Obama's decision to normalize relations with Cuba has been met with highly polarized opinions. For some it is seen as the start of a new era one where torn diplomatic relationships are repaired and families separated can be brought back together. For others this move is seen as weak, appeasing, exploitive and one sided. Georgia being in such close proximity to Florida has a large population of Cuban immigrants and those of Cuban descent. Georgia more so than other states has a large amount of skin in this game of Diplomatic relations. In 2013 the U.S. Census estimated that there are 14,909 native Cubans and 37,506 Cuban descendants living in Georgia. Many Cuban Americans see this as a positive and are hopeful that these efforts can reunite…show more content… This is actually a rather common view on this issue and it is not without valid reasoning. President Obama’s actions have been referred to as the “Nylon Strategy” in reference to a joke about pantyhose during the cold war. To sum up the joke it argues that one way to combat communism during the cold war was not to shut them off from the world or go to war with them but to instead show them the benefits of capitalism. Drop nylons on our enemies instead of bombs to show them the “soft consumer culture of capitalism”. America has tried to contain Cuba for the last 50 years and it has not brought democracy to Cuba. It was a failed strategy and normalizing relations with Cuba is simply the same goal with a different approach. The issue is not that this is a foolish plan; it is that is a weak plan. Normalizing relations with China and Vietnam did not bring either country closer to democracy and as of right now it is not showing any signs of bringing Cuba to democracy. The United States is not the golden ticket that will open Cuba up to new ideals; in fact, Cuba has had normal relations with the rest of the world for decades with no sign of changing. The Cuban government is not naïve, with tourism, trade and investments from Canada, France,
