Now that Fidel has retired, is there ANY reason Dems shouldn't push for normalization with Cuba?

[Ken Burch]

Isn't it time to admit, once and for all, that the Cold War is over and that a small grand of bitter, spiteful racist right-wing millionaire exiles should no longer dictate U.S. policy towards a country that, for forty-seven years, has done nothing whatsoever to us?

Are any amount of fundraising checks worth keeping our party in a hardline stance against reality?

Cuba is Cuba, and it isn't OUR place to force it to become Little Havana South. The U.S. has never had a legitimate right to interefere in that island's affairs.

[Horse with no Name]

1. The RW has big plans for what they want to do with Cuba

They would like nothing better than to bring them some Democracy. :scared:

[cynatnite]

2. Probably when there are no Castro's running the country...

IMO, they'll wait when the brother's not in power before making any real moves to normalize relations.

[MercutioATC]

3. Well, yeah...his brother is still running things...

...not that I ever agreed with the embargo, but the situation really hasn't changed.

That aside, the Pope could become the new President of Cuba and the U.S. would still need time to formally open diplomatic relations again. Nothing happens overnight.

[jaysunb]

4. Fidel, was never the "real" problem.

Just like Usama bin Laden is not HIMSELF the problem, it's the value of his image.
It's all about putting a face on the stick I intend to beat you with. :evilfrown:

[DCKit]

6. Still, you gotta admit the whole "Red Scare" thing is outdated and laughable.

Why, for instance, did we normalize relations with China? It's all about projection - the evil Islamists, the Communists, the "Axes of Eeeeevil". Even more so (lame) considering our own civil and human rights record.

As Georgie would say "We need enemas to catapult the propaganda over."

[lligrd]

5. I Have Read That Many Od The Younger Generation Of Cubans

who were raised here want to normalize relations with Cuba.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. I heard Obama mumbling something about opening...

up to Cuba, but for most politicians it's a "can't win" issue so why bother if they don't have to. Acter all, many of us care about Cuba, but how many REALLY care.

Safest way is to promise nothing but "staying the course" and some bullshit about waiting for Cuba to make changes.

[Beregond2]

8. Normalizing

There hasn't been any reason not to for years now. Castro has nothing to do with it. Once Nixon opened relations with China, the last arguement for the embargo disappeared.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Fidel isn't even relevant. This idiocy should have stopped long ago.

How come we can trade with the truly hideous Chinese regime?

[KillCapitalism]

10. I'm all for normalizing relations with Cuba.

It should be done properly however. None of this Bush-style forced democracy and predatory capitalism.

Let's lift the embargo, send some monetary and food aid their way, and slowly work to convince them that free speech, freedom of press, and free elections will be good for the people. Raul seems open to such change possibly.

[Ken Burch]

12. I fully agree. If there's one thing we've clearly established

It's that the United States has no moral authority and no right to impose anything on Cuba whatsoever. We forfeited that right forever when we denied Cuba independence after the Spanish American war, a denial based on our turn of the 20th century political "experts" fear of another independent nonwhite country in the Caribbean next to Haiti.

[LeftinOH]

11. A good start would be to abandon the base at Guantanamo....

...if for no other reason than to cut back on the ridiculous amount of money it must cost to keep the place operating (even fresh water has to be shipped in, I believe). Hanging onto Gitmo for all these years seems more out of spite than because of military necessity or national security. Moreover, if the current usage of the base -the detainment of 'terrorists'- took place on mainland US territory, people might pay closer attention to the situation.

[Disturbed]

13. The Embargo is stupid & counter productive.

On the other hand, is there a difference between Fidel & Raul?