Cuba is one of our nearest non-contiguous neighbors, so anything that happens there is important to us (and vice versa). It’s way closer than Puerto Rico, for instance, although what happens there is comparably important. But that’s beside the point at the moment.


Anyhow, I’m all in favor of this one, both its subject and its clarity. As for the question itself, I have no idea if lifting the embargo comes close to being objectively a good or bad proposal, which leads me to believe that much of the judging audience will be likewise uncommitted. Although maybe it will go 90% con or 90% pro for some reason I don’t know, but at the moment, it looks good. Let’s hope it plays out that way.



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