U.S. to shift Cuba policy, normalize relations (1 Viewer)

[joffer]

brohans there are a zillion reasons this should happen but one of the best will be that a whole lot of families separated by the embargo will be able to see eachother again and that is one hell of a good thing bam right at the holidays to that right there is a great thing take that to the bank brohans

good post brovarisch

 

[Jayrod]

This has got to be way up there on my list of ongoing things that I care nothing about.

Do you care about your overlords dictating where you can travel?

I don't know whose alias this is, but your shtick has gotten real tired real fast.

 

[Jayrod]

brohans there are a zillion reasons this should happen but one of the best will be that a whole lot of families separated by the embargo will be able to see eachother again and that is one hell of a good thing bam right at the holidays to that right there is a great thing take that to the bank brohans

Now THIS is the best shtick on the board.

Still your #1 fan ole swcer.

 

[NutterButter]

This has got to be way up there on my list of ongoing things that I care nothing about.

Do you care about your overlords dictating where you can travel?

Only if it involves a place I'd actually want to travel to.

 

[Freelove]

Short raft futures.

 

[jfranco77]

The Smuggling Baseball Players business just took a big hit.

Will they be FA or will MLB make them go through the draft before becoming a FA?

We don't own Cuba like we do Puerto Rico. We'll continue treating them like Dominicans or Venezuelans, but they can skip the step of establishing citizenship in another country first.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Better late then never. Should have occurred in 1992, once communism collapsed in the old USSR.

Yep, maybe we should have just moved on in. Of course we lost Russia too.

 

[QuizGuy66]

I feel like the unsaid component of this story is how this plays in terms of Russia. They are scrambling with their economy getting crushed by a falling ruble - normalizing with Cuba is a stick in Putin's eye.

-QG

 

[Rubi]

About friggin' time

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I feel like the unsaid component of this story is how this plays in terms of Russia. They are scrambling with their economy getting crushed by a falling ruble - normalizing with Cuba is a stick in Putin's eye.

-QG

Damn good call, I agree.

 

[lod01]

How soon until the Right Wing Freak-out?

I'm sure fatboy Limpbaugh is totally outraged by the whole thing.

 

[Jayrod]

How soon until the Right Wing Freak-out?

I'm sure fatboy Limpbaugh is totally outraged by the whole thing.

As a fairly conservative right-leaning individual, I say who gives a crap what he thinks. Guy is an idiot.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Good. This was long overdue.

 

[The General]

I feel like the unsaid component of this story is how this plays in terms of Russia. They are scrambling with their economy getting crushed by a falling ruble - normalizing with Cuba is a stick in Putin's eye.

-QG

Didn't think about that. That is a nice extra benefit of this announcement.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

I feel like the unsaid component of this story is how this plays in terms of Russia. They are scrambling with their economy getting crushed by a falling ruble - normalizing with Cuba is a stick in Putin's eye.

-QG

I was in court so I couldn't write much but I was thinking the same thing. Good call. This is absolutely a geo-political move moreso than simply doing what should have been done decades ago. It also has a feel of a legacy moment where Obama can have his library build a wing to reopening Cuba, which good for him. But the fact is that a country 90 miles off of our coast should really be as open to us as possible. I hope this starts getting some investment money into that country and helps the people there.

 

[Gr00vus]

This was the kind of stuff I was expecting when I voted for Obama in the first place. Unfortunately we got way too much (unexpected) garbage instead. Sold a bill of goods - I'll have a hard time voting for any big 2 candidate again. But this is good news.

 

[Bucky86]

I feel like the unsaid component of this story is how this plays in terms of Russia. They are scrambling with their economy getting crushed by a falling ruble - normalizing with Cuba is a stick in Putin's eye.

-QG

Didn't think about that. That is a nice extra benefit of this announcement.

So Obama was basically setting up a good ol' fashion American tea-bagging on Putin while everyone was complaining that he wasn't starting WWIII quickly enough?

 

[Jayrok]

My humidor is ready, bring on the stogies!

Just be careful you don't get Dominicans in Cuban wrappings instead.

How will I know the difference?

 

[glumpy]

Should have happened a long time ago.

 

[Fennis]

I feel like the unsaid component of this story is how this plays in terms of Russia. They are scrambling with their economy getting crushed by a falling ruble - normalizing with Cuba is a stick in Putin's eye.

-QG

Damn good call, I agree.

checkmate

 

[Fennis]

Fidel Castro in America

 

[TobiasFunke]

I think we may have found the second political issue (after marijuana legalization) that unites the entire FFA.

