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Ear to the Ground

Cuban Government Makes Raul Official

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Posted on Feb 24, 2008
news.bbc.co.uk

Cuba’s National Assembly has named Raul Castro president and successor to his brother Fidel. Raul has essentially been running the country since Fidel had major surgery in 2006. Although he was expected to throw a bone to a younger generation of leaders, he named another septuagenarian veteran of the revolution his vice president.

BBC:

But the real shock came when he chose 78-year-old Politburo hardliner Machado Ventura as vice-president, says the BBC’s Michael Voss in Havana.

There had been speculation that Raul Castro, aged 76, would name one of Cuba’s younger generation of communist leaders as his number two.

But he instead opted for one of the original leaders of Cuba’s communist revolution.

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By NABNYC, February 25 at 3:30 pm #

I’m not sure it’s the business of anyone in the U.S. to comment on Cuba’s leaders.  Look at what we’ve got.  They’ve got some old guys in Cuba.  We’ve got a drunk and a coke head.  Not to mention that whole mass murderer thing, the international war crimes charges hanging over the heads of our leaders.  You know.  All those people they’ve killed.

Let’s look at how “leaders” are chosen in the U.S.  First, the candidate must be wealthy and connected.  The wealthy part only comes from selling their votes to corporate buyers.  The connected follows too.  Then those same candidates go around to the wealthiest interests in the U.S., and throughout the world (although that part’s a secret) and solicit bribes in exchange for a promise to use the office of the presidency to advance the interests of the bribers. 

And then if the candidate collects the most money, they buy the white house.  Or, if it’s close, they steal the election. 

And until 2008, only white men were allowed to run for president.  No, that’s not technically true—there have been a few earlier campaigns by women and/or minorities, but they never got too far.  They were dismissed.  Much as the Obama campaign was dismissed by pundits who say “Well, he’ll get the black vote, but that’s it.” And much as the Hillary Clinton campaign was dismissed by pundits who said “Well, she’ll get the female vote, but that’s it.”

Why don’t these TV news people say about McCain:  Well, he’ll get the white male vote, or the old white male vote, but that’s it??  And I’m not even mentioning the almost exclusively white male province of the House and Senate.  Excuse me:  Millionaire White Males.  We’ve just got no business criticizing other people’s governments given the corruption and decay in our own.

Remember, Cuba did not attack the U.S.  To the contrary, the U.S. attacked Cuba and has repeatedly attempted to assasinate their leaders.  We’re the bad guys here.

Leave Cuba alone.  If the U.S. would stop its ridiculous embargoes and boycotts, the people of the U.S. could travel to Cuba, trade there, have baseball games, musical exchanges.  They’re our neighbors.  Let’s try being neighborly. 

As for all the Cubans in Miami:  get over it.  Get a job, quit stealing my tax money to fund your stupid little “I hate Castro” parades and the terrorists you employee to murder innocent people.  Quit whining about Castro and get over it.

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By DennisD, February 25 at 1:26 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

It looks like the Cuban elite have cut out the middle man (Diebold) to keep screwing their citizens.

They see no need for the charade of elections - we can’t be far behind.

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By Purple Girl, February 25 at 4:30 am #

I hope these ‘New’ Leaders are more congenial, but not stupid enough to invite the ‘American’ Corps into their country. You think the people are oppressed now, just wait. And certainly not make a move towards reconcilation with the ‘American Gov’t’ until a Real Public Servant is Back in office.
We have many LOBBYISTS wearing Patriot clothing.
Until we make all accountable for the Tradegies they have not only bestowed on other countries/people, but US No other Honorable Leaders should deal with These ‘American’ Corporationists. The Attacks we have suffered were direct results of the Business Ethics used on others by Corps that have flown OUR FLAG! they may have been conceived Here by they have NO ALLEGEINCE TO US!
“Military Industrial Complex”, a term that has been around for over half a century. “1984” written 1948."Future Shock"/"Shock Doctrine” .
Our best stratedy is to Indict Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfie, Rove, Rice, Gonzales, W. and keep working our way down and back. Even if they are long gone, trial in absentia, seek financial retribution from descendants still in business (if not already indicted)BLOOD MONEY.
I believe in the World’s Greatest Democracy, I beleive in the Free market and The Free Press, I beleive in “Life , Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”. These corporationist despise all that Consititutional ‘gibberish’. WE are the last “market’ to succumb to their agenda and ultimate control.
They may claim to be american, but they are Not US!
Just as Osama Bin Laden and his Family have betrayed their own people/ religion, so have the criminals of this country.
Personal note- Natural Born- 3rd Generation of Eurpean Descent, 44 yrs old, female, small bus. owner, college educated, Labor, Life long liberal Dem(supported Bill throughout Pres, thought Hillary would be a no brainer- Now an avid detractor of both)I can no longer tell the difference between the two parties- Corporationist are now pretending to be ‘True Blue’. Let’s start this Millenia by holding the last centuries crimianls accountable- Clean Slate and Real Change.

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By Douglas Chalmers, February 25 at 12:33 am #

So what? Nothing there can change until there is a change of government in the USA.......

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