Obama opens up travel and money tranfers to Cuba

DaemonSeid · #1 04-13-2009, 03:09 PM

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is allowing Americans to make unlimited trips and money transfers to family in Cuba and easing other restrictions Monday to usher in a new era of openness toward the island nation ruled by communists for 50 years.

The formal announcement was being made at the White House Monday afternoon, during presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs' daily briefing with reporters, a senior administration official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity before the announcement.

With the changes, Obama aims to lessen Cubans' dependence on the Castro regime, hoping that will lead them to demand progress on political freedoms, the official said. About 1.5 million Americans have relatives on the island nation that turned to communist rule in 1959 when Fidel Castro seized control.

Obama had promised to take these steps as a presidential candidate. It has been known for over a week that he would announce them ahead of his attendance this weekend at a Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago.

"There are no better ambassadors for freedom than Cuban Americans," Obama said in a campaign speech last May in Miami, the heart of the U.S. Cuban-American community. "It's time to let Cuban Americans see their mothers and fathers, their sisters and brothers. It's time to let Cuban American money make their families less dependent upon the Castro regime."

link

This ought to be a little more newsworthy than dogs and 'did he bow'.

TexasWSP · #2 04-13-2009, 04:35 PM

Great. Cuba.

Lots of other "promises" made that I would rather see enacted, or at least addressed.

KSig RC · #3 04-13-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasWSP

Great. Cuba.

Lots of other "promises" made that I would rather see enacted, or at least addressed.

I mean, this one requires about zero effort or time on his part, and seems logically sound - it's not like Western Union or tourist dollars (which still flow in anyway, through Mexico) are going to suddenly create the Marxist utopia Fidel promised.

PhiGam · #4 04-13-2009, 05:16 PM

This is only for Cuban Americans... its absolutely stupid. If they are allowed to go then everyone should be allowed to go.

DaemonSeid · #5 04-13-2009, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiGam

This is only for Cuban Americans... its absolutely stupid. If they are allowed to go then everyone should be allowed to go.

It's only one step to allowing that to happen in the future.

Read the entire article.

There is more to be done before we can just simply open the floodgates and everyone and their mama just goes running off to Cuba. There are things that CUBA must do first before that is allowed to happen.

Think about it.

Munchkin03 · #6 04-13-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Think about it.

That's too difficult for a lot of people.

PhiGam · #7 04-13-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

It's only one step to allowing that to happen in the future.

Read the entire article.

There is more to be done before we can just simply open the floodgates and everyone and their mama just goes running off to Cuba. There are things that CUBA must do first before that is allowed to happen.

Think about it.

I know plenty of white people who have been to Cuba with no problem.

KSig RC · #8 04-13-2009, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiGam

This is only for Cuban Americans... its absolutely stupid. If they are allowed to go then everyone should be allowed to go.

Yeah, shit, I completely misread that part - agreed, I don't see why we don't go whole-hog . . . if the point holds for Cuban-Americans, why not for everyone?

DaemonSeid · #9 04-13-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Yeah, shit, I completely misread that part - agreed, I don't see why we don't go whole-hog . . . if the point holds for Cuban-Americans, why not for everyone?

Just like I said...gotta crawl before you walk.

I think it's a "let's see what happens with the Cubans first before we open the doors for everyone else" attitude.

We have to build up the trust first before some clown with some ambition and gun decides to hijack a plane and fly to America....heh....

moe.ron · #10 04-13-2009, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Yeah, shit, I completely misread that part - agreed, I don't see why we don't go whole-hog . . . if the point holds for Cuban-Americans, why not for everyone?

Isn't that a violation of the equal protection clause or somethin?

PeppyGPhiB · #11 04-13-2009, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiGam

This is only for Cuban Americans... its absolutely stupid. If they are allowed to go then everyone should be allowed to go.

I agree.

We allow travel to other communist countries - some would say we've allowed a communist country to buy us (*cough*china*cough*). I think the cuba thing is is ridiculous now.