Reply #42: Right

[RagingInMiami]

But I don't hear too many DUers arguing about their proper immigration status.

Economics is caused by politics. Politics plays a big role in economics. So in reality, Mexicans and Haitians can be considered "political refugees" just like the Cubans can be called "economic migrants."

But the earlier Cuban immigrants had private property seized from them, unlike the Haitians and the Mexicans who were highly unlikely to have owned property in the first place due to politically imposed class systems.

Now you may believe that the Cubans deserved to have their property seized from them for the simple fact that there were a lot of poor people in Cuba at the time, but my argument was they were not any more responsible for the poor people's plight than you, as an owner of a house in Coral Gables, are for the plight of the poor people in Liberty City.

I do believe in social programs to help the poor. And I don't mind paying higher taxes for these programs. But I don't agree with the seizing of private property.

And you can argue about whether they are "escaping", "fleeing", "emigrating" or "departing" from Cuba, but it's really all semantics. Just like the argument on whether or not they are "political refugees" or "economic migrants".

The bottom line, they believe they can have a better life in the United States.