BigSqwert Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I say end the embargo once and for all. WASHINGTON – A senior administration official says President Barack Obama has directed his administration to allow unlimited travel and money transfers by Cuban Americans to family in Cuba. The official announcement was coming later Monday at the White House. The official spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to upstage the president's announcement. The official says that the changes are intended to help create new space for the Cuban people in their quest for political freedom and a democratic government, in part by making them less dependent on the Castro regime. Other steps taken Monday include allowing gift parcels to be send to Cuba, and issuing licenses to increase communications among and to the Cuban people. LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 No surprises here. I was going to post this CNN article the other day but 3/4 of Americans support normalizing relations with Cuba: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/10/pol...iref=newssearch It just makes no sense to do it when it has not produced one tangible result in the four decades since we've had all these restrictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 11:59 AM) No surprises here. I was going to post this CNN article the other day but 3/4 of Americans support normalizing relations with Cuba: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/10/pol...iref=newssearch It just makes no sense to do it when it has not produced one tangible result in the four decades since we've had all these restrictions. I'm torn on this one. I think that they should relax the embargo, but I think it should be done when Castro dies. The reason is now he gets "rewarded" and get to say that "he defeated the US after 40 years"... and that's the problem with it. You've just rewarded his dictatorship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 but who actually cares? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 01:13 PM) I'm torn on this one. I think that they should relax the embargo, but I think it should be done when Castro dies. The reason is now he gets "rewarded" and get to say that "he defeated the US after 40 years"... and that's the problem with it. You've just rewarded his dictatorship. It's not like the "punishment" was really effective anyway. Didn't Castro pretty much get whatever he wanted anyway? BTW I'm pretty certain that if we don't start trading with Cuba soon, Russia and/or China will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 12:16 PM) It's not like the "punishment" was really effective anyway. Didn't Castro pretty much get whatever he wanted anyway? BTW I'm pretty certain that if we don't start trading with Cuba soon, Russia and/or China will. Huh? They already do, don't they? So does Canada and the Caribbean nations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 10:17 AM) Huh? They already do, don't they? So does Canada and the Caribbean nations. And Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 01:17 PM) Huh? They already do, don't they? So does Canada and the Caribbean nations. Everybody does except us. I guess I didn't articulate that very well. I mean that since we basically ignore that strategic foothold based on some Cold War-era principle, that we're unnecessarily losing out, because Russia and China do not give 2 flying s***s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Like most of you, I do think it's a pointless exercise to continue the embargo, but I can hardly wait to see all of the Cuba defeats US crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 10:19 AM) Like most of you, I do think it's a pointless exercise to continue the embargo, but I can hardly wait to see all of the Cuba defeats US crap. I'm more than willing to tolerate that in exchange for the dramatic cut to the price of sugar that will come with the ending of the embargo, and thus hopefully the return of real sugar to soft drinks. That's all I want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 does kap read the cuban times or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiSox_Sonix Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Good, I'd love to visit Cuba someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 12:24 PM) does kap read the cuban times or something I think you meant the Cubano times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoSox05 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Well Obama once again proves that he a communist-fascist socialist tyrant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 02:15 PM) Well Obama once again proves that he a communist-fascist socialist tyrant. clearly. Cant wait to see the GOP response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 03:17 PM) clearly. Cant wait to see the GOP response. Conservatives are something like split down the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiSox_Sonix Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 03:17 PM) clearly. Cant wait to see the GOP response. Isn't the biggest opponent to easing restrictions on Cuba actually a Democrat congressman from NJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 02:21 PM) Conservatives are something like split down the middle. I meant the GOP organization. I'd imagine it's something along the lines of "Obama has made America less safe today...." blah blah blah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 03:21 PM) Isn't the biggest opponent to easing restrictions on Cuba actually a Democrat congressman from NJ? Chris Smith? He's a Republican. Actually the only real resistance to this is the hard right (the part of the country that would resist making it illegal to toss bowling balls off an overpass if Obama signed a law for it) and older Cuban exiles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I believe the NJ senator who is a D attempted to block an obama appointee if the lesser cuban s*** was in the something. i'm tired today dudes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 12:44 PM) I believe the NJ senator who is a D attempted to block an obama appointee if the lesser cuban s*** was in the something. i'm tired today dudes. You are correct sir. U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., has dug in his heels against legislation that would open travel to Cuba, putting him at odds with many in his own party. Menendez, whose parents were Cuban immigrants, has spoken adamantly against allowing American tourists in Cuba and lifting the trade embargo, which he said would make the repressive Castro regime even richer and more powerful. Political observers say that Menendez is loyal to the Democratic Party on most other issues, and his position on Cuban policy alone should not be a problem. "This is one of Menendez few deviations from Democratic Party orthodoxy, and his fellow senators aren't going to penalize him for that," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "They want the same privilege for themselves." However, Menendez may face a backlash if he holds up other Democrat priorities to gain support for his Cuba position, said Norm Ornstein, a congressional scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. In recent weeks, Menendez reportedly blocked two of President Obama's administrative nominees and delayed the 2009 budget bill over a provision that would relax policy toward Cuba. Though Menendez reached a compromise on those issues, Ornstein said tension could build if that type of politicking should continue, particularly when Senate Democrats need every vote to pass key bills. Ornstein also said that Menendez quickly would lose his key leadership position as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee if he tempers his support of Democratic candidates who do not agree with him about Cuba. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Oh, Menendez, I forgot about him. Party affiliation doesn't really matter if they're Cuban because they all support the embargo. I never really figured out why, either. Not a single person has ever given me a coherent argument for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 02:49 PM) Oh, Menendez, I forgot about him. Party affiliation doesn't really matter if they're Cuban because they all support the embargo. I never really figured out why, either. Not a single person has ever given me a coherent argument for it. After 50 years, there really isn't one. As I said earlier, I just think it's a case of "America was wrong, AGAIN, let's fix it"... since that's about all Obama can say or do. And frankly, the US isn't "wrong" but I know all you libs love this touchy feely adminstration saying America loves everyone again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 04:37 PM) After 50 years, there really isn't one. As I said earlier, I just think it's a case of "America was wrong, AGAIN, let's fix it"... since that's about all Obama can say or do. And frankly, the US isn't "wrong" but I know all you libs love this touchy feely adminstration saying America loves everyone again. Meh I don't really see it that way. He talked about this during the campaign in so many words, if something isn't working, then try something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 03:42 PM) Meh I don't really see it that way. He talked about this during the campaign in so many words, if something isn't working, then try something else. Well, I'm not sure how to say this, but when you go to Europe and bend over, both figureatively and literally, to everyone else in the world, I have a problem with the words that are being used. Cuba isn't so much of an issue to me... but the manner of which all this is going down bugs me. Whatever. It's just semantics, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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