Lawmakers meet Castros, urge end to embargo

Lawmakers meet Castros, urge end to embargo

news.yahoo.com

As the Obama administration considers a shift in the half-century policy of isolating Cuba, members of the Congressional Black Caucus returned from Havana saying the Castro brothers are eager to see a new day in U.S.-Cuban relations.
Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Calif., one of three lawmakers to meet Fidel Castro on Tuesday, said she got the sense that "he really wants President Obama to succeed" in his foreign policy goals. "He sincerely wants an opportunity, I think, in his lifetime to see a change in America."

(visit the link for the full news article)

So this is it?

I never thought I would see, in my lifetime, American Reps concerned with whether or not CASTRO approves of the U.S.

OF COURSE HE'S HAPPY!!

He now sees that we are headed into a socialist state! He knows that he has to give up nothing to get Guantanimo back.
And before you go saying this is Obama doing good, just remember that JFK, Reagon, our greatest leaders, opposed both communism and Castro.

Is anyone else seeing what I'm seeing?

Before you start clamoring for Cuban vacations, and cigars, just realize the part I pointed out, what this part in particular says.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Bout time Cuba is allowed to leave the corner and join the world again...

Maybe some of you can read some Cuban history and realize what it could be again.

I say it's about damn time...

Communism cannot be replaced by something less radical by isolating countries where it takes place, the only way to calm it down is to slowly infiltrate it's economy...

Or you are more in favor of Russians doing it ?

Cuba has enormous potential

I'd love to see all this Cuba paranoia finally come to an end. Cuba is a beautiful place with a rich culture. Most of the Cubans I have met in my country have been wonderful, festive people.

Never really understood why the US is so scared of such a little country regardless of whether they're Communists, Socialists or whatever. Completely ridiculous!

IRM

I have NO qualms about Cubans. The people are wonderful, as the thriving community in Florida has shown.
I do, however, have a problem with the leader of Cuba all of a sudden having an opinion worth listening to about our Gov't. Why is he being validated by our Reps?

Did I miss something about the Cuban government that you all have access to?

Like the fact that they have a totalitarian Government?

[edit on 8-4-2009 by jasonjnelson]

Well if you can't kill him after 60 odd years of trying, why not join him?

Seriously though... about friggin' time.

The Cuban Missile crisis ended about 46 years ago as I recall and even after repeated provocations by the United States such as the Bay of Pigs, the constant assassination attempts in cahoots with the Mafia and whatnot, Castro still kept his cool and didn't so much as look at the US cross-eyed.

Canada's President Trudeau showed the United States it's quite possible to have friendly and open relations with Cuba, and that was during the Cold War heydays.

It's time to leave the vestigial Cold War paranoia behind and start having ties with a critical American neighbour who wants exactly what America wants.

This is all part of their plan.

Once the embargo is lifted cigars, rum and cane candies will flood the U.S. marketplace and be bought up in droves because they're 'new' and 'neat.'

And they'll all be toxic. Hundreds if not thousands will collapse foaming at the mouth. Muahaha.

What I'd really like to know is whether or not I'll be able to get a cigar at a reasonable price. I bet they'll overcharge for months if not years before stabilizing. Maybe there will be pre-orders like there were in '04 anticipating the lifting of Clinton's stupid AWB.

I have always been in favor of ending all sanctions against Cuba.

I just find it odd how the US sanctions poor small countries with bad regimes but does business as usual with the likes of China and Russia.

Originally posted by mental modulator
Bout time Cuba is allowed to leave the corner and join the world again...

Maybe some of you can read some Cuban history and realize what it could be again.

Oh really, I guess you lived under the Communsit state and have heard your grandparents, your parents, and uncles talk about Cuba before the Permanent Revolution, and Cuba after the permanent revolution?...

The Communist regime in Cuba will contiue to oppress the people, and of course castro, and his brother are happy about Obama being in power, Obama is implementing similar, if not the same programs that nations such as Cuba, and 1930s Germany adopted.

The united States is being transformed into a True Socialist nation or worse, into a Communist nation...

While for years people kept claiming none of this would happen, here it is...



[edit on 8-4-2009 by ElectricUniverse]

Originally posted by The Godfather of Conspira
...........
It's time to leave the vestigial Cold War paranoia behind and start having ties with a critical American neighbour who wants exactly what America wants.

