[Marxism] Chris Dodd: New Doors in Our Relationship With Cuba

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Washington's failure to overthrow the Cuban Revolution through its long
blockade, and the social, demographic and political changes which have
taken place in the Cuban-American community, have brought about quite 
a change in the political situation in the United States. Americans of
Cuban descent are both more divided in their views toward what kinds of
relations their new homeland should have with their country of origin,
and they are less influential numerically than they were previously due
to the rise of migration from other countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, who's father was an extreme hard-line
rightist, and who speaks Spanish fluently (I've heard him in person at
various pro-normalization functions, including one in Washington some
years back, yesterday went to Miami where he made the most comprehensive
series of proposals every by a U.S. presidential candidate moving toward
normalization of relations with our Caribbean island neighbor. 

He's gone far, far beyond Obama, even calling for the repeal of the 
Cuban Adjustment Act, shutting down TV Marti, insisting that U.S. 
diplomats in Cuba meet regularly with their Cuban counterparts, and
leaving out any reference to support for the opposition dissidents
in Cuba completely out of his proposals. And he's not any kind of
identified leftist like Dennis Kucinich or Cynthia McKinney. Ralph
Nader, who did go to Cuba once and made a speech there at the Aula
Magna of the University of Havana never bothered to assemble a full
series of policy proposals like this, or to make an issue of policy
toward Cuba as Dodd has done. 

Chris Dodd's platform (you should really listen to the complete talk he
gave yesterday, which is far longer than the transcript of his formal
talk available as his website), reflects these changed times. Proving
that Dodd is serious is his discussion and proposals for how to relate
to the Cuban government: in a respectful manner, and is complete lack
of statement for continued support to the opposition inside of Cuba.
Surely, if pressed, he would make some sort of statement, but in his
opening formal presentation, and in his discussion, he scrupoulously
avoids doing so. Yes, he concludes on a note of challenge to Cuba's
government, not at all surprising, but the whole tone of his talk is
quite different, far, far more comprehensive and less hostile than
that of Obama, for example.

I believe that this is a significant change in the tenor of politics
in Florida, and it reflects changes within the Cuban-American world.
Dodd IS a serious politician. I've no idea what his prospects are,
and that's not the point. The point is what his remarks represent
and what they reflect. 

Some well-intended people will attack Chris Dodd for his opinions, 
which are fine to discuss, of course. But some people act and argue
as if the only way that they would accept an end to the blockade 
would be if were advocated by someone who states that they would
not only meet with Fidel Castro personally, but who would embrace
him publicly and endorse the Cuban Revolution. Some of Marxmail's
variegated readership might be willing to entertain such a notion.

But with such views, it would not be likely to receive either the
nomination, or to win the general election in the United States of
America at this point in historical time. If the U.S. blockade of
Cuba is to be ended short of a socialist transformation of the
United States, it can and will ONLY be done by someone within the
dominant mainsteam of the politics of the country as it actually
IS. The blockade is a cruel and inhuman attack on Cuba, and on
the people of the United States. How much longer will it be left
in place? 

Here's an incredible story about a Canadian widow, age 107, who
lives in Cuba, and whom the U.S. will not permit to receive her
money which is in a U.S. bank. They're telling her she must 
leave Cuba. It's going to break your heart if you are human,
but this is what Washington's policies are doing to Cuba and
to the people of the U.S. and other countries as well today:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/message/71978


Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California

=========================================================================
LISTEN TO DODD'S SPEECH AND HIS ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/message/71965
=========================================================================

The Boldness to Open New Doors in Our Relationship With Cuba 
Join the Campaign in Support of Chris Dodd's Cuba Policy
http://chrisdodd.com/issues/cuba

Chris Dodd believes that the time has come to open a new era in our
relationship with Cuba and put an end to a failed policy that has
neither served America's interests nor brought democracy to Cuba.
After fifty years of limiting Americans' right to travel freely and
visit their families, restricting the access of our farmers to Cuban
markets, and damaging America's standing in the world, Chris Dodd
believes this is a moment for Presidential leadership and bold ideas.
At this critical moment in Cuba's changing political landscape, Chris
Dodd refuses to let America wait on the sidelines while the future of
one of our closest neighbors is determined by others. He understands
the transformative power of engagement, as well as exposure to
Americans and American values, is far greater than that of a failed
policy of isolation.

Read Chris Dodd's Cuba policy speech here.

The Dodd Record: Proven Leadership in Reaching out to Cuba

Chris Dodd has led the fight to reverse fifty years of failed policy
toward Cuba. Fluent in Spanish, no Presidential candidate brings more
credibility or proven leadership to promoting democracy throughout
the western hemisphere through diplomacy, dialog and strength than
Chris Dodd.

