Bush is wrong to slam Cuba

[Judi Lynn]

Bush is wrong to slam Cuba

(May 9, 2004)

In a few days, "the dumbest policy on the face of the Earth" - as Colin Powell's chief of staff Larry Wilkerson called the U.S. Cuba policy - is bound to become even dumber.

Come May 20, President Bush will fly to Miami to share with an audience of ultraconservative Cuban-Americans a series of new measures supposed to "hasten" the demise of the Fidel Castro regime.

Among them are increasing anti-Castro propaganda, giving greater support to "dissidents" on the island and - listen to this - initiating clandestine operations to keep money from relatives from falling into the government's hands.
(snip)

The Bush administration, said Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana) after the new measures were revealed, has an "absurd and increasingly bizarre obsession with Cuba."
(snip/...)

Originally published on May 9, 2004

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/story/191433p-165512c.html

[FireHeart]

1. We all know what happens when Dubya...

becomes obsessed with a country. :(

[opihimoimoi]

2. Well, if ya can't get Afghanistan, try Irag, oops, no victory there, try

Cuba. Is this man in search of Glory through war and confrontation?

Is he going for the Fla Vote thru the ex Cubans?

How shallow is this guy anyhow??

[quispquake]

3. What weirds me out...

...is that supposedly it's the communism part that sticks in the Repuke's craw, but they don't mind giving our entire manufacturing base to communist China...

The hypocrisy continues...

[peacetalksforall]

4. It was stupid to have an embargo against Cuba, but allow

billions of money to be sent from a relative in the U.S. to a relative in Cuba. Hypocrisy that the Clinton admin went along with.

Now, they say some of that money is getting to Castro. I want a solid and significant example and their apology for insisting that this money be sent there in the first place.

These people have plastic and cement brains. Any creature on the earth is smarter than these people.

Is black, black? Is there a horizon? Are there rainfalls? I think their world has no axis.

My God, they have operatives in Cuba trying to set up another incident after decades of stupid incidents and they have allowed the money to flow for how many years and now they are going to use the excuse that some of that money is getting to Castro?

GIVE ME A BREAK! Stupidity just as in Iraq.

[Mika]

5. Are you saying the immigrants from Cuba shouldn't be allowed to send money

It is an abridgement of their rights to not be allowed to send money to their relatives in Cuba, just as millions of other immigrants residing and working in this country do.

The travel ban on non Cuban Americans from going to Cuba is an abridgement of our rights, as is the restricted travel rights that Cuban-Americans are allowed.

We all should be free to trade and travel and remit our own hard earned money to whomever we like without US jackboots restricting our rights.

I do not understand how one could possibly suggest that further restricting freedom is any kind of fair gain.

[peacetalksforall]

6. No Mika, I don't mean that.

The reason that they are sending money is because of the embargo, an embargo that should have ceased when the Berlin Wall came down which was about the time that the money started flowing south to the relatives.

I am against the embargo.

I am for the relatives helping their relatives survive and get a little better life out of meagerness.

I am spitting mad about the embargo. I think it has to be one of the most classic examples of hypocrisy in itself, but to maintain an embargo and allow the money to flow is an absurd policy, that Democrats went along with - another gift to the Cuban American Republisans money-plunderers.

That island should be filled with tourists and island businesses that the Cubans profit from because of a normal flow of commerce and tourism. Albania was once number one on the list of hated countries by our communist fighting administrations. Look where they are now - great pals. But, no, not Cuba, because of the Cuban-Americans. Did the Albanians in this country fight the establishment of commerce and an excellent relationship with Albania?

As always, it is the hypocritical absurdity of the embargo in light of the money flow.

Of course, Castro would benefit because the people benefited and had I had a relative there, I would have sent money, also.

So, of course, Castro benefits. Just show me where Castro went in and stole the money those people received. I want Bush to tell us personally, how Castro did it, does it, and will do it after all these years.

Yes, Castro got billions because his people got billions and for the most part they made good use of it, it appears.

I can't abhor the hypocrisy of policy.

And I abhor the news that the money to these people is being cut off BECAUSE OF POLITICS of the Cuban-Americans and all the traitorous politicians in Washington who let them write the U.S. plan. It makes me sick.

The policy for four decades is to foment and maintain hate. And the people on the Island suffer because of all of it.

[Mika]

8. OK. Thanks for clearing that up

I thought that you were suggesting cutting family remittances in order to clear up the hypocrisy of the 'starving Cuba of cash' policy and family remittances.

I didn't think that any reasonable person could think that should be done. Glad to see your clarification. :hi:

[swinney]

7. Florida Cuban Vote

100%.

Ed Crane Co-Founder-President- Cato Institute said-

"Every decison this administraton makes is political."

Very true.

[Mika]

9. Not true

Not all Cuban-Americans are extremists "exiles".

Not all Cuban-Americans are repugs.

Do just a little research before making up your mind and then spouting disinformation.



charts from opensecrets.org

[Thankgodforthissite]

11. Geez more statitistics

I have lived in the heart of Hialeah (Cuban central of Miami) and I can tell you I could nuke the city and not hurt a single democrat. I don't care what that site said the Cubans in Miami vote Republican and there is no reason for it, his obsession is two fold - votes for his presidency and votes for his brother...

Otherwise this is just another poor third world country that has no connection to terrorism, yet he has wasted his time focusing on it.

[Mika]

12. You are wrong on that

See how one can inform oneself by actually using the internet?

Here's the breakdown

http://elections.co.miami-dade.fl.us/stats.html

Click on -Registration Tally by District (pdf)-

Scan down to page 4 0f 18 where you will see the voter registration stats for Hialeah

Dem: 16443

Rep: 42185

Other (which includes independant): 15272

[newyawker99]

13. Hi Thankgodforthissite!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Zookeeper]

10. So, like is Bush getting bored or something...

He doesn't already have his hands full (caused enough trouble) with Iraq?

I find this incredibly offensive! Our servicepeople in Iraq are in greater danger everyday, yet Bushwah has time to think about courting the Cuban-American vote. I feel sick.