Trade with China vs. Trade with Cuba

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

yes, and it's utterly ridiculous.

[Blue Rectangle]

yes, and it's utterly ridiculous.

Hypocrisy is when your principles don't match your actions.  Contradicting actions are not hypocritical; they are simply inconsistent.  In this case there is a simple reason for the differing policies: a trade embargo on China would be very damaging to the U.S. and completely ineffective, while the trade embargo on Cuba may have some positive effect and has little negative effect on us.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"--Emerson

You need a better reason to lift sanctions on Cuba than "it would be more consistent."

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The embargo doesn't help anyone and would massively help US agriculture if lifted. Big agriculture lobbyists up here have been some of the massive proponents of lifting that damn thing, and the ND Ag Commissioner awhile back gave some report about the massive gains it would give to the state's economy if not lifted. Plus it kind of makes us feel left out to not be able to viisit Cuba or smoke Cuban cigars when everyone else in the world can, like when you were the only kid in school who hadn't seen a certain movie, or that sort of thing.

[Erc]

I'll agree to lift the embargo on Cuba the day the Ag businesses agree to give up their government subsidies.

[TeePee4Prez]

Yes and we should work to find ways to trade with both nations equally.

[Hitchabrut]

Yes, trade should be halted, and James Inhofe agrees with me, so it must be a far-right fringe thing.

[John Dibble]

Yes and we should work to find ways to trade with both nations equally.

Kind of hard to trade with both equally considering the vast differences between population, resources, and production.

[Lunar]

BRTD - aren't you in favor of imposing such an embargo against China?

[Jake]

No, China has money, Cuba doesn't

[Beet]

No, Cubans control 27 electoral votes, and Chinese democrats control 0.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

BRTD - aren't you in favor of imposing such an embargo against China?

China is illegally occupying Tibet, Cuba is not occupying any such nation.

[Lunar]

BRTD - aren't you in favor of imposing such an embargo against China?

China is illegally occupying Tibet, Cuba is not occupying any such nation.

Mkay.  Let's get this straight.

Your message is: "The United States wallows in hypocrisy because we apply sanctions against Cuba but not China.  My solution is to apply sanctions against China but not Cuba."

Do I have this right?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

yes, but only because of China's occupation of Tibet. I wouldn't be opposed to the Cuba embargo if they were illegally occupying another country, but they're not.

[Lunar]

yes, but only because of China's occupation of Tibet. I wouldn't be opposed to the Cuba embargo if they were illegally occupying another country, but they're not.

Ok, so something ISN'T hypocritical if the contextuals are different?

Obviously China and Cuba are two vastly different countries, so this completely contradicts your original stance in the thread.  Heh, I'm confused.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

But can anyone give a reason why Cuba should be embargoed and China shouldn't? Is there anything that makes Cuba a worse regime? I can't think of anything. Not to mention Cuba has a moratarium on the death penalty, while China executes about 3000 people a year.

[Lunar]

But can anyone give a reason why Cuba should be embargoed and China shouldn't? Is there anything that makes Cuba a worse regime? I can't think of anything. Not to mention Cuba has a moratarium on the death penalty, while China executes about 3000 people a year.

You honestly can't think of any reason for applying different rules after reading the thread? 

Here, this is from Jake:

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[Blue Rectangle]

But can anyone give a reason why Cuba should be embargoed and China shouldn't?

I gave reasons earlier.  The central reason is that an embargo on Cuba may succeed in making a difference, whereas an embargo on China would achieve nothing except extreme economic harm on us.

Cuba has had the same leader for decades.  When he finally dies, there is an incentive for Cuba to appoint a new leader who is more friendly towards the U.S.  If we lift the embargo now, that incentive is lessened.  The difference in the leadership between Cuba and China is one reason for the difference in policy.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

But can anyone give a reason why Cuba should be embargoed and China shouldn't?

I gave reasons earlier.  The central reason is that an embargo on Cuba may succeed in making a difference

If something hasn't made a difference in 40 years, why should it start now?

Once China ends their religious persecution and illegal occupation of Tibet, I won't oppose trade with them. Cuba has never invaded or occupied another nation and ended religious persecution in teh 90's.