America's beef with Cuba

America's beef with Cuba
by Rob Schmitz
Minnesota Public Radio
October 19, 2003

About a year ago, Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura traveled to Cuba to promote the state's trade interests. He was taking advantage of the U.S. government's partial lifting of the Cuban trade embargo. Since then, U.S. exports to the communist country have skyrocketed. Minnesota is among the top ten states that export to Cuba. However, Minnesota farmers are concerned about how heightened US-Cuba political tensions will affect their exports.

St. Charles, Minn. — St. Charles farmer Ralph Kaehler says doing business with Cuba is a lesson in working with paranoid, controlling bureaucrats who require loads of unnecessary paperwork at frequent stages of the deal. And he's not talking about Cuba's communist government.

"The difficult part, has been for the most part working with our government: getting visas for Cuban livestock inspectors and veterinarians to come up and inspect the animals like every other country does. That took forever. It's just fighting the politics side of doing business," says Kaehler.

... I thought it would make sense to me when you're elected in MN that you check and see what's best for your constituents, and then go with that first, and then go to your national party and say 'you know what? I can understand where you're going with that, but here's what my people that elected me need," says Kaehler.

More...
http://news.mpr.org/features/2003/10/20_schmitzr_cubatrade/

But if DU is any indication the Dem party doesn't give a damn what people like Kaehler think. What a shame.

to Cuba a couple of years ago to attend the Agricultural Trade Fair, and was insulted by Cuban "exile" Otto Reich for his troubles.

Here's a photo of the farmer Kaehler:





(snip) The governor introduced Castro to farmer Ralph Kaehler and his family. The Kaehlers arrived in Cuba with hogs, sheep, bison, and cattle from their farm outside Rochester and from other family-owned farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Castro peppered the family with questions about the livestock, and took a rather keen interest in the Kaehlers' two sons: Cliff, 13, and Seth, 11.

"And when are you planning to learn Spanish?" Castro asked through an interpreter.

"Hopefully, I'll be really good by this time next year," said Cliff.

"Your father should send you here on vacation," Castro replied.

"We thought we would come back to see our livestock when we sell more down here," said Ralph Kaehler, who hopes to export breeding stock to Cuba. He says he was surprised by how approachable Castro seemed to be, and also by his knowledge and interest in livestock.

"It was like sitting down with a farmer at our table. We talked about the animals, what they were, how old they were. You know, he was impressed with the size of the sheep. When he asked his weight and got it, I told him about 200 lbs. He said that's bigger than he is. But it was discussing agriculture between agriculture people, and you could tell he was enjoying it," he said. (snip/...)

http://news.mpr.org/features/200209/27_khoom_cuba27/

His kids:



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Really time to get on with dropping that damned embargo and travel ban.

Democratic Presidents eased the restrictions, and Republican Presidents tightened them up. It should be easy to recognize what has been happening here, wouldn't you say?

President Castro is forcing those people to smile (especially those kids). ;-)

LOL!! junior could take a few lesson from a real master.