Obama extends Cuba embargo one year

[Kevin_Kennedy]

President Obama has extended the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba for one year, the White House said in a statement released on Monday.

The extension was expected and has been the practice of all U.S. presidents dating to the 1970s under a section of the so-called "Trading With the Enemy Act."

Obama extends Cuba embargo one year - USATODAY.com

This, of course, makes no sense since trade is in the best interests of both Cuba and the United States. This is true isolationism, refusing to trade with others.

 

[jillian]

I'm guessing he wanted to deal with healthcare before he had to deal with the right on the Cuba issue...

 

[Mr Natural]

For crying out loud!

End that stupid fucking embargo already!

 

[Avatar4321]

I dont see the point of the embargo anymore. Let's trade, and show them how many good products the USA has.

 

[Sunni Man]

For crying out loud!

End that stupid fucking embargo already!

We are trading partners with Vietnam

 

[Mr Natural]

For crying out loud!

End that stupid fucking embargo already!

We are trading partners with Vietnam

And China!

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I'm guessing he wanted to deal with healthcare before he had to deal with the right on the Cuba issue...

That's hardly an excuse. He didn't wait to deal with the right on setting a date for Guantanamo, for setting a date on Iraq, for sending troops to Afghanistan (though I suspect the right mostly agrees with this), the stimulus package, or cap and trade.

 

[Sunni Man]

No american president will ever normalize relations while Castro is still alive.

Once he dies, there will be a rush to become trading partners with Cuba.

 

[Polk]

The embargo should be