What do you know about what the regime wants?...

Have you lived under that regime and seen your sisters being rounded up to be sent to summer work camps since they were 11, and 12 years old?...

Have you seen these summer work camps where children starting from 11, or 12 years old have to "work mandatorily" for the good of the revolution, meanwhile all the food, and resources they gather are sent away to other nations and most Cubans don't get to enjoy them?...

Have you seen your sisters crying, asking your parents not to let the government take them away for this "mandatory work camps" and when they return they are thin as a stick, riddled in lice and with other health problems?...

Have you lived under a system where children are indoctrinated in school and taught to live and die for the good of the revolution meanwhile you are being brainwash to blame everything on Capitalism, and nations like the United States?...

Have you lived in a regime that meanwhile most Cubans do not get proper medical care, and even regular Cuban doctors do not even have rubber gloves to work with, meanwhile the clinics for the elite and the rich tourists are fully loaded with the best medical equipment and the best resources?...

Have you seen your own aunt, and women in your family cry when they see the "tourist stores" because a member of the family has an American and Cuban passport and are able to take their family to the tourists stores that are full of everything, which they cannot give to their children?...

Tell us, what do you know about what such regime wants?....



[edit on 8-4-2009 by ElectricUniverse]

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
This is all part of their plan.

Once the embargo is lifted cigars, rum and cane candies will flood the U.S. marketplace and be bought up in droves because they're 'new' and 'neat.'

And they'll all be toxic. Hundreds if not thousands will collapse foaming at the mouth. Muahaha.

What I'd really like to know is whether or not I'll be able to get a cigar at a reasonable price. I bet they'll overcharge for months if not years before stabilizing. Maybe there will be pre-orders like there were in '04 anticipating the lifting of Clinton's stupid AWB.

I am an American living in Canada and we already have Cuban cigars and goods and can vacation there anytime for a great deal.

Their cigars are insanely awesome. So good in fact that the best cigars in the US are from Cuba seed grown in other countries because of the US laws. The only problem is the soil in Cuba and the expertise there make the cigar so legendary.

The US stance on Cuba is Stupid with a capital S!

I once worked at a Republican club in the US as a bellman. In that club members smoke Cubans and buy them for $50 each by the whole box from other members and brag about it. So even the politicians in the US are already smoking them.

Cubans would not poison the cigars for sale, that is utterly ridiculous of you to say.

[edit on 8-4-2009 by Wormwood Squirm]

Originally posted by Wormwood Squirm

I am an American living in Canada and we already have Cuban cigars and goods and can vacation there anytime for a great deal.
...........

And you think that this has ever helped the Cuban people?

How about the tourists who seek the young Cuban girls and boys who sell themselves for a few dollars, meanwhile rich tourists keep vacaitioning and enjoying what Cubans can't enjoy.

The involvement of Canada, or even European nations in dealing with Cuba has never been any good for the Cuban people, it only allows for the dictatorship to get more money and stay in power longer meanwhile the Cuban population keep suffering and many even starve.

Allowing the Cuban revolution to have even more business will not help the Cuban people, but will in fact keep the dictatorship in power longer meanwhile tourists like yourself, and other rich people keep enjoying the goods that Cubans can't enjoy...



[edit on 8-4-2009 by ElectricUniverse]

Here is a somewhat different opinion from the Miami Herald:

article

Where's the justice in Cuba?

Certainly the Clueless Seven, led by Rep. Barbara Lee of California, didn't make a fuss about 50 years of the Castro brothers' rule, the human rights violations or the escalating and disproportionate number of black Cubans held behind bars. Indeed, Rep. Bobby Rush, a former Black Panther, could only show his empathy ''for the suffering of political prisoners,'' as he referred to the five spies.

Just once, I'd like to see a delegation of muckety-mucks see the real Cuba. Sure, talk with Tío Fidel, as three of the Clueless reportedly did during their trip that ended Tuesday. But also go see opposition members, feel their pain.

