President Obama to Lift Restrictions on Cuba

Finally! Common sense towardss Cuba!

linda: finally a common sense president

Another small step towards stripping away the partisan hackery that was put into policy during the Bush administration. The only point of these 2004 restrictions was a pander to some slice of one of Karl Rove’s pie charts, not meaningful policy.

Strategically, the official says, “family members in the U.S. will be good messengers of change and hope.”

Now where’ve we heard that before? Hmmmmm…?

“It’s time to let Cuban Americans see their mothers and fathers, their sisters and brothers. It’s time to let Cuban American money make their families less depended upon the Castro regime.

I would extend that sentiment to the notion that we should allow Americans to keep more of their own money, to make their families “less depended(sic)” on the U.S. government.

so…. I take it that I, a non relatvie to any cuban still can’t just go there as a tourist, you have to have family there?

Robert B….there’s always one of your ilk trying to tear down anything good. What has this country’s policies of the past 50 years done for us or Cuba? Be glad all these families can be reunited again.

yay! i could care less about the embargo, im absolutely thrilled about the unlimited travel :D

Finally….rebuilding the bridges that separates families forever. Now, I want to know when can I go to Cuba. I want to go.

Modest step, but the start of something big. Next.

I just returned from visiting family in Cuba that I had never met. It makes me very happy to hear that I will be able to visit them more often now and am able to help them more often. It is a sad thing what Bush did to begin with. Our family is incredibley dependent on what little bit we can send them and now that we can do so more often, it is fantastic. Thank you Mr. President.

Dang, I hope they lift all travel restriction soon. I’ve always wanted to visit Cuba, but don’t have family there.

Let’s give WHO a chance, Keith? Do you see a Gorbachev in Havana??? I see a Chavez gathering dictatorial power as we speak and if petrodollars don’t fund their mischief, narcodollars will come along nicely in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador.

Yeah, I can’t wait til the next Communist Internationale conference is meeting in Havana — and Trent and SNGeorgia and Mike Moore and I can go. Cool!!

kevin…Can’t tell if your a comic or just uneducated in world events…”Russian could use bases for it’s strategic bombers on the doorstep of the United States in Cuba and Venezuela.” “This is Possible in Cuba.” General Anatolyu Zhikharev, chief of the Russian air force Strategic Aviation staff…March 14, 2009 AP…Think ..lifting the restrictions for family members to send MONEY, AMERICAN DOLLARS..NOT GOOD, BUT TO LIFT AN EMBARGO THAT WOULD SEND GOODS AND SERVICES TO A COUNTRY WHO SUPPORTING RUSSIAN BOMBERS…..INSANE…There is a reason WHY Cuba has not been a threat to us for years…IT’S CALLED AN EMBARGO..

What an Idiot!!! The Us is rapidly coming to a close. A little over 200 years…not bad for country to reach highs and then plummet to the bottom. All in all, Obama’s collapsing the country faster than we thought.

Amen, DVA

Why is it good now? President Kennedy thought it was something that should have been done. I guess under our new socialist President it is time to support a Communist dictator. I think it is nice that the Cuban Americans can visit their families in Cuba but will Cuba let their people come visit their relatives in the US. I don’t think so, dictators don’t care about their people. But, we should support them anyway.

Oh how sweet. Now we can be one big happy family again. Let’s all hug. Then let’s impeach Obama.

This is great news! I can’t wait to visit!

dsimms:”Why is it good now? President Kennedy thought it was something that should have been done. I guess under our new socialist President it is time to support a Communist dictator. ”
These restrictions on private American citizens were put in place in 2004, NOT by President Kennedy. By your rationale, Nixon, Reagon, and both Bushes were also socialist Presidents who wanted to support a Communist dictator in the exact same way.
(There is also the little issue of no more communist threat/USSR, and the retreat of Fidel Castro from the reigns of power, but your argument is so transparently false on its face I don’t feel motivated to spend any more time on it.)

Skip:”Why do we have to cripple the Cuban economy with an embargo if we believe the free market would prevail?”
There is a place for showing the will to hold grudges. I think the time for the embargo may have passed, but the rise of the current regime and its early provocations offered ample rationale for a response. Getting rid of Bush’s silly 2004 window dressing is a no brainer. Getting rid of all the embargo restrictions is a much more weighty issue, which has to wait its turn to receive the attention it’s due.

How will the administration deal with the Cuba’s confiscation of private property 50 years ago? Former Cubans who are now U.S. citizens had their homes, land and possessions confiscated with no compensation. Internationally, property has been returned to rightful owners post Communist confiscation. Eminent domain in the U.S. must involve monetary compensation. Will the Justice Department fight for the right of return or compensation for those whose property was taken by the Cuban government?

