[Marxism] Cuba policy as a U.S. domestic political issue

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

U.S. policy toward Cuba has been basically bi-partisan, that is,
both parties have generally agreed on the goals and on tactics
to accomplish those goals for close to half a century. There are
some honorable exceptions to the rule, but that has generally 
been the fact in the case of Cuba. In this year's presidential
race, there has been a notable change in this rule, as we can
see from the following letter addressed to a constituent here 
in California from U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, at least as far
as U.S. policy toward Cuba is concerned. One can discuss and
debate the political calculations which underlie this change,
but the fact of the change, and the extent of the difference
on this one issue, cannot really be contested. It's palpable.

It helps to explain why virtually every Cuban-American who is
in favor of a more normal relationship between the U.S. and 
Cuba today is supporting Barack Obama's presidential effort.

Too bad there's no comparable difference with respect to US
policy toward Israel, where both of the candidates of the
dominant parties compete with one another for who would be
the most aggressively pro-Israel. In any event, it's evident
that the difference over Cuba policy reflects a change in the
demographics of the Cuban-American community and the political
consequences which flow from those demographic changes.


Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California
================================================================

From: <senator@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 19, 2008 4:53:51 PM PDT
To: <odlingj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Responding to your message
 
Dear Mr. Odling:
 
Thank you for contacting me regarding United States policy toward Cuba . I 
appreciate
the opportunity to respond to your comments.
    
As you may know, Cuba was ravaged by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which struck the
island within days of each other in late August and early September 2008. The 
hurricanes
destroyed infrastructure, agriculture, and tens of thousands of homes. Although 
the Cuban people face dire humanitarian need, the Bush Administration has 
offered
only $100,000 in aid to nongovernmental organizations in the wake of these 
storms.
The United States trade embargo with Cuba has only complicated the situation, 
making
it difficult for relatives and organizations to deliver much needed humanitarian
aid.
    
That is why I support an emergency lifting of the embargo's restrictions on 
family travel and remittances for a period of 60 to 90 days so that Cuban 
Americans
may visit their relatives in Cuba and send money and care packages to family 
members
on the island.

Since the United States first imposed economic sanctions on Cuba in 1960, our 
policy
has vacillated between loosening and tightening sanctions. Given the current 
uncertainty
regarding Cuba's political future, I believe that the best way to help bring
positive changes to Cuba in the long term is to allow more contact between the 
American
people and the Cuban people.
    
I am proud to co-sponsor S.721, the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. I feel that 
Congress
must act to rescind travel barriers between the United States and Cuba and ease 
U.S. sanctions that close off potential markets to American farmers and 
manufacturers
while doing little to promote democracy in Cuba .
Thank you again for writing to me about this important issue.

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Please visit my website at http://boxer.senate.gov  












.



=========================================
     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un ParaÃso bajo el bloqueo"
=========================================

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