Democrats' Florida push calls for US shift on Cuba

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Democrats' Florida push calls for US shift on Cuba
By MICHAEL J. MISHAK - Associated Press (AP)
Posted July 5, 2014 at 5:59 a.m., updated July 5, 2014 at 8:47 a.m.

MIAMI (AP) — When Charlie Crist went to Miami's Little Havana recently, the Democratic candidate for governor stood before a crowd and said what few politicians have in decades of scrounging for votes in the Cuban-American neighborhood: End the trade embargo against Cuba.

"If you really care about people on the island, we need to get rid of the embargo and let freedom reign," he said, shouting above a small band of protesters who responded with chants of "Shame on you!"

Crist's supporters cheered louder.

It was a scene inconceivable just a few years ago, when politicians were careful about what they said on the issue, for fear of alienating Cuban-American voters, many of whom fled Fidel Castro's Cuba in the 1960s.

But Democrats now sense an opening with newer Cuban arrivals and second-generation Cuban-Americans who favor resuming diplomatic relations with the communist island.



Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2014/jul/05/democrats-courting-floridas-changing-cuban/#axzz36c09LsS7

[Uncle Joe]

1. Normalization of relations with Cuba is long overdue.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.

[Fla Dem]

2. About time. A failed 50 year old policy to ostracize Castro and drive him from power. nt

[bemildred]

3. But that would be like admitting it's OK to be communist. Old rich men will die of apoplexy. nt

[Vincardog]

4. Guaranteed? It would be a start

[Swede Atlanta]

5. The main reason for this 50 year old failed boycott......

is that the U.S. got itself thrown out by an insurgent group and along with it a lot of U.S. business interests lost everything not to mention the property and riches left behind by Cubans fleeing the island. This has never really been about communism.

If you don't believe that consider our relationship with mainland China. There the West was thrown out by an insurgent group. While the U.S. had some business interests it was not nearly as significant nor as "in your face" as 90 miles from our coastline. Further you didn't have a large inflx of Chinese to the U.S. who want to revenge the loss of their property. Nixon normalized relations with China in his 2nd term.

We should start a gradual easing of the embargo as part of confidence building measures starting with say automobile and machine parts and certain food stuffs. We should have a timeline of normalization in 36 months.