Explain your “weighty” issues, jhwetc, please that would advise against hasty end to the embargo.
I know what they are and Mary and Parallax and I have been listing them but why don’t you describe them to your impatient lefty friends.

Who’s dangerously Naive? Yet the republican Presidents since Nixon had trade and business relations and friendly relations and backed friendships with the Peoples Republic of Communit Red China. Why is one considered good and the other bad? Shouldn’t Nixon’s, Ford’s, Regan’s, Bush Sr’s, and Bush Jr’s supporting Communist Red China be also considered wrong? Or do you consider it right since they were Republican Presidents who backed Communist Red China?

Our Cuba policy is idiotic and driven by a bunch of whack jobs in Florida. It. hasn’t. worked.
This policy is a failure, so why perpetuate failure? Why not try openness and increased communications as more effective ways to dissolve the regimes grip.
Our national policy debate is so dumb…

bct:”How will the administration deal with the Cuba’s confiscation of private property 50 years ago?”
Mary Diaz:”I am a cuban-american, and I am outraged, I thought the United States of America did not negotiate with Terrorist”
Were you both equally outraged by Nixon ending all attempts to overthrow Castro? Or Reagan holding the same policy as Obama has now reverted to? Bush’s policy was a meaningless pander to a small segment of Florida’s voters that Rove felt was necessary to buy enough votes in 2004 to avoid another 2000 tie vote. It was embarrassingly worthless as a tool of international pressure, which is why Bush was the first President to apply it in 2004.

I was part of the last university sponsored trips to Cuba to leave from Miami before Bush’s restrictions went into place. If you go to Cuba, you’ll see it’s just another Latin American country with poor and well-to-do people. See it for yourself and make your own judgement, but don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Ignorance is not always bliss. Aside from the beautiful places, you’ll see that people adjust to their accommodations and try to live with what they can. Hopefully this silly “blockade” will be lifted once and for all.

Robert b:”I know what they are and Mary and Parallax and I have been listing them but why don’t you describe them to your impatient lefty friends.”
Impatient lefty friends? Who are they? They’re surely not in Congress, where other than a handful of house reps for whom this is a pet project, dissolving the embargo is clearly not on the agenda. Even among my furthest left friends, the war, economy, healthcare – even gay marriage – is higher on the agenda than the Cuba embargo (which is in the same form now as it has been most of my life).
This action is just reverting to the status quo as it has been for quite a while before Bush’s 2004 pander.

How nice!!! Thanks god for giving us a reasonable and understanding President. Bless him!

Even Obama can do something right for once! This is maybe the second time I think he’s done right. Obviously, we don’t want to reward the Castro regime, but what we’ve done for nearly 50 years just isn’t serving any real purpose. It’s time for something new. Allowing people to visit family, support family, and to open up – even a little – the free flow of information (something we Americans take for granted) can’t hurt at all. It’s something that can be done w/out rewarding the Castro regime. Cuban Americans should use this opening as a way to convince their families/friends on the island to reject the Castro regime and start a true democracy. As for removing the trade embargo, I think the Prez is wise to keep it as a bargaining chip to use w/ the Castro regime. I would love to see a truly free Cuba in the next 10 years. I think it would flourish once U.S. corporations and tourists flooded the island. We just need to get rid of the filth that is the Castros!

Good political “dodge” jhw but I asked you to detail the weighty issues that keep us from going beyond the status quo ante.
The left is anxious for us to fall into the majority of the United Nations as indicated by the 179 to 4 annual votes to condemn us for the embargo. Why should we keep it from the internationalist and progressive point of view.?? (Though you have a point that the Castros aren’t “hip” to the gay marriage” thing and other new minority interest “communities” but Mike Moore “proved” their health care was SOOOOO much better than ours.

“I think [Cuba] would flourish once U.S. corporations and tourists flooded the island.”
THAT was exactly the kind of “flourishing” that brought about the Revolution in the first place … now, of course, people in the US no longer have to go offshore for gambling and prostitution.
Cuba is waaay better off NOT to be in bed with the US.

