if we opened trade negotiations with them i think the fear is that people there will try to make it to us even more.
My humidors and cigars
- Thread starter bmwhite78
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If the embargo were to be lifted, I'm pretty sure genuine cuban cigars would be MUCH harder to get than they are now. You can bet everyone and their mother would be buying them, even if they don't even smoke cigars.
sounds good to me lol. i think it would be hard to get good cuban cigars for about a year then the newness will ware off and people will forget about cubans just like they dont care about non cubans.
i think i heard his brother will take over after he is gone. The problem is he is as bitter as castro. I wonder what would happen to the price of cigars. I know a teacher who goes there once a year, and as an educator you can bring back up to $300 in Cuban products. I think i know what would be in my suit case (other then some cuban food in a to-go box)
bmwhite78 said:
Not sure that is true any more?
When was the last time they were there?
I will check!
bmwhite78 said:
He's also nearly as old as Castro. It wouldn't be a suprise at all if he died or developed Alzheimers, etc. before Castro.
While Cuba becoming part of the US doesn't seem likely, I do think it's more likely than most other countries wanting to join up. There are a bunch of factors in favor of that that a lot of countries don't have- proximity, a decent chunk of the population that doesn't approve of the current governement, and the size of the country. Absorbing a lot of countries would meet massive resistance in the US due to the cost. But Cuba is fairly small and has a very solid education system. Thier schools are perhaps the only first class institution they have left. Our labor pool would benefit very nicely by absorbing Cuba. Still, that just isn't likely to happen, and I wouldn't approve unless they pulled off a 2/3 popular vote on a public referendum in favor. Since Cuba's fairly small and upgrading thier infrastructure wouldn't hurt us too much, I'd be happy with a majority popular vote or 2/3 of congress on the US side. Of course, the catch is as cigar fans we'd probably be better off with an indepentant Cuba with no trade embargo. Being part of the US would push up wages, the price of Cuban cigars, and prices in general. OTOH, Cuba joining the US might hurt the Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran cigar industries less than simply ending the embargo. They'd have a much easier time competing on price if Cuba were subjected to US wage influences.
The problem with lifting the embargo.
Suppose the embargo were lifted and hypothetically we saw a large influx of genuine Cuban cigars into the U.S. Demand would significantly exceed supply. If there were a rush to increase output we would most certainly see a reduction in the quality of the filler and probably the wrapper. We would probably see even more counterfeits in an attempt to cash in on the new Cuban cigar boom. People would probably flock back to the high-quality non-Cuban cigars. Supply would dwindle and prices would rise. I say, keep the embargo, or if the embargo is lifted, limit the importation of cigars or at least make a reasonable tariff to keep quality high. I would have no problem paying Canadian or Swiss prices on Cuban cigars with the same quality and consistency as today. That's not to say all Cuban cigars are high quality, but those we know and love may certainly suffer due to production fluctuations.
Suppose the embargo were lifted and hypothetically we saw a large influx of genuine Cuban cigars into the U.S. Demand would significantly exceed supply. If there were a rush to increase output we would most certainly see a reduction in the quality of the filler and probably the wrapper. We would probably see even more counterfeits in an attempt to cash in on the new Cuban cigar boom. People would probably flock back to the high-quality non-Cuban cigars. Supply would dwindle and prices would rise. I say, keep the embargo, or if the embargo is lifted, limit the importation of cigars or at least make a reasonable tariff to keep quality high. I would have no problem paying Canadian or Swiss prices on Cuban cigars with the same quality and consistency as today. That's not to say all Cuban cigars are high quality, but those we know and love may certainly suffer due to production fluctuations.
bmwhite78 said:
I asked a friend that travels to Cuba often
He does work with their hospitals - & knows!
Here as his reply:
It's always good to know the bottom line truths.
Now I am sure people bring back mre than that if they get away with it, but that does not amke it legal!
The view of Cuba as an enemy is antiquated. They are more of a third world country in need of humanitarian aid now. That said, the act would have been lifted long ago if it weren't for one simple reason: doing so would cause tremendous strain on the Cuban economy--one which is already in poor shape. Demand for labor would compete with supply needed to produce Cuban goods which in turn would also even further inhibit steady cigar production.
And in case you're wondering why demand from the US would ruin the Cuban cigar industry, with the US out of the market for direct export, Castro planted higher profit earning sugar cane in former tobacco fields to take up slack. However sugar cane is like a weed and robs soil of its nutrients. Because of this these fields are now useless for growing tobacco with the traditional Cuban flavor. As such if the market ever increased they either wouldn't have the fields to keep up with the needed tobacco or they would use those fields and Cubans would forever be different. So as cigar smokers, this is why you shouldn't want the embargo lifted.
Besides, we all seem to aquaire Cuban cigars just fine and apart from an occasional seizure there really aren't any problems. Sure its breaking the law but we all do that doing other things on an everyday basis.
And in case you're wondering why demand from the US would ruin the Cuban cigar industry, with the US out of the market for direct export, Castro planted higher profit earning sugar cane in former tobacco fields to take up slack. However sugar cane is like a weed and robs soil of its nutrients. Because of this these fields are now useless for growing tobacco with the traditional Cuban flavor. As such if the market ever increased they either wouldn't have the fields to keep up with the needed tobacco or they would use those fields and Cubans would forever be different. So as cigar smokers, this is why you shouldn't want the embargo lifted.
Besides, we all seem to aquaire Cuban cigars just fine and apart from an occasional seizure there really aren't any problems. Sure its breaking the law but we all do that doing other things on an everyday basis.
i know the person, and really, i believe what she said She told me what she could bring back, and really, i dont know the doctor, but from what i know from watching er and scrubs, they are just after the nurses.