Rep. Kendrick Meek, who was traveling the Panhandle Tuesday in his U.S. Senate bid, offered this wise analysis of his Black Caucus colleagues' ''fact-finding'' mission:

`THREAT TO SECURITY'

''Political prisoners jailed in Cuba are held for peacefully expressing their rights and freedoms, like Dr. Oscar Biscet and Antúnez,'' he said. ``The Cuban spies held in the U.S. federal prisons were a threat to our national security. That's the difference between night and day.''

Had the Clueless Seven removed the blinders they would have known it.

DGTEMPE is our subject matter expert on life in Cuba. I'd really like to get her take on this.

[edit on 4/8/2009 by centurion1211]

Originally posted by jasonjnelson Did I miss something about the Cuban government that you all have access to?

Like the fact that they have a totalitarian Government?

Yah, why can't they love our freedoms like our good friends the Saudis. Or the Chinese that now own y'all. Good democracies there. Face it, any argument based upon the democratic principals of other guys is just a cartoon. That is so obviously a totally disregarded criterium. Go down the list of friends of your government, and it's plump full ta' bursting with the worst of 'em.

I'm just sorry the beaches are gonna get all cluttered up.

Originally posted by ElectricUniverse

Originally posted by Wormwood Squirm

I am an American living in Canada and we already have Cuban cigars and goods and can vacation there anytime for a great deal.
...........

And you think that this has ever helped the Cuban people?

How about the tourists who seek the young Cuban girls and boys who sell themselves for a few dollars, meanwhile rich tourists keep vacaitioning and enjoying what Cubans can't enjoy.

The involvement of Canada, or even European nations in dealing with Cuba has never been any good for the Cuban people, it only allows for the dictatorship to get more money and stay in power longer meanwhile the Cuban population keep suffering and many even starve.

Allowing the Cuban revolution to have even more business will not help the Cuban people, but will in fact keep the dictatorship in power longer meanwhile tourists like yourself, and other rich people keep enjoying the goods that Cubans can't enjoy...



[edit on 8-4-2009 by ElectricUniverse]

Associating Cuban tourists with pre-teen prostitutes sounds like propaganda to me. Ridiculous.

It is obvious you know nothing about Cuba.

The embargo has not worked in over 50 yrs. All it has done has hurt Cubans.

Cubans are not starving~! They deal with the rest of the world just fine. It is only Americans who are kept from the splendor that is Cuba.

Thanks for the follow-up article.

I am about to go on air, and this is going to be my subject for the day.

I am falling out of my chair almost daily it seems....

And people come onto this thread, and try to defend cheap goods as the reason why we should change our stance.

This has LESS to do with Cuba, and more to do with our Socialist Commie Reps.

Let this south floridian give you her two cents:

Cuba is our NATURAL trading partner. I'm not sure if it has something to do with Big Sugar or not. Where does Cuba end up going? Chavez? We can still go Caracas!
Um, and lets not forget China and Russia and all the business we do with them....

So Obama wants to first off let family members travel to see their relatives in Cuba. Second of all, not place restrictions on the $$$ they can send them.
Can you give me a darn good reason why that is not a good idea?

We can't trade with them and we certainly can't go there and drink a daquri. Thats whats hurting the Cuban people.

Do you know how many OTHER countries you can go to where you can sit on the beach with a drink while the citizens can't?
TONS. Lets not make this a case for "ethical tourism". Then we'd end up being able to go visiit like what, a handful of countries?

Its hypocritical to penalize Cuba and not any other country that does not follow our particular mode of government.

The Cold War is over. Considering it is 90 miles away from Key West I think instead of ostracizing them we should probably...hmmm I don't know...get them on our team!!!!

Raul is not Fidel. Foreign Relations is not something you "stick to" it is ever-changing with peace and positive relations being the ultimate goal.

reply to post by awake_awoke


I'm sorry, but I respectfully disagree with you.

I have known MANY Cubans, and they agree that it is more than just trade issues.

If you can't see why having a communist gov't might be a bad thing, please exit stage left, before you end up poisoning MY Republic.

But I suppose a lack of free speach would allow you to avoid my rebuttal, huh?

Of course he is happy!!!

Cuba will be America's #1 tourist spot for the next 3 years, for sure.
I know a lot of Americans from Maine and NH who come up to Saint John airport to fly to Cuba.


Castro will jack the price of everything up 25% and reap the profits.