 

[The General]

I feel like the unsaid component of this story is how this plays in terms of Russia. They are scrambling with their economy getting crushed by a falling ruble - normalizing with Cuba is a stick in Putin's eye.

-QG

Didn't think about that. That is a nice extra benefit of this announcement.

So Obama was basically setting up a good ol' fashion American tea-bagging on Putin while everyone was complaining that he wasn't starting WWIII quickly enough?

That's how he rolls. No Drama Obama!

 

[Fennis]

More Castro in America

 

[Swing 51]

Rubio: Deal 'puts a price on every American abroad'Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) slammed the Obama administration’s move Wednesday to open diplomatic ties with Cuba, lauding the release of American prisoner Alan Gross but insisting the move is bad policy.

“I’m not in favor of the process by which the release was acquired because I think it does set a very dangerous precedent,” Rubio said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News. “It puts a price on every American abroad. Governments now know that if they take an American hostage they can get very significant concessions from the United States.”

 

[Swing 51]

Yes, you can now bring back Cuban cigars and boozeThere’s a big perk to the U.S. decision to normalize diplomatic relations buried in the fine print Wednesday: Americans who visit the country will now be able to bring back Cuban cigars.

According to the Obama administration, licensed U.S. travelers to Cuba will be able to bring back $400 worth of goods and merchandise, of which no more than $100 can consist of both alcohol and tobacco products. Cuba is known for its cigars and rum. Mojitos, anyone?

People who travel to Cuba can “purchase up to $100 worth of tobacco products to bring back to the United States,” a senior administration official said Tuesday.

But don’t even think about trying to sell the cigars in the United States — the goods are not for resale.

 

[Gr00vus]

Rubio: Deal 'puts a price on every American abroad'Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) slammed the Obama administration’s move Wednesday to open diplomatic ties with Cuba, lauding the release of American prisoner Alan Gross but insisting the move is bad policy.

“I’m not in favor of the process by which the release was acquired because I think it does set a very dangerous precedent,” Rubio said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News. “It puts a price on every American abroad. Governments now know that if they take an American hostage they can get very significant concessions from the United States.”

I wonder how long it took to concoct that idiotic take. I'm thinking less than a minute.

 

[Swing 51]

Travel will be much easier, except for touristsSenior administration officials said they would make travel between the United States and Cuba easier in many ways, except for day-to-day tourism, which will require congressional action to lift the ban in place now.

But senior administration officials said licenses will be made available for all authorized travelers in the following existing categories: (1) family visits; (2) official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4) professional research and professional meetings; (5) educational activities; (6) religious activities; (7) public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; (8) support for the Cuban people; (9) humanitarian projects; (10) activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; (11) exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and (12) certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Rubio is an idiot.

 

[Swing 51]

Boehner: 'This emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism'

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) issued a statement criticizing President Obama’s move to normalize relations with Cuba.

“Relations with the Castro regime should not be revisited, let alone normalized, until the Cuban people enjoy freedom – and not one second sooner,” Boehner said. “There is no ‘new course’ here, only another in a long line of mindless concessions to a dictatorship that brutalizes its people and schemes with our enemies. If anything, this emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism, as they now have an even better idea of what the president meant when he once told Russian leaders he would have ‘more flexibility’ after his reelection.”

Boehner went on to add that despite these sentiments, “we all feel great joy and relief for Alan Gross and his family.”

 

[Jack White]

This has got to be way up there on my list of ongoing things that I care nothing about.

Do you care about your overlords dictating where you can travel?

I don't know whose alias this is, but your shtick has gotten real tired real fast.

It's not shtick, it's the way it is. The US fedgov, in it's infinite wisdom, has made it a crime to travel from the US to Cuba.

 

[Fennis]

Fidel el Beisbol

 

[Fennis]

More Castro in America

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-BB024_castro_20080219033258.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Elvis-nixon.jpg

 

[Sammy3469]

Boehner: 'This emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism'

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) issued a statement criticizing President Obama’s move to normalize relations with Cuba.

“Relations with the Castro regime should not be revisited, let alone normalized, until the Cuban people enjoy freedom – and not one second sooner,” Boehner said. “There is no ‘new course’ here, only another in a long line of mindless concessions to a dictatorship that brutalizes its people and schemes with our enemies. If anything, this emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism, as they now have an even better idea of what the president meant when he once told Russian leaders he would have ‘more flexibility’ after his reelection.”