Don’t kid yourself on Cuban health care in spite of that idiot Michael Moore’s lies. Here are the real facts about the system, if you can stand it.
From a cuban escapee:
Ask any Cuban who has recently left the island (because they can’t talk freely about this inside of Cuba) about their health care system and they will tell you that it is often a challenge just to get aspirin and they often have to get it on the black market. The run-down, dilapidated and unsanitary conditions in the facilities that the average Cuban must go to for care are a far cry from the hospitals and clinics reserved for high-ranking members of the communist party or the military. There are actually special facilities in Cuba that serve foreigners who can pay in foreign currency.
If the lauded Cuban healthcare system is so wonderful, perhaps someone can explain to me the following:
* Why some patients are taken to the hospital in wheelbarrows instead of ambulances?
* Why patients must bring their own linens for the hospital bed and often, a fan, to combat the stifling heat and lack of air-conditioning?
* Why cockroaches and other vermin are present in what is supposed to be “sanitary” health facilities? Why many common medicines are not available? If Cuba can export cutting-edge biotechnological products to other countries, surely the US embargo cannot be blamed for not allowing medicine to enter Cuba.
* Why, in a 185-bed cancer center in Santiago where some 6,000 people are treated MONTHLY, there is a shortage of basics such as codeine, anti-nausea drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, antacids, laxatives, high blood pressure medicine, antihistamines, anti-depressants, contraceptives, vitamins and minerals? This particular hospital, sadly, is the norm, not the exception
* Why 41% of patients in Cuban hospitals are undernourished, particularly after surgery. Malnutrition risks increase with extended stays in the hospital, according to the U.S. National Institute of Health.
Was any of this mentioned in “Sicko?” Of course not! The reason why is one to which I alluded earlier– Michael Moore is so anti-American, despite the fact that he makes millions off of the American people every time he makes a film, that he will do anything he can to exaggerate and distort the truth to make the Bush Administration look incompetent, evil and silly.
Well, Michael, I hate to tell you but the American people are on to you.

I am so thrilled! My mother and the majority of her family left Cuba over 40 years ago. Left behind was a sister who was taking care of elderly in-laws at the time. She is now still in Cuba with her husband who suffers from heart disease. Every 3 months my mother sends her $300, which is all she is allowed to send. With that money my aunt manages to survive, since other brothers and sisters have died and only siblings and sons/daughters are allowed to send money. I don’t care what anyone says. My mother has worked hard in this country and paid her taxes for many years. I think she has won the right to help her family in need. So forget the politics, and let families help each other. That is what really matters.

More commentary on Cuban human rights abuses in medical care.
Criticism of Moore from an unexpected corner: MTV! Yes, MTV’s Kurt Loder:
Fidel Castro’s island dictatorship, now in its 40th year of being listed as a human-rights violator by Amnesty International, is here depicted as a balmy paradise not unlike the Iraq of Saddam Hussein that Moore showed us in his earlier film, “Fahrenheit 9/11.” He and his charges make their way — their pre-arranged way, if it need be said — to a state-of-the-art hospital where they receive a picturesquely warm welcome. In a voiceover, Moore, shown beaming at his little band of visitors, says he told the Cuban doctors to “give them the same care they’d give Cuban citizens.” Then he adds, dramatically: “And they did.”
If Moore really believes this, he may be a greater fool than even his most feverish detractors claim him to be. Nevertheless, medical care is provided to the visiting Americans, and it is indeed excellent. Cuba is in fact the site of some world-class medical facilities (surprising in a country that, as Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar noted in the Los Angeles Times last month, “imprisoned a doctor in the late 1990s for speaking out against government failure to respond to an epidemic of a mosquito-borne virus”). What Moore doesn’t mention is the flourishing Cuban industry of “health tourism” — a system in which foreigners (including self-admitted multimillionaire film directors and, of course, government bigwigs) who are willing to pay cash for anything from brain-surgery to dental work can purchase a level of treatment that’s unavailable to the majority of Cubans with no hard currency at their disposal. The Cuban American National Foundation (admittedly a group with no love for the Castro regime) calls this “medical apartheid.” And in a 2004 article in Canada’s National Post, writer Isabel Vincent quoted a dissident Cuban neurosurgeon, Doctor Hilda Molina, as saying, “Cubans should be treated the same as foreigners. Cubans have less rights in their own country than foreigners who visit here.”
As the Caribbean sun sank down on Moore’s breathtakingly meretricious movie, I couldn’t help recalling that when Fidel Castro became gravely ill last year, he didn’t put himself in the hands of a Cuban surgeon. No. Instead, he had a specialist flown in — from Spain.

“If you take significant steps toward democracy, beginning with the freeing of all political prisoners, we will take steps to begin normalizing relations”.
DO WE PLACE THESE SAME REQUIREMENTS ON CHINA? WHY NOT? THE CHINESE GOV’T ARE TEN TIMES WORSE THAN THE CUBAN GOV’T.

