Are Cubans Ready for Democratic Reform? - Maurico Claver-Carone

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/02/01/Cuba_After_Castro

U.S. - Cuba policy expert Mauricio Claver-Carone discusses Cuba's current political situation, including estimations of Raul and Fidel Castro's respective power and the likelihood of future democratic reforms. "The majority of the island are young people who are pushing for change," he says.

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Since Fidel Castro handed over the presidency of Cuba to his brother, Raul in early 2008, signs of greater economic openness have led to much speculation.

Will Raul seek to reopen ties with the U.S.? What role will Cuba's American exiles play in shaping a post-Castro Cuba? - Foreign Policy Association

Mauricio J. Claver-Carone is a Florida-born lawyer who grew up in Madrid. He is one of eight executive committee members of the U.S.-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee, and the Executive Director of the Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy Corp.

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[roberteckerson]

Open the doors. Lift the embargo. Tyranny falls with openess.

[arequipa1]

so in other words you don't want obama going in and tryinng to change cuba's gov't.

[firestrings272]

This Hawk Mauricio wasn't even born in Cuba, what does he know about it? This fool talks out of his ass. The Castro regimen has lasted for so long because of the embargo, Castro uses the embargo as justification for the terribly low standard of living for Cubans and to channel their anger to the US, what would most Cubans know about the US, if not from Castro? The embargo is a farce and so are the dictatorial cuban congressmen that have no other issue to get voted in for.

[Rayarena]

@roberteckerson The only country that has a [lame] embargo on Cuba is the U.S.A. The entire European Union, Latin America and Asia has no embargo on Cuba and yet the tyranny has not fallen. Why? Are you suggesting that the United States has some sort of magical power that produces instant death to tyrannies?

[Chrisnoscrub047]

(2/2) you'll probably claim that the battle is mine as well and its in my interest to support it-- AND EVEN if its the case that it is in my interest, if I declined to allow my property to be put towards your use (and my use) then even if everyone person on the face of the earth (bar me) voted to use my property for the cause it would be unjust for you to use my property.

[Chrisnoscrub047]

I agree with: If someone stole money from you daily and you eventually developed the cojones (or the means) to take that money back, your action would be just (of course if you didn't use more force than necessary).

If the measures you're proposing involve using state power (the same state power responsible for laborer's disenfranchisement/ state of inequality) than I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with your use of my tax dollars to fight your battle. (1/2)

[Chrisnoscrub047]

"There is no such thing as what you described..."  Ok, so therefore a majority leeching off the labor of an oppressed minority is not class division. Lets move on. In any system where the decisions are made democratically mustn't there be individuals who have been given the capacity to organize the decisions into a voting format? Wouldn't the voting formaters take the place of the minority to which the majority is at the mercy of?

[Chrisnoscrub047]

So, lets say, for arguments sake: An inaccurate definition of class division, according to you, would be a privileged majority leeching off the labor of an oppressed minority.

[Chrisnoscrub047]

Before we go any further can you provide me with a comprehensive definition for the way you use "class division"?

[Chrisnoscrub047]

A class system doesn't only have to be: a few rich people (that got rich through unjust exploitation) vs. a lot of poor people (that were made poor through unjust exploitation). That is just one example of one>> of course I consider this unjust (its even in my definition) however, I still haven't got a satisfactory answer as to why class division is inherently unjust.

[Chrisnoscrub047]

*sigh* Yes a bureaucracy will wither away. That is highly probable-- not. Unfortunately for your argument I don't seem to share this reprehension of class division-- I don't see how class division in and of itself is inherently unjust.

[Chrisnoscrub047]

There is nothing in that quote that necessitates or seems to necessitate temporary use of state power. It just says: we need to use state power temporarily to eliminate the state.