Boehner went on to add that despite these sentiments, “we all feel great joy and relief for Alan Gross and his family.”

Yeah, he's had a lot more flexibility to screw over Russia the past month. Perhaps Boehner should pay attention to what's happening to the ruble.

 

[Bojang0301]

I haven't said it often but Obama got it right today.

 

[Gr00vus]

Boehner: 'This emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism'

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) issued a statement criticizing President Obama’s move to normalize relations with Cuba.

“Relations with the Castro regime should not be revisited, let alone normalized, until the Cuban people enjoy freedom – and not one second sooner,” Boehner said. “There is no ‘new course’ here, only another in a long line of mindless concessions to a dictatorship that brutalizes its people and schemes with our enemies. If anything, this emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism, as they now have an even better idea of what the president meant when he once told Russian leaders he would have ‘more flexibility’ after his reelection.”

Boehner went on to add that despite these sentiments, “we all feel great joy and relief for Alan Gross and his family.”

Yeah, he's had a lot more flexibility to screw over Russia the past month. Perhaps Boehner should pay attention to what's happening to the ruble.

He doesn't have time - too much partisan hackery to conduct.

 

[Bucky86]

An anti-Cuba protestor misspelled "terrorist" twice on his sign.

 

[Fennis]

An anti-Cuba protestor misspelled "terrorist" twice on his sign.

terrorista?

 

[joffer]

Wow, a thread the FFA agrees on

 

[The General]

Boehner: 'This emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism'

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) issued a statement criticizing President Obama’s move to normalize relations with Cuba.

“Relations with the Castro regime should not be revisited, let alone normalized, until the Cuban people enjoy freedom – and not one second sooner,” Boehner said. “There is no ‘new course’ here, only another in a long line of mindless concessions to a dictatorship that brutalizes its people and schemes with our enemies. If anything, this emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism, as they now have an even better idea of what the president meant when he once told Russian leaders he would have ‘more flexibility’ after his reelection.”

Boehner went on to add that despite these sentiments, “we all feel great joy and relief for Alan Gross and his family.”

Yeah, he's had a lot more flexibility to screw over Russia the past month. Perhaps Boehner should pay attention to what's happening to the ruble.

He doesn't have time - too much partisan hackery to conduct.

Boehner needs to consider the tanning options that Cuba provides.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Travel will be much easier, except for touristsSenior administration officials said they would make travel between the United States and Cuba easier in many ways, except for day-to-day tourism, which will require congressional action to lift the ban in place now.

But senior administration officials said licenses will be made available for all authorized travelers in the following existing categories: (1) family visits; (2) official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4) professional research and professional meetings; (5) educational activities; (6) religious activities; (7) public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; (8) support for the Cuban people; (9) humanitarian projects; (10) activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; (11) exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and (12) certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines.

Perfect

 

[George Jefferson Airplane]

Wow, a thread the FFA agrees on

I'm actually a little surprised.

 

[msommer]

Wow, a thread the FFA agrees on

Wait, has tim posted yet?

 

[Bucky86]

An anti-Cuba protestor misspelled "terrorist" twice on his sign.

terrorista?

TERRORIT!!!!

 

[Fennis]

Wow, a thread the FFA agrees on

I'm actually a little surprised.

give it time.

 

[Fennis]

Wow, a thread the FFA agrees on

Wait, has tim posted yet?

give it time

 

[Sammy3469]

Travel will be much easier, except for touristsSenior administration officials said they would make travel between the United States and Cuba easier in many ways, except for day-to-day tourism, which will require congressional action to lift the ban in place now.

But senior administration officials said licenses will be made available for all authorized travelers in the following existing categories: (1) family visits; (2) official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4) professional research and professional meetings; (5) educational activities; (6) religious activities; (7) public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; (8) support for the Cuban people; (9) humanitarian projects; (10) activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; (11) exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and (12) certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines.

So basically all the "educational" tours they have now for US citizens will just become bigger and less strict while Congress stonewalls. Can't wait for Rubio's lawsuit claiming the President can't do this.

 

[IC FBGCav]

I, for one, welcome our new Cuban overlords.

 

[Bucky86]

I'm guessing Tim's first post will be something like. "It's about time, but I'm not sure how I feel about this."

 

[Bojang0301]

How anyone can consider this a bad thing is asinine. It's clear the republicans are just saying otherwise to be opposite today. Why can't anything just be a good thing in this country?