We’ve been to Cuba twice on vacation. There is an irony that folks from around the world vacation in Cuba…countries trade with Cuba, etc but, Americans claim that any conact will somehow damage some ‘fantasy lesson’ being taught to the commies.
hint: Communism in East Europe, China, etc. collapsed largely because of more contact with western ideas and not because of more restrictions. Want reform in Cuba?….swamp it with American tourists.

we deal with china why not cuba

“They don’t get their land back. Aristocracy propped up by a military dictatorship is no better than communism. How about Cuba’s sugar barons (and their descendants) just get jobs?”
Respect for private property rights is essential to upholding basic human rights. No government should be able to walk in and take everything you have – your home, your food, your business – without compensation no matter who you are rich or no matter how poor. Without respect for private property there is no respect for human dignity and no basic human rights.

“SO right I fully anticipate this money will be used to further arm cuba. So let’s see, russian missiles and warships, help from Chavez, and we will now line Castro’s pocket. Anyone out there sensing a pattern in this moron Obama’s plans?”
No, but I have a long time ago sensed a pattern in right-wingers plans to try and spread fear. There is no longer any need to be afraid of Cuba.

we deal with china why not cuba
Posted by: jil | Apr 13, 2009 2:28:28 PM
——–
This is a frighteningly simplistic, empty thought. Neither is a good thing, but Cuba is near our border and they are not our friends. They allow russian warships and missiles, they are buddies with Chavez, and they are in an easy strike zone to hit and hurt us. You have heard of the “cuban missile crisis” you know, the one another dem screwed up.
We are now financing our own destruction by allowing american dollars in Castro’s pocket.
While China is a problem and you can thank Bill Clinton for tying us so closely to them, in spite of his initial campaign rhetoric that Bush Sr was too friendly with a human rights abusing country.
The fact is we have no choice, based on money and military, than to deal with China.
Let’s not forget that Clinton, after receiving a 750,000 dollar donation from Loral corporation owner, over-rode a state department and military ruling regarding missile technology sales. Clinton was paid to allow missile technology to be sold to China that advanced their program,( as was told to us in the media at the time), by 20 years.
The argument at the time was that they would have gotten there anyway. An empty argument that assumes we were stagnant in our progress and a move that forced us to ramp up military defense spending. But , hey, Clinton did get a big donation and he did win re-election, and isn’t that what counts. Isn’t that what counts for Obama as he works to harm our country and promote himself as well!
We have to deal with China as our borrowing from them, and Clinton’s assistance in advancing their military capabilities leaves us no choice.
In addition all

Untethered capitalism will kill democracy deader than socialism or even communism ever could because it will make us all so POOR that we’ll be fighting over scraps of food in the street and defending our homes from roving bands of armed robbers.
Alright, maybe that’s hyperbole. Or maybe not. That’s what’s happened in Mexico in the past five years.
But this IS true: In order for democracy to flourish, capitalism must be tethered with:
Regulation. If you let capitalism get away with murder it WILL start murdering everything in sight.
Separation of Bank and State. Once the capitalists and their bankers are in control of the Treasury and the Executive Office, they WILL do all they can to become richer and more powerful.
National Borders. A global world run by a very few rich men is NOT good for democracy. Our president should be prosecuting a foreign policy of Us VERSUS Them because that’s what will KEEP US SAFE and PROSPEROUS.
And excuse me for being so bold, but isn’t that what we elect the president to do? To keep US safe and to keep US prosperous? No offense to foreign countries — I think most of you are great and would love to visit. And I wish you all the best of luck with all your efforts to elect presidents who will work to keep YOU safe and prosperous. Heck, I want our governments to work together and help each other where and when they can because most forms of peace and prosperity really AREN’T zero-sum propositions. But I gotta say that the president of the United States is supposed to be doing everything he can to ensure that the American people (not the people of Earth) are the healthiest, richest, best educated, and most safe citizens in the world.
I have heard ENOUGH of New World Orders and Global Citizens. I want to hear a hell of a lot more about a New American Order and American Citizens.
For goodness’ sake — when did all the grownups become so stupid?

“we all know that communism are criminals from the first to the last and a dialogue with them it’s a waste of time”
Silver, can you say “people’s rebublic of China”? From who, pray tell, do we get all of the stuff that Wal-Mart sells to us? From who, pray tell, do we get the money to fund stupid wars against other countries and bailouts to failing US industries?

NO wonder Obama keeps funneling money to ACORN. They are going to need to seriously step up their voter fraud efforts or risk losing florida in future elections.
Does anyone remember the ELIAN GONZALEZ travesty. Clinton rifles in the face of a young child,.
Of course he had already murdered many minority children in the WACO tragedy so I guess for him just guns in the face, well, no harm done.
I am sure Hill and big O are proud and in agreement of these efforts.