* Dodd Led the Fight Against the Expansion and Tightening of the Cuba
Embargo. In 1992, Chris Dodd led the fight against the Cuba Democracy
Act, which was the first major legislative initiative to codify in
law sanctions against Cuba which were implemented by executive order
under the Trading with the Enemy Act. This law includes controversial
provisions that prohibit foreign vessels from entering US waters if
they had been in Cuban ports within the previous 180 days; that
prohibit foreign subsidiaries of U.S. corporations from doing
business in Cuba, and that impose civil and criminal penalties on
those that continued to do so. As a consequence of this policy, the
Associated Press noted that "the United States stands virtually
alone" among the international community regarding Cuba.

* Dodd Led the Opposition to the Helms-Burton Legislation to Codify
the Cuba Embargo. In 1996, Chris Dodd led the fight in the Senate
against Helms-Burton, a law that extended the U.S. embargo against
Cuba, requiring additional U.S. sanctions on countries that assist
Cuba, limiting presidential authority to lift or modify the embargo,
and prohibiting the U.S from engaging at the earliest possible moment
in any ongoing transition to democracy in Cuba.

* Dodd Spearheaded Efforts to Ease Restrictions on the Sale of Food
and Medicine to Cuba. In 1999, Chris Dodd authored the Cuban Food and
Medicine Security Act that sought to ease restrictions on the sale of
food and medicines to Cuba. In addition, Dodd supported an effort to
open U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba that did not harm U.S.
security interests and that Cuba could otherwise obtain elsewhere.

The Dodd Agenda: A Bold Vision for Opening Doors and Bringing
Democracy to Cuba

Chris Dodd believes that ending our failed Cuba policy makes sense
and is the right thing to do - for America and the Cuban people. By
taking bold steps to remove barriers to trade and telecommunications
and to increase diplomatic efforts, Chris Dodd believes America can
help usher in a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba that
benefits everyone.

As President, Chris Dodd will:

* End the Cuba Trade Embargo by Repealing the Helms-Burton Act. By
seeking the repeal of the Helms-Burton Act, Chris Dodd will begin to
unravel and remove the onerous restrictions that have prevented the
United States from playing a meaningful economic and diplomatic role
in the ongoing political transition in Cuba.

* Open New Markets for American Farmers by Amending the Trade
Sanctions Reform Act. By amending the Trade Sanctions Reform Act,
Chris Dodd will remove restrictions on Americans' rights to travel to
Cuba and American farmers' ability to more easily access Cuban
markets.

* Bring Families Closer Together by Lifting Travel Restrictions and
Caps on Remittances. By eliminating the caps on remittances and
lifting all travel restrictions to Cuba, Chris Dodd will ensure
Cuban-Americans can visit and assist their families overseas. Chris
Dodd will also ensure more families can afford to stay in touch by
authorizing telecommunications companies to lower prices for
Cuban-American telephone and Internet services.

* Open an American Embassy in Havana and Engage Cuba in Robust
Diplomacy. As President, Chris Dodd will instruct the Secretary of
State to authorize our diplomats to meet more regularly with their
Cuban counterparts at all levels and open an embassy in Havana to
better serve Americans and American interests in Cuba.

* Reinvigorate the US/Cuba Migration Agreement Bilateral Talks.
Unlike the Bush Administration, Chris Dodd will resume using the
Migration Agreement as a forum to discuss outstanding bilateral
issues of interest to both Cuba and the United States.

* Shut Down TV Marti and Reform Radio Marti. Chris Dodd believes
American taxpayers should not be asked to spend millions annually on
a television station that virtually no one in Cuba can see. He would
also reform Radio Marti to provide objective news and entertainment
instead of programming that often runs counter to stated U.S. policy.
Instead of a failed government subsidized propaganda campaign, Chris
Dodd believes in the transformative power of engagement and would
promote an agenda that encourages exposure to Americans and American
values.

* Remove the Incentive for Dangerous Migration and Repeal the Cuban
Adjustment Act. Chris Dodd believes this law has only encouraged
Cuban migrants to risk their lives at sea and fall prey to
international smuggling organizations by offering them the promise of
gaining legal resident status here in the United States.

* Encourage American Business and Repeal the Cuba Democracy Act. By
eliminating the law that prohibits US companies from doing business
in Cuba, imposes penalties on foreign subsidiaries of American
companies that do so, and prohibits foreign vessels who have visited
Cuban ports from entering U.S. waters, Chris Dodd will permit US
companies to do business in Cuba, and remove major irritants to our
relations with other friendly governments who have continued to trade
and have relations with Cuba.

* Negotiate Regularly Scheduled Flights to Cuba. Presently, there is
no regular mail or regularly scheduled air service between Cuba and
the United States. Chris Dodd will enhance communication between the
United States and the Cuban people by working to establish mail and
air service between the United States and Cuba.


================================
WALTER LIPPMANN
Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
writer - photographer - activist
http://www.walterlippmann.com
================================

________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism