Should Cuba Integrate with North America? || Peter Zeihan

Sure, the Cubans and the Americans have some history, but who doesn't? If both sides can let that water pass under the bridge, what will Cuba's role in the North American system look like moving forward?

*This video was recorded during my backpacking trip through Yosemite in the end of July.

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#cuba #usa #integration #northamerica

[VisibilityFoggy]

I live in the suburbs of Miami. Last week, we had some work done at my house and one of the guys had only been in the U.S. for two months after fleeing Cuba. I've never seen such a happy guy in my life. He said he loved everything (especially the ability to buy whatever food you want, whenever you want it, and also freedom of speech, which I found interesting) about the U.S. so far. One day, however, he'd like to visit Costa Rica since he's fascinated by the place. I showed him some pictures from when I was down there a few years ago. He liked the pictures, but more importantly pointed out how incredible the phones here are in terms of apps and capabilities. No geopolitical point to the story beyond the appreciation Cubans would seemingly have for the chance to have a democratic government and be able to develop their OWN indigenous economy. There's a definitely desire by young people to have the same lifestyle as their counterparts 90 miles away. Either way, there's one guy here who's going to be a great American once he becomes a permanent resident/citizen.

[rusky]

From North Dakota here, sugar beets also tear up the land pretty bad. They suck up a lot of nutrients and the parts left over aren't much or of a high enough quality to decay back into the land. So honestly although the loss of a cash crop would really hurt, losing them probably would be a good thing long term.

[walterpborn]

Cuba has enormous potential for Tourism.. sun, nice temps and miles of prestine beaches. If Cuba "awakens" it would disrupt tourism movements in the the whole caribbean.

[adro]

I was born in Cuba. Came to the US in 1958, before Castro rolled in to Havana on Jan. 1, 1959. I still have a brother there. Cuba’s biggest problem is the aging Cubans in Miami. They miraculously ALL seem to have owned factories or plantations or hotels that Castro “stole” from them. When the fact is that most were taxi drivers, factory workers, shop owners, etc. For most, their life in the US as refugees far exceeds the standard of living they ever had in Cuba. This Miami Mythology about their lives in Cuba and what was taken from them becomes an obstacle to any meaningful conversation about Cuba’s future and its relationship with the US. They need to get over it and support a future for the next generations of Cubans, who have no beef with America and only want a good job, fair wages, food on the table, and most of all, freedom to live their lives. Lifting the absurdity that is the Embargo is the fastest way to liberate Cuba. The government there doesn’t want it lifted because without it, they will lose all control. Fortunately, those Miami Cuban refugees are aging fast. And their own kids here would welcome a Cuba that you could go visit like the Irish visit Ireland or the Italians visit Italy.

[igrafpr]

Thanks for talking about Cuba, but could you dedicate a video to the situation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in economic terms and its future relationship with the United States?

[tracyeaster]

The man is a geopolitical artist at this point. I came to be informed and I was both informed and entertained. I salute you sir!

[dvolcom]

This is my favorite backdrop you have ever filmed at. Wow, that meandering stream in that open pasture is the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen.

[charlesellington]

You forgot to mention that a great deal of sugar in the US comes from high fructose corn syrup, which developed as an industry after the Cuba embargo and is ubiquitous in American food products. As a Midwesterner, I believe many Midwestern corn farmers might be opposed to a deal with Cuba as well. These individuals are very well connected politically. This fact does not fundamentally change the calculus of a deal that you describe, but I believe makes it politically more complicated.

[kyleborgman]

I wrote a paper sophomore year of college on the normalization of relations with Cuba. Hit the majority of the your talking points. Got a B. One month later, Obama announced his deal. I asked for a bump up to a 90 on the paper cause I was right with everything I had said. Got told no. Never took a class with that professor again

[texasjack]

Having spent some time in Cuba, I found the people to be wonderful to work with. And I look forward to the day when they indeed are part of the wider world in a meaningful way.

[jonjohns]

Cuba could also clean up if they turn to Medical Tourism. Cuba has a good medical system, and the US has a very expensive one. If Cuba manages to get into the medical tourism industry, it could score a Great windfall.

[thefisherking]

That was so good. I can't get enough of his content and I'm glad to see him putting more stuff out lately.

[jayhindidouglastiwari]

saying the US had Cuba as a colony from the Spanish American War until Castro is not exactly accurate. Following the war, U.S. forces occupied Cuba until 1902, when the United States allowed a new Cuban government to take full control of the state’s affairs. As a condition of independence, the United States forced Cuba to grant a continuing U.S. right to intervene on the island in accordance with the Platt Amendment. The amendment was repealed in 1934 when the United States and Cuba signed a Treaty of Relations.

[PisoMojado-kles]

As a member of a Soviet national team, I have competed with Cubans about 40 years ago. We got to talk (all Soviet Bloc countries spoke Russian well enough). We, the Russians left astonished... The Cubans were true Marxist believers! They were the only group of people we have encountered inside or outside Russia that truly believed in the garbage and nonsense that Cubans were spouting. As we discussed it back in our hotel, every one of us was asking: "Don't they see the difference between the propaganda and the reality? Where was that cognitive dissonance that ALL of us knew as the citizens of a Communist countries?". Brainwashing was strong then. Now, who knows?

[JG-ztcg]

Peter, you gotta throw the Miami Cuban-Americans in that mix. They are mostly opposed to anything other than forcing the government out, and they are pretty influential in Washington.

[abereu]

As a Cuban I agree with this, but 1 the Cuban upper class that left after the revolution wants their land back which could cause problems with Cuban integration 2 Cuba as of now is not reformist and doubles down on Marxism Leninism. Most Cubans in reality want to be more like the USA and want name brands and shit but they are brainwashed from a young age and the government is still pretty tough.

[erickgomez]

All of a sudden, Peter forgot about aging demographics and low fertility rate. Once Cuba opens up, it is more likely for it to get empty than to industrialize

[billb]

I am from North Dakota and Peter is the only 1 who talks about us.

[Mrgreys]

@6:52 as a lot of Canadians are probably saying:
Well there goes the neighbourhood

[tomfuller]

1. I don’t think you have a home, just a storage area for your stuff (a la George Carlin) while you are on your Walk-about. 2. Back in the 1980’s when I was involved with the Mariel Boatlift there were several political commentators who stated that we dropped the ball with Cuba because we should have made Cuba a Territory and then a State. It could have been a state by the start of WW1. Our issue was the government at the turn of last century was run by WASP’s…z. Bryzensky