“We have to deal with China as our borrowing from them, and Clinton’s assistance in advancing their military capabilities leaves us no choice.”
I guess we can blame Richard Nixon for opening up the whole can of worms through his “ping pong diplomacy” in the late ’60s eh silver? This is not a democratic/republican issue, no matter how hard you try to make it so.

we deal with china why not cuba
Posted by: jil | Apr 13, 2009 2:28:28 PM
——–
This is a frighteningly simplistic, empty thought…”
Posted by MNM
I have to agree with ‘jil’. -Why China?
Your response is a ridiculously complex, completely manufactured piece of propaganda.

MNM:”They allow russian warships and missiles, they are buddies with Chavez, and they are in an easy strike zone to hit and hurt us.”
Another proud member of the party of fear I see. If Russia wants to nuke us, they don’t need Cuba as a stepping stone. If we want to nuke them in retaliation, our boomer subs are more than ample that we don’t need to see it coming.
We have nothing to fear from Cuba. Any assault from them would actually be the quickest way to eliminate the Castro regime.

“Cuba is ruled by communists and we all know that communism are criminals from the first to the last and a dialogue with them it’s a waste of time.”
Don’t look now, but without communists the US would never have had the (now merely theoretical) 8-hour day, prohibition of child labor, etc.

“NO wonder Obama keeps funneling money to ACORN. They are going to need to seriously step up their voter fraud efforts or risk losing florida in future elections.”
I guess it will be our perpetual duty to point out that there has never been even one single proven case of anyone casting an illegal vote because of a phony registration by ACORN.

Perhaps Barry will now lift sanctions against other American enemies.
Afterall, according to his pastor/spiritual advisor of 20 years- rev wright,countries that have been led by brutal dictators such as Iran, Venezuala, North Korea have all been misunderstood. It’s America that has been the evil country all along.
Yeah right

Pants on Fire:”Under the mush-minded reign of the “Obama” organization, His operatives — supposed “Democrats” — now disparage “Republicans” in much the same way the right (and Obama’s new right) disparages “communists”.”
What? Who is “his” referring to? Are you saying Timothy McVeigh was a Communist? Why is Obama in quotes – is he actually a lizard man impostor now? I think you should stick to insult Mrs. Obama’s fashion sense like in the other thread.

I could use a Cuban cigar.. when will we get them?

Skip
So you are defending the nutty organization ACORN (no pun intended) because they have never been PROVEN guilty of helping to throw an election?

This is all off topic.
Obama is surrendering to yet another human rights violator, anti-american country.
He will line the pockets of a country collaborating with Russian to bring in warships and missiles within strike distance of our coast, and along with Hugo Chavez who mirrors the virulent anti-american sentiment.
Now Obama will line the pockets of this cuban communist regime so they can arm well against the US.
Obama does not make a move unless he is certain it will be against our long term best interests, be it security or financial.

Smartest move made in years. Maybe that old missile site can be turned into an amusement park now. Lets hope they send some honest business men there not people trying to steal their country.
Posted by: rightbehind | Apr 13, 2009 3:20:29 PM
———
YOU DO remember that it was Castro/Cuba who confiscated all privately owned business and land, including american interests, NOT the other way around?
It was violent and bears similarity to the Obama plan to take over all private business.

jhw539
As long as you are defending the insane organization known as ACORN, I would love to know your take on all of the massive protests/sitins they held in chicago (with the help of an overly ambitious community organizer) to FORCE the banks there to make loans to low-lifes who could NEVER pay them back.
As I recall, one of the only cases Barry O ever tried was representing ACORN who was sueing one of those “mean” lenders who were against giving loans to dirtballs that could never repay them- shocking!

“YOU DO remember that it was Castro/Cuba who confiscated all privately owned business and land, including american interests, NOT the other way around?”
You do know that American Mafia, American Business and the Batista regime were in an alliance to control that “privately owned” business and land, don’t you?

“These were all voter fraud cases…”
They were accused of stealing from ACORN, not voting illegally.

You do know that American Mafia, American Business and the Batista regime were in an alliance to control that “privately owned” business and land, don’t you?
Posted by: Ryan C | Apr 13, 2009 3:27:29 PM
———
I notice you mix American Business in between to bury the fact that Castro confiscated legitimate US interests in Cuba, unilaterally and without all that due process Obama wants to give to the terrorists.
Castro unilaterally confiscated legitimate US interests in Cuba.

“YOU DO remember that it was Castro/Cuba who confiscated all privately owned business and land, including american interests, NOT the other way around?”
And of course this is balanced by your remembrance that the Cuban government under Bautista had been taken over by US organized crime and was being run for the benefit of US organized crime, as opposed to the Cuban people?
Hey, lots of PAST HISTORY here. We can neutralize this 3rd world country 90 miles from Miami by opening governmental and trade relations with them again. Why oppose them militarily when we can obliterate their communist government with American pop culture?

