Cuba Bans Computer Ownership

[JohnRich 4]

In the news:

According to Cuban Ministery of Internal Commerce Resolution No. 383/2001: "The sale of computers, offset printer equipment, mimeographs, photocopiers, and any other mass printing medium, as well as their parts, pieces and accessories, is prohibited to associations, foundations, civic and nonprofit societies, and natural born citizens. In cases where the acquisition of this equipment or parts, pieces and accessories is indispensable, the authorization of the Ministry of Internal Commerce must be solicited."

Source: Wired Magazine

They wouldn't want the natives getting restless by finding out how much better-off people are in the rest of the world...

[Rookie120 0]

Boy socialism a communist as a leader sounds really great! Where do I sign up? Now that my friend is a real example of a dictatorship!

If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

[shropshire 0]

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the authorization of the Ministry of Internal Commerce must be solicited

........ via e-mail

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[narcimund 0]

The difference between Cuba and the US isn't which rules are in place but which rules ARE ALLOWED. If a rule is allowed, it's just a matter of cultural shifts and attitudes which change wildly over time. If the US government saw a security reason to enact this rule (or others like federal identification cards, secret detentions, torture, bureaucratic subpoenas, etc.) it's the Constitution which would prevent it, right?

The US Constitution forbids a federal "internal commerce" authority. In the US a federal rule such as this Cuban one would be unconstitutional.

Or would it?

[URL "http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=000&invol=03-1454"]Supreme Court opinion on federal internal commerce authority[/url]

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[JohnRich 4]

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In the US a federal rule such as this Cuban one would be unconstitutional. Or would it?

If you're trying to say that the U.S. is no better than Cuba, then I think you are waaaay off-base.

I haven't heard of masses of people jumping off the beaches in Florida with rafts and paddling towards Cuba to find freedom...

[narcimund 0]

It's surprisingly easy to misunderstand a carefully thought out idea.

And it's also surprisingly easy to pull out emotionally charged, but misapplied evidence to prove someone wrong who wasn't saying what you're confronting them for saying.

Or, as a philosophy professor said once, "I'm not attacking the point you're defending." Or was it the other way around?

Whatever. The rabblement is hooting and my work is wasted here.

First Class Citizen Twice Over