All of the above is true. Alas, I wish some real American democrat (are they extinct?) with deep pockets and even larger cojones makes an issue out of this unconstitutional Cuba legislation and organizes a solid counter strategy, e.g. a massive group of a couple of thousand nonlicensed travelers on a trip to Cuba: let King George try to stop or fine them, which in his infinite stupidity he probably will. Which would quickly become a PR desaster of Elianesque proportions for the 'Cuban'-American right wing nuts and would help to make even Joe Sixpack in Peoria aware of the issue.
Or how about paying $ 100.000,- to every senator, ahem- to his/her campaign finance comitee, who votes in favor of ending the travel ban (might well change the mind of Mme Clinton), and $ 50.000.- to each congressman/woman who does the same. Beat Messrs Baccardi, Fanjul, Sanchez et al, who are paying off congress with fortunes since decades, at their game. All it takes is will, money and guts. I always thought the US were the best place on earth to find this combination, but I guess this is not the same country anymore.
can't she just tell the truth?
can't she just compare travel restrictions on americans to travel restrictions on cubans?
can't you get anything done in the US without a soft-porn style of bribery?
how moraly bankrupt are you people?
Why not get some concessions from Cuba as a condition to lift the embargo?
Maybe allow cubans unrestricted travel rights.
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<hr>Maybe allow cubans unrestricted travel rights.<hr></blockquote>
acanuck I agree that this should happen as it is basic human rights but it would also be economic suicide. Cuba has invested its money, wisely I think, in human capital but that kind of capital is very mobile. The vast majority of Cuba's doctors, technicians etc would gone overnight. Repealing the CAA would have to be a starting point.
#12
That's exactly the faulty logic used by embargo proponent. However, to everyone blessed with a sufficient amount of neurons it is obvious tht you don't fight th lack of freedom in Cuba by imposing the same on your own people. You fight it (as has successfully been demonstrated in the case of the USSR and Eastern Europe) by exporting your liberties.
Is this so difficult to grasp?
#13
That is faulty logic as well: I happen to know quite a number of Cuban physicians, and they paid many times over for their (free) education with forced labour in agricukltural 'camps', the general hardships of living on $ 10.-/month, the somtimes truly horrile working conditions and most of all with being obliged to live under a totalitarian system.
Anyway Cuba has too many doctors, otherwise they wouldn't be able to send 10's of thousands to Venezuela and other countries as hard currency earning slaves for the barbudo and his fellow gangsters.
And note that in most Northern European countries you can become a physician without spending a penny for tuition - provided you've got the brains. Which is why the dictator always compares his country to the ugly situation in his neighbor to the north, rather than much more civilized, social (as opposed to socialist) and democratic Europe.
Cuban professionals have mandatory service they must do for
the government, then they are free to work in tourism or whatever
they want. It's anywhere from 2 to 5 years I beleive depending on
their chosen profession.
It would be fair to allow them unrestricted travel rights once they
complete their mandatory service.
#15 is correct that professionals have provided free labour to the state
throughout their secondary education. Then there is mandatory military service
mostely with their labour brigades for those not interested in a military carreer.
I don't think medical professionals do this, and that would be the big incentive
for so many to choose a medical carreer.
# 11
'can't you get anything done in the US without a soft-porn style of bribery?'
The root of the problem in the US is their campaign finance system, which is nothing but institutionalized bribery. The whole system is
designed to guarantee that (while always citing the principles of the 'founding fathers') the privileged will stay in power forever.
As (barring a revolution) the rich and therefore powerful would have to give up some of that power of their own free, you'll wait for a long, long time for the system to change. Which of course suits the wealthy 'Cuban'American exile extremists just fine.
# 12
In any case as I know from personal experience with close friends:
The Cubans nowadays let their people leave pretty easily (jut some paperwork and running around), unless they are physicians, scientists etc.; they count on them to send lots of hard currency back to their families.
The problem is that the would be guest countries don't let them in (other than married couples - an even then).
Have ever tried to get a Cuban on a visitors visa into the US, Canada, Europe, Central-/Latin America, ANYWHERE?
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