“The danger is that they register them, dead or alive, real or fake, over and over again, in many states. Having been convicted several times and under indictment in 27 additional incidents.
The danger is to democracy.”
So voter registration fraud is a imminent danger to democracy?
Man the barricades because Mickey Mouse is coming to a voting booth near you!

Well said.
_____________________________________
I’m a Cuban American and most of you that have not idea of what the Castro Regime has done to our Country including Obama. All this Embargo talk is just an excuse that Castro has to submit this country into the misery they live in. Castro has relations with other Countries like Canada, Mexico, France, Italy etc to name a few. He could buy food, medicine clothes etc for the country…give the people freedom through those countries,no, you people have no idea how controlled the government has the Cuban people and that has nothing to do with the Embargo.. What Obama is doing is helping the Cuban Government all this monies going to Cuba a big percentage is going to the kept by the government and as far a visiting is just more money for Cuba to update their military and enrich the Castro’s more if not we will talk in five years and you will let me know how prosperous Cuba got.
Posted by: mcastro

So voter registration fraud is a imminent danger to democracy?
Man the barricades because Mickey Mouse is coming to a voting booth near you!
Posted by: Ryan C | Apr 13, 2009 3:31:50 PM
———–
Absolutely.
It is being organized in an unprecedented massive scale, funded with billions of US taxpayer dollars, directed at “community groups” for which ACORN is eligible. And now they will have ACORN participate in the census count offering unlimited opportunity to steal votes, and slant districts and representative distribution for the democrats,
This is all off topic.
Obama is surrendering to yet another human rights violator, anti-american country.
He will line the pockets of a country collaborating with Russian to bring in warships and missiles within strike distance of our coast, and along with Hugo Chavez who mirrors the virulent anti-american sentiment.
Now Obama will line the pockets of this cuban communist regime so they can arm well against the US.
Obama does not make a move unless he is certain it will be against our long term best interests, be it security or financial.

“It was called discrimination in an attempt to force banks to give the loans. Even though they, and now we, knew they could not be paid back.”
I don’t get the argument. I can “demonstrate” in favor or in opposition to any policy of any organization in the US. By doing so, I hope to have an influence over the object of the “demonstration”. However, no one, not even the dreaded ACORN, the alleged masters of the New World Order with their fleet of black helicopters, can FORCE anyone to make a bad loan. It didn’t take ACORN to force US banks to make stupid loans. Greed did that for them.

“Pants on Fire:”Under the mush-minded reign of the “Obama” organization, His operatives — supposed “Democrats” — now disparage “Republicans” in much the same way the right (and Obama’s new right) disparages “communists”.”
What? Who is “his” referring to? Are you saying Timothy McVeigh was a Communist? Why is Obama in quotes – is he actually a lizard man impostor now? I think you should stick to insult Mrs. Obama’s fashion sense like in the other thread.”

MNM:”This is exactly where the home mortgage crisis had it’s foundation.”
Moving right onto the next lie I see. So ACORN protests invented derivatives? I suppose in your fantasy land Lehman Brothers went down due to all those bad mortgages they gave?
Do you really believe all this nonsense you parrot? You sound even further out of touch with basic reality than the old hippie pot heads I occasionally met when I lived near Berkeley.

“It isn’t that liberals are ignorant, it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so”. -Ronald Reagan
Quotes from a man suffering from Alzheimers.

The election is over, so Cuban-American support isn’t necessarily vital, and ordinary Americans support the president’s campaign promise.
This is a decision that is shockingly without real controversy.

Ryan C
I am pretty sure when Reagan helped defeat your communist comrades in the soviet union he was not suffering from alzheimer’s.

Bush was all about adhereing to old worn our policies and rhetoric. The 1984 book “The March of Folly” best described his presidency. The march of folly being “the perverse persistence in policies demonstrably unworkable and counterproductive”

Elian G. can now watch Diego .. on cable or satellite.

I find it disgusting that the US government can tell its own citizens where they can, and can’t, travel.

Ryan C
You do know that America really isn’t an evil country that deserved 9/11, don’t you? Despite all of the liberal, anti-American, propaganda you have obviously submerged yourself with, this truly is the best country the world has ever seen. Turn off those rev wright tapes you have been watching!
I recommend saying the Pledge of Allegiance every day for a week, and thanking God that you don’t actually live in the socialist/communist regime that liberals are so desperately wanting America to become.

“I recommend saying the Pledge of Allegiance every day for a week,”
Never ceases to make me laugh when some right winger screams about freedom right after telling me I need to take a daily loyalty oath.

