U.S. Congress set to open Cuban exiles' passage to island

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Miami Herald

Posted on Tuesday, 02.24.09
U.S. Congress set to open Cuban exiles' passage to island

A huge spending bill being debated by Congress would effectively lift the restrictions on Cuban-American families' travel to the island.

BY LESLEY CLARK AND FRANCES ROBLES
[e-mail]

WASHINGTON -- The 1,128-page budget bill that will begin to work its way through Congress this week contains key paragraphs that alter the shape of U.S.-Cuba policy and ease Cuba family travel restrictions by not funding enforcement.

~snip~
Amendments were added by Rep. José E. Serrano, a New York Democrat who chairs the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. That means he controls the Treasury Department's purse strings -- and it's the Treasury that investigates people who violate the Cuba travel ban.

''I have been working on this issue for a very, very, very long time,'' Serrano said. ``Now I am chairman of a committee that appropriates those dollars, and I can do something about it.''

~snip~
''The American people do not see Cuba as a threat,'' Serrano said, ``and they can't figure out why we do not deal with them.''

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/581/story/920292.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. While we're at it, what the hell is wrong with ordinary U.S. citizens being allowed

to visit the same island the Cuban "exiles" have been visiting for decades, going home to see friends and relatives, or entertainment except for the _{George W. Bush} years? They came and went almost at will prior to the stolen _Bush Presidency.

http://www.allhatnocattle.net.nyud.net:8090/CarterCastroChats.jpg

Cartoon published after Jimmy Carter
visited Cuba and addressed the whole
country on live tv and radio programs.

[dipsydoodle]

3. When the restrictions are totally lifted

maybe some of us should meet up there and party. :) :party:

[Judi Lynn]

4. That would be funny, DU'ers from the States meeting DU'ers from Europe and Canada

who could ALWAYS go to Cuba any time they wanted.

It would be like getting out of jail for U.S. visitors, and just another relaxing, familiar vacation for you guys!

That would be cool, after all!

[jmcauliff]

7. Just a beginning

The language in the Appropriations Omnibus bill begins the process of a rational US relationship with Cuba and reflects two thirds of US public opinion. It does not obviate the necessity of President Obama using his authority to mandate a general license for 12 categories of people to people non-tourist travel, including Cuban American, educational, religious, humanitarian, cultural, sports and "support for the Cuban people".

Our letter calling upon him to do so has now attracted 1188 signers www.ipetitions.com/petition/obamacuba

[Judi Lynn]

12. Very helpful having access to your petition here. There is more information available

in the Latin America forum here for people who'd like to contact their Representatives, Senators, posted by DU'er "magbana:"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x12115

Welcome to D.U., jmcauliff. It's good to see communication from someone who's truly well informed on Cuba.

It's critically important Americans start trying to grasp the truth of the relationship and the actual history between Cuba and certain elements in this country.

[damntexdem]

9. Well, if the money is cut off for enforcement, then anyone can go.

But the stupid sanctions, including travel ban, do need to be lifted.

[Vogon_Glory]

17. Reader Reaction at the Miami Herald Is Interesting

The reader reaction at the on-line Miami Herald concerning the Herald's article is quite interesting. Most of the letters I remember seeing up to this morning (Wednesday the 25th) were strongly in favor of not only dumping the travel restrictions for Cuban emigres, but also in favor of dropping the travel restrictions for other Americans as well. There are a lot of Americans who may or may not be less than thrilled about the Havana government, but who nevertheless strongly resent the travel restrictions imposed by the US government.

[Mika]

18. Pretty much confirms what I've been saying about the general Cuban-American community.

Not including the minority of rabid exile terrorists.

I get a little irritated when I see the comments here broad brushing ALL Cuban-Americans as RWers. It is simply not the case.

Opensecrets.org used to have charts showing the demographics of Cuban-American political affiliations, sadly there gone now. By and large, pretty even R or D.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Do you think he might be

one of the Jamon Serranos ? :shrug:

[Judi Lynn]

5. Really wouldn't doubt that. You can never really tell!

http://www.alimentosdondiego.com.ec.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/jamon-serrano.JPG

http://media3.washingtonpost.com.nyud.net:8090/wp-dyn/content/photo/2009/01/29/PH2009012904119.jpg

Rep. José Serrano

[dipsydoodle]

6. They have that

literally on the bar as a freebee in some of the bars in Spain. I can really pig out on that stuff with mucho lager...lol. It's a kinda cheaper version of Palma ham.

Looks good with asparagus - must try that. :hi:

[AlphaCentauri]

8. Why not normalized diplomatic relations?

why always just little changes here and there but nothing serious.

