12 Step Program

12 Step Program

To Swear Off Communism

Step 1

Admit that communism is powerless to ever provide for even the most basic needs of the people. This has always been the case. With communism even basic needs like food, medicine and toilet paper are luxuries. Communism works fine but only at the family level. Around our house my wife and I are the dictators and my kids the people. However, forcing communism down the throats of the people on a nationwide scale is doomed to fail.

Step 2

Military men who still have honor and principles should arrest the criminals who have murdered so many thousands of fellow Cubans in the hopeless effort to install communism in Cuba. You military men who undertake this mission will forever be remembered by your people for your bravery and strength. Form a military caretaker government that will transition from tyranny to freedom.

Step 3

Adopt a new social/economic model that takes the best aspects of capitalism but change the tax system from one that taxes labor to one that taxes land location value. When the people are allowed to keep all the fruits of their own labor they will work hard eliminating almost all need for government welfare programs. Then make land monopoly and speculation unfeasible by taxing land location value. This will eliminate the wealthiest from robbing the just earnings of the poor through hoarding urban land while at the same time funding the government.

Step 4

Release all political prisoners and all prisoners locked up for economic crimes. Only the violent criminals should remain behind bars with the arrested former government officials. It is not surprising that Cuba has lost its way when the government has imprisoned the bravest Cubans for being honest.

Step5

Legalize private property. The people will not earn wealth for the benefit of strangers. Only when they can create wealth then save it as tangible things like homes, cars, electronics, etc. will they wake in the morning ready for a hard day’s work.

Step 6

Form neighborhood and business associations to lay the foundations for a democratic government. This will allow each neighborhood to be developed reflecting the character and wishes of the people who live and work there. The new Cuban leaders will emerge from these local neighborhood governments.

Step 7

Set an election date and stick to that time-table. Within a year the military government should call for election of provincial and national leaders. Equally important is the right of the people to recall elected officials through petition when they do not rise to the expectations of the voters after election.

Step 8

Welcome back the exiles along with the financial aid and experience they will bring. Besides the millions of dollars of aid, these exiles will bring their love of Cuba as well as their vital expertise in employing the modern tools of society such as electronics, machinery, the Internet, etc. to integrate Cuba into the 21^st Century.

Step 9

Form a Reconciliation and Compensation Board. This is vital in order for Cuba to right the wrongs under the Castro regime. This board, made up of both islanders and exiles, will hear claims for confiscated property. Former business owners, farmers and ranchers should have their property returned outright along with relief from paying their land location value tax for a set period of time commensurate with their losses. Cubans currently living in Cuba should be given title to the home where they reside even though it was originally stolen. However, the exiles must be compensated with appropriate land grants of unused land to rebuild their lives in Cuba should they wish to do so. They should be granted appropriate land tax relief commensurate with their original losses. Top former regime officials should be barred from this process and the stolen property returned to the original owners.

Step 10

Reform the judiciary. There are always going to be disputes in society. These must be heard by honest men and women who will dispassionately rule fairly on the questions that arise during this transition and beyond. Also the Courts should seek the return of the millions of dollars stolen by Castro and the top criminals of the regime that has been invested for their benefit in foreign real estate and other ventures.

Step 11

Legalize all travel and open all of Cuba's areas to all of the Cuban people. Cubans in Cuba should not have fewer rights in their own country than foreigners. Public beaches, parks, etc. should be opened all Cubans. Cubans should be allowed to leave and return to Cuba according to their personal wishes. Private businesses, hotels and clubs should be open to all Cubans who can pay the price of admission.

Step 12

The military governors should step down from power and walk away. The transitional military government must walk away from power the instant the new democratically elected officials take control of the helm of government. It takes a strong leader to hold the reigns of power. However, it requires an even statesman to walk away from power. Great men like George Washington walk away from power while evil men like Hitler, Stalin and Castro cling to it until it is pried from their cold death grip.

This is by no means all that will be required to set Cuba onto the course of prosperity and honesty. It is a starting point. From there it will be up to all the Cuban people to decide the future of Cuba and not just the guys with the guns.