Just look back at history and ask yourself one question…What has changed between Cuba’s political scene and ours between February of 1962 and now? Not a GD thing. The only thing that has changed are the players…Russia still wants to put bombers in Cuba, and for those that are too thick to understand what bombers carry today, please look it up…that is too close for my liking today as was too close for JFK’s liking back in the 60′s….Pandering now will only extend the Welcome mat for a likely conflict later….LISTEN TO THE OLDER GENERATION OF CUBANS EXILES THEY KNOW TO WHICH THEY SPEAK…Don’t trust Castro and company…

Ryan C
I know that you are about as loyal to America as the rest of the liberals are patriotic. Atleast you admit it.
You see, if barry O would have only been honest with Americans and said that he agreed with rev racist and bill ayers, we could have hillary or mccain as our president and been 1,000 times better off.
Instead, he simply played chicago-style politics. Barry lied over and over again about his beliefs regarding America and with the help of the nutty liberal media, was able to pull it off.

Skip…At what cost???

Americans are allowed to travel to Iran and China for godsakes. Why are Americans not allowed to travel to Cuba? That makes no sense.

Great! It’s about time we have a President that truly represents the People of the U.S. and the People of Cuba. He is worthy of admiration.

“I know that you are about as loyal to America as the rest of the liberals are patriotic. Atleast you admit it.”
You confuse blind loyalty and nationalism with patriotism.
Don’t feel bad though, most of the other fascists make the same mistake.

Finally, I’m very glad this president is taking a stand between the old Cuban ideology of resolving issues by maintaining distance and suffocating the Cuban people instead of engaging in communication and trade with the island. Has anyone ever resolved an issue by the previous ideology which has taken this country 50 years to realize it has been the wrong one. To quote a very famous musical group “All you need is love.”

Ryan C,
Its not really blind loyalty, its more like primitive tribalism.

Cuba never had any real military significance, even during the ‘missile crisis’ when the US was forced to give up its missiles in Turkey – what effect did this have? None whatsoever.
The ‘threat’ from Cuba, as the ruling class of the US has readily admitted, is that it could represent a successful socialist experiment. The goal of the blockade was always to destroy their ability to lead by example, as in Vietnam where the US strategy was never to win the military war, but instead to destroy the country.
Cubans now have better health care than the US, a lower infant mortality rate, higher literacy and full employment. Not only that, they are the only ‘sustainable’ economy on the planet, according to the UN. The blockade therefore, has been a miserable failure.

Skip I do not WANT to deal with Russia and their bombers I do want my kids to deal with Russian bombers…JFK did this country’s future generation a favor by the embargo so that we would not be supporting a government with our goods and services who would allow Russian bombers…Obama is taking a first step toward reducing embargo with his action today….With that I can only say Time Will Tell

RyanC…Kept it out of my back yard!!!

“RyanC…Kept it out of my back yard!!!”
Could you possibly be more petrified of a non existent threat?
Is this why right wingers buy so many guns?

Right on, and hopefully we’ll see the end of the stupid embargo. Finally, a little dose of common sense here.

Carl, FYI US citizens who do not have family in Cuba have been traveling to the island for some time. They fly in from Mexico, Panama, perhaps even Guatemala. The Cuban officials don´t mark the passports so there is no visa as “evidence.” This is just another example of how idiotic the ban is. If we can travel to Russia, China,and other non-democratic states, then why not Cuba?

Well, this will be interesting. I think it might actually be a good idea. Why not give it a try. My prediction is that Cuba won’t put up with it, and will look like the dictatorship that it is. Or, more US dollars to family members, makes the country wealthier, less beholden to the gov for support. Win win I hope.

“RyanC Non-existent threat?? Guess that’s why liberals attempt to re-write history to conform to their agenda; perhaps, it’s easier than facing reality…”
Please tell me the military threat we face from Cuba.
“March 8, 2009…President Dmitry Medvedev vowed to press ahead with an ambitious overhaul of Russians armed forces..promising weapons upgrades…”
Now the whole truth
President Dmitry Medvedev vowed Tuesday to press ahead with an ambitious overhaul of Russia’s armed forces despite the nation’s economic problems and vocal opposition from within the military. Medvedev promised weapons upgrades but also endorsed organizational changes that will cut the officer corps by more than half, or as many as 200,000 positions.
By mentioning NATO, Medvedev seemed to be trying to answer critics who say the plan represents a downscaling of Russian military ambitions because it focuses on regional conflicts and gives up on trying to maintain an army capable of winning a war against the West.
But Alexander Golts, a Russian military analyst who has written a book about failed efforts to revamp the armed forces, said the facts of the plan undermine the Kremlin’s rhetoric about the threat posed by NATO. “If you really believed in the possibility of military confrontation with NATO and the United States, you can’t move to an armed forces of this kind,” he said.

ellsbells930, I’m sorry to break it to you. But the Soviet Union no longer exists. Welcome to like 20 years ago.
Our military is light-years ahead of Russia. Like I said, I simply don’t understand the constant need for the Right-wing to be terrified of someone all the time. If it’s not Russia, it’s China, if it’s not China, it’s “Muslims.” I mean honestly, it’s not healthy guys.