[Vogon_Glory]

11. Even Francisco Franco's Spain had diplomatic relations with Cuba n/t

[Vogon_Glory]

10. These Amendments Are A Good Start

These amendments are a good start towards scrapping the travel restrictions entirely. For that matter, I like the proposal to allow those who sell medical and agricultural supplies to get a licensing category of their own. I like to think that it will also apply to those of us who are willing to join groups to bring donated medical supplies to Cuba, even if we are not merchants ourselves. If I say that I am going to bring medical supplies, by gummidgy I am going to bring medical supplies.

The rest of the travel restrictions need to be scuttled, and the OFAC agents hitherto assigned to tracking US citizens naughty enough to visit Forbidden Island without King George's let need to be put to work monitoring the money networks that keep terrorist organizations like al Qaeda going.

[Judi Lynn]

13. They were starting to bear down on US travelers even before Bush stole the Presidency.

Stories were starting to come back from Canada that the FBI was haunting their airports, and pouring over the passenger manifests trying to determine which travelers coming back to Canada from Cuba, and leaving from Canada to go there were actually Americans.

Once the right-wing gained control of Congress and started bearing down on Clinton, once the Cuban right-wing "exile" Congressmen Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as well as Robert Menendez gained power in Congress, along with their power-wielding allies like Tom DeLay, Dan Burton, even Jesse Helms in the Senate, an even uglier tone started seeping into the way this country was dealing with Cuba travel and the intimidation of third-country Cuba travelers kicked into gear.

They literally controlled US attempts at legislation, stripping away amendments in committee which had already passed in Congress.

Getting them brushed back, out of power was the ONLY way this new legislation could ever have a chance.

[Mika]

14. If the American people do not see Cuba as a threat, then why will we still be travel banned?

''The American people do not see Cuba as a threat,'' Serrano said, ``and they can't figure out why we do not deal with them.''

Then why will we still be travel banned?

The utter hypocrisy of even this proposed policy is astounding.

:mad:

[honoluludaniel]

15. Why is Obama waiting for congress to act?

The travel restrictions are an Executive Order, not a codified law. Enough stalling, just sign a damn piece of paper ending ALL the restrictions against ALL Americans. This congressional bill doesn't even go as far as Obama promised. He said he would remove all the travel restrictions against Cuban-Americans, but this only repeals the Bush restrictions. It still limits Cuban-Americans to travel once a year. Does Serrano realize this? From the article...

"The restrictions were imposed in 2004 by Bush, who created a rule that tightened Cuban-American visits to see immediate relatives every three years for two weeks. If that goes unenforced, then Cubans living here would be allowed to visit a wider array of relatives once a year, and they could spend up to $179 a day on the island."

[Mika]

16. Why should Cubans only be allowed full travel rights? Why should we accept 2nd class citizenship?

Allowing ONLY Cuban-Americans and Cuban resident aliens full travel rights represents a MASSIVE & BLATANT discrimination against non Cuban-Americans and resident aliens - the rest of us.

I cannot believe that any Democratic party supporter would support such blatant discrimination.

[AlphaCentauri]

19. agree, it does not make sense

since Cubans are granted political asylum returning to Cuba invalidate any argument of political persecution

[honoluludaniel]

20. And Obama can lift those restrictions with the stroke of a pen...

But unless i'm mistaken he never even discussed lifting the restrictions for non-Cubans. There's always the chance of the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act passing congress and Obama signing off, but i'm certain it won't be quick. Just gotta keep traveling through a third-country for now, nothing new.

[Vogon_Glory]

21. Using the Hindu Kush To Push for Cutting the Travel Ban

One of the tactics I've been using to push for a repeal of the travel restrictions for US citizens and resident foreign nationals to visit Cuba is to point out that the Office of Foreign Assets Control's agents and resources really can be better used tracing the financial networks that fund al Qaeda and other such organizations.

I seriously recommend that other progressives and centrists consider using this argument. While it apparently falls flat at Cafe Versailles, it does make other right-wingers stop, scratch their heads, and ask themselves just what sort of benefits the US travel restrictions provide to the US. It also undercuts the force of the arguments many right-wing Cuban emigres use to justify the travel restriction.

Just as importantly, it gives home-grown American right-wingers an out, an out right-wing politicians can use to justify a change of heart towards the travel restrictions to many of their supporters at the next elections. While bashing Commies by taking a swipe at Fidel and Raul may win a few points in the right-wing political process, saying that you're doing something more to aid US homeland security by opposing al Qaeda will give you a bigger return, at least if you live in a district without a plurality of angry right-wing Cuban emigres.