The Cuban Embargo Should be Lifted

1. Trade Is SupportBy my opponent's own admission lifting the embargo would cause the Cuban government to gain hundreds of millions of dollars in trade. The government would directly benefit from this money because all trade would be done with the socialized state and not the people themselves. So by trading with Cuba, we would be basically handing them a billion dollars a year. If that's not support I don't know what is. The state would gain more money and would have more money to support itself and its draconian political measures. Despite what my opponent may want to believe, trade is support for a regime and the United States does not and cannot support totalitarian regimes, especially in its own backyard. My opponent falsely believes that lifting the embargo would somehow let in democrats, merchants and free thinkers when in reality trade would go solely through the government and there would be little opportunity for any type of ideology to leak through. Reform would not come through trade with the Castros. Lifting an embargo does not bring about free trade but just trade in general.2. Economic MattersMy opponent says "And yes, I believe that 6000 more working citizens is worth sucking up our pride." I disagree. In the grand scheme of things six thousand jobs is not worth back pedaling on policy that has been in place for decade. It would erode our image and influence abroad if we were shown to throw away our beliefs and standards for 6000 jobs. Could we become a cheaper whore? Would we open up trade with North Korea, Somalia or the Taliban for the sake of 6000 jobs? I doubt it. My opponent then says that shutting down trade shut down businesses but this embargo is so long standing that there are no more businesses in the United States waiting around for the embargo to be lifted and are thus being damaged. As of now Cuba stands as a potential market. Nothing more. Just as The moon is a potential market the United States is not losing money for not mining out the moon. Perhaps in the immediate wake of the embargo when it was first put in place the US could have lost a little bit of money but it quickly became a reality that Cuba was no longer an open market and thus the US stopped losing money and started forgoing potential wealth. There is a big economic difference in that. "When Cubans start making money through trade, they will start to realize that they could make even more through lifted sanctions. Now it is not a lot, but it is a small step in the right direction and a way to retain some pride." Again my opponent brings in pride. It is not about pride but POLICY. It's not a pride thing that the United States refuses to negotiate with totalitarians and terrorists, its a matter of morals and policies. Also, again, the Cuban people would not be trading with the United States, the Cuban government would. There is a big difference here. And just because the people "realize that they could make even more [money]" doesn't mean it would make any gains in any direction. The Cuban people do not want the communist regime in power that's why they sail over to the United States in droves. Opening trade wouldn't suddenly start a populace revolution, it would only serve to give the government more money. "We still do trade with totalitarian nations though."My opponent makes this absurd claim and gives not evidence. What totalitarian nations do we trade with? First, China isn't a totalitarian regime it's a one party, state controlled economic government ruled by the communist party. I don't know if my opponent knows what totalitarian really means. Perhaps if he did, he wouldn't be arguing so heavily for lifting the embargo. There are few totalitarian regimes left in the world, Cuba is one, North Korea is another and we don't do business with either. Then my opponent makes economic claims in his conclusion about capitalism when Cuba is a totalitarian communist regime. The rules of capitalism clearly don't apply...In Conclusion1. Trade is support. When trade is conducted with the government of a nation and the profits would go directly into the government banks then by trading you are supplying the government money which is different from support only in name.2. Cuba's communist government and system would prevent money, ideas, people and goods from flowing freely into the country. My opponent has a false view of how trade with the Cuban government would work.3. Cuba is not a loss of capital but rather an unexploited source of capital. There is a difference.4. The United States cannot whore its values off for a few thousand jobs.5. We don't trade with totalitarian regimes. My opponent clearly has a warped and idealistic view of how business with Cuba would be conducted and how the government allows goods, ideas, services and people to flow through the country. Trade would not help the people even a fraction as much as it would help ingrain the government. The United States does not do business with totalitarian regimes. Period. End of story. My opponent's arguments were shallow, unrealistic and minimal in the grand scheme of United States policy and action. The Cuban embargo should not be lifted.