Allowing limited visitation as an initial step toward instituting sensible relations with Cuba is significant. However, it needs to be the first of a series of steps toward establishing a “good neighbor” policy. The rigor mortis of our past protocols needs to give way to mutually beneficial exchanges of goods, ideas, intellect, services, etc. Moreover, segregation of the right to travel to an exclusive domain of Americans conflicts with our core principles. In truth, the current travel restrictions that have been placed on American citizens is categorically undemocratic. It is important to move our country in a direction of hemispheric partnership. Our nearly-fifty-year-old carrot / stick diplomacy with Cuba is futile, because as time has proven, we have no carrots that they need, and no stick that they heed. Full diplomatic relations with Cuba is a change in which we can believe.

“allow them to be our enemy”
I don’t get this notion that the U.S. somehow decides whether or not other countries are allies or enemies? Those governments and populaces make that decision on their own. If someone only takes from you and never does anything for you, they aren’t your friend.
These restrictions will not improve the lot of the Cuban people, but is a move to cozy up to the Castro brothers’ regime and to introduce cash flow into their system thus increasing their power and legitimacy.
Tell you one thing, if these guys had the name “Batista” no such policies would be forthcoming from this administration.

osted by: Obama=socialist- I absolutely
agree with you that Obama is so naive socialist. I am Korean-American who came from Seoul, Korea. Two Stupid former presidents in South Korea from 1998 to 2008 had aided huge money $4,300,000,000.00 for resolving of hungry in North Korean for last 10 years. The aids never ever helped the innocents people in N.Korea, but paranoiac Kim, Jung Il has thrown all the money to produce missiles and nuclear arms. It’s evidence the cockamamie Kim, Jung Il launched the missiles against S.Korea and USA on Apr. 5, 2009. HOW DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY, PRESIDENT OF USA CAN TRUST HALLUCINATORY AND SOCIALIST LEADERS ??? THE CASTRO HAS NOTHING CHANGED SO FAR.
_____________________________
“I’m a Cuban American and most of you that have not idea of what the Castro Regime has done to our Country including Obama. All this Embargo talk is just an excuse that Castro has to submit this country into the misery they live in. Castro has relations with other Countries like Canada, Mexico, France, Italy etc to name a few. He could buy food, medicine clothes etc for the country…give the people freedom through those countries,no, you people have no idea how controlled the government has the Cuban people and that has nothing to do with the Embargo.. What Obama is doing is helping the Cuban Government all this monies going to Cuba a big percentage is going to the kept by the government and as far a visiting is just more money for Cuba to update their military and enrich the Castro’s more if not we will talk in five years and you will let me know how prosperous Cuba got.
Posted by: Obama=socialist | Apr 13, 2009 3:42:38 PM

Just great :)more $ sent out of country not doing anything for our economy.

“It is pathetic. Can’t trust the Cuban government. It is exactly what happened to the Clinton Admin. when they lift restrictions on Cuba. It is going to cause some more problems. It will get worse.”
How so?
“Just great :)more $ sent out of country not doing anything for our economy.”
Lol. Okay.
“Woo hoo, could use some Cuban cigars!!!”
Been smoking them for years. It’s the rum and partying in Havana that I’m most looking forward to. This should be interesting.

30 years ago i was a student in Cuba, I myself was a victim of the communist regime.Time has moved on and so should we.However did the (revolution) achieved it’s purpose ?.The (BLOSKADE) for almost 50 years has.(1) The Cubans are mentally scarred with rationing, ENGINERS, DOCTORS,TEACHERS etc. etc dont know what will be their next meal,(2)The Cubans are enslaved by an ideology that was born, bred, and burried by the Soviets more than a decade ago.(3)The Cubans are in need of medicines,and other basic materials to help them respect heir dignity.(4)The USA must end the hostility towards the Cuban people.(5)The USA should respect these words (LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF)I believe with all respect to PRESIDENT OBAMA that he should consider lifting the (BLOCKADE) ENTIRELY.

Mike C said “ellsbells930, I’m sorry to break it to you. But the Soviet Union no longer exists. Welcome to like 20 years ago.” No! Really?? But Russia does exist & has been rattling their sabres in Georgia & other former Soviet republics. They would like nothing more than to “reaquire” those areas. And if you think they don’t, you are being naive.