Latin America

flamingdem

(39,313 posts) Mon Mar 25, 2013, 11:17 PM Mar 2013

Kathy Castor says economic sanctions on Cuba no longer make sense

** Well this is curious, that's the furthest most pols have been willing to go and she's in Florida. No more Cuba Pac Funds for u!

http://cltampa.com/dailyloaf/archives/2013/03/25/kathy-castor-says-economic-sanctions-on-cuba-no-longer-make-sense#.UVESWBnZc5I

This weekend, some of the leading U.S. advocates who support an end to the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba were in Tampa for a conference on brokering better relations with with Castro-led government. Many in attendance said they were blown away by Tampa Democrat Kathy Castor's speech on Friday night, when she said it's time for the economic sanctions that the U.S. has placed on Cuba, for more than 51 years, to fade away.

"I don't meet anyone anymore here or wherever I go, who doesn't believe that the restriction on trade and travel makes sense any longer," Castor said to a cheering crowd at Tampa's Mise en Place, where she was supposed to be the warm-up act for Miami Congressman Joe Garcia.

Garcia was scheduled as the main attraction on the first night of the "Rapprochement With Cuba: Good for Tampa, Good for Florida, Good for America" conference, which was part of an event presented by Tampa activist Al Fox with the The Alliance for Responsible Cuba Policy Foundation. (You can read our report about the event here).

But the Miami Democrat never showed (reportedly he appeared at about 8:40 p.m., 40 minutes after the event was scheduled to end), so it was Castor who gave a speech that thrilled anti-embargo advocates like Fox and former U.S. diplomat Wayne Smith.

7 replies

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Kathy Castor says economic sanctions on Cuba no longer make sense (Original Post) flamingdem Mar 2013 OP

Great minds think alike Catherina Mar 2013 #1

Good to see this. I am sure more people will now have the courage to speak out about our childish sabrina 1 Mar 2013 #2

Yes and apparently they let some Cuban diplomats travel to attend this meeting flamingdem Mar 2013 #3

That is very good news. The old hawks' time is over. They are dinosaurs from a shameful past sabrina 1 Mar 2013 #4

They never did make sense. PDJane Mar 2013 #5

If we got some real Democrats in Congress in 2014... ReRe Mar 2013 #6

This is great! But Democrats need to learn to use affirmatives instead of multiple negatives. DLnyc Mar 2013 #7

Catherina

(35,568 posts)

1. Great minds think alike

Reply to flamingdem (Original post)

Mon Mar 25, 2013, 11:22 PM

Mar 2013

Correa Condemns U.S. Blockade of Cuba at Inter-Parliamentary Meeting: http://www.democraticunderground.com/110811039

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)

2. Good to see this. I am sure more people will now have the courage to speak out about our childish

Reply to Catherina (Reply #1)

Mon Mar 25, 2013, 11:28 PM

Mar 2013

policies towards Cuba. Sometimes things happen all at once, a confluence of forces maybe, that begins the changes so badly needed. Our policies are not popular anywhere these days. Maybe it's time for some real 'change'. Well, we can always 'hope'!

flamingdem

(39,313 posts)

3. Yes and apparently they let some Cuban diplomats travel to attend this meeting

Reply to sabrina 1 (Reply #2)

Mon Mar 25, 2013, 11:31 PM

Mar 2013

Quietly so no one would be too bothered in Miami! There are many signs that point to a warming but they'll have to get around the hawks on the Senate Foreign Relations committee.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)

4. That is very good news. The old hawks' time is over. They are dinosaurs from a shameful past

Reply to flamingdem (Reply #3)

Mon Mar 25, 2013, 11:39 PM

Mar 2013

and have way overextended their welcome. If the US wants to keep up with the changing times and maintain any kind of position of power we need to shove them aside, or better yet, prosecute any of them who were in any way involved in the crimes against humanity committed in Latin America.

The world is changing in spite of them. Even their own party doesn't have much respect for them anymore.

I am glad to see that cooler heads seem to be prevailing.

Lol, if it were up to me, I would simply tell them to stfu and go away. Can't figure out why anyone listens to those old dinosaurs anymore. Or ever did for that matter.

PDJane

(10,103 posts)

5. They never did make sense.

Reply to flamingdem (Original post)

Mon Mar 25, 2013, 11:54 PM

Mar 2013

It is collective punishment, and the US is supposed to be above it. No matter what history says.

ReRe

(10,597 posts)

6. If we got some real Democrats in Congress in 2014...

Reply to flamingdem (Original post)

Tue Mar 26, 2013, 02:24 AM

Mar 2013

... we might be able to bring about the rest of the "thaw" in the Cold War. Of course it would help if we could find a non-DLC Democrat to run and win in 2016, that would help.

DLnyc

(2,479 posts)

7. This is great! But Democrats need to learn to use affirmatives instead of multiple negatives.

Reply to flamingdem (Original post)

Tue Mar 26, 2013, 02:53 AM

Mar 2013

What she (reportedly) said: "I don't meet anyone anymore here or wherever I go, who doesn't believe that the restriction on trade and travel makes sense any longer,"

What she most likely meant: "I don't meet anyone anymore here or wherever I go, who doesn't believe that the restriction on trade and travel DON'T MAKE sense any longer,"

A better way to say it: "Every one I meet now here and wherever I go believes it's time to open up trade and travel with Cuba."

. . . Talk positive and influence people! . . .

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