2016 March 21^st

President and Mrs. Obama have landed in Cuba to the delight of many Cubans and the consternation of many Cuban Americans who still think of themselves as hyphenated Americans. They want to know, “What do we get out of the deal?” The answer is obvious: Trade and tourism will increase, and American firms will be right there to take advantage of that. The Marriott Corporation has already outbid a Chinese group for a hotel in a prime Havana location. Then we have removed a major talking point used by the Cuba’s leaders. If trade and tourism increases what happens to the notion that Cuba’s economy is failing only because of the American’s repression?

The Cuban Government’s leaders are not at all ready to stop their repression of citizens. Even today, to commemorate the President’s visit, they saw fit to arrest a bunch of protesters. Perhaps this is a reaction to the real possibility that they are likely to lose control of their population. When ISIS discovered that their Caliphate was shrinking, that their oil revenues were disappearing, that’s when they began their murderous rampage against European civilians. The same has happened with Russia; as their oil economy collapses their military adventurism increases.

I caught the final bit of Clinton’s speech to the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). It was intended to convince her audience that as President she would be a “true friend” of Israel. She was convincing; it was obvious that she felt that defending Israel against attack would be just the same as defending New Orleans or Bangor, Maine, against an attack. I understand that Donald Trump will try to snuggle up to these folks around 6 PM; whenever it is, I’m sure it will be presented on TV. (As an aside here: I wonder why the vaunted Israeli Air Force has not participated in the bombing of ISIS; most of our other allies have helped with this.)

I watched Trump’s speech. I saw no one leave even though 40 Rabbis had threatened to walk out. It was a huge crowd and if they left it wouldn’t have been obvious. Trump spoke from a teleprompter and took no questions. He seemed to have been well coached and this clearly right leaning crowd was not unhappy with Trump’s obvious pandering.