The United States or Cuba? Which is the nanny state ?
‘In America, we do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to watch. “
‘We do not expect diverse countries to share the same cultures, traditions, or even systems of government, but we do expect all nations to uphold these two core sovereign duties, to respect the interests of their own people and the rights of every other sovereign nation’
The words of President Trump at the United Nation on September 19th suggest an America First policy which does not poke its nose into other countries affairs. But from November 9th a bizarre new version of the nanny state has swooped down on US Cuba policy. Americans will be required to avoid certain hotels, restaurants and tour operators in Cuba. They can stay at private houses, eat at privately-owned restaurants and shop at non-existent stores – those which The US Treasury says are privately-owned - in Cuba. You can work as a private ornamental fish grower or a clown but a store-owner is not on the list of 201 permitted activities.
The implication is clear – the US public is too stupid to make the decisions for themselves whether they go to Cuba and where they choose to spend their dollars. The objective of the policy is to ‘ channel economic activities away from the Cuban Military , intelligence and security services, while preserving opportunities for Americans to engage in authorized travel to Cuba and support for the private , small business sector in Cuba’. The target is accurate but where is the grand policy strategy of the world’s largest economy and most isolated country on Cuba?
Just in case these policies are not enough Americans must be accompanied in Cuba by a person ‘subject to US jurisdiction.’ They must draw up the list of what Americans are permitted to do. I will follow you to make sure you don’t get into trouble. But in any case you probably will because the taxi that takes you form the airport or the bus organized by your approved operator form the cruise ship is almost certain to be operated by a branch of the prohibited entities. So the nanny is enforcing the impossible over her infants
Oh and what about consistency? Where are the US measures against the Egyptian, Pakistani, Indonesian, Chinese Vietnamese military-run businesses? There is plenty of military unpleasantness to go around but are traveling Americans incapable of make their own decisions?
The years of the rationale for the embargo passed long ago. Fidel loved it and President Trump and Secretary Mnuchin have granted his greatest wish – a return of an adversarial relationship. Obama’s rationale for the opening on Cuba policy was that 56 years of embargo hadn’t worked. Not that he admired the Castros. And the Cuban American community now overwhelmingly support the measures that permit new increased engagement and recognize the obvious failure of coercive policy
This is November 2017, 3 months before Raul Castro steps down. And Trump is concerned where Americans drink their mojitos in Cuba. Meanwhile he has ensured that the US has withdrawn from the diplomatic playing field. The US Treasury apparently believes in ‘meaningful interaction’ with Cuban people. That is indeed the right of Americans to decide.
So let American be the shining example of the land of the free not the nanny state of Cuba where everything is either compulsory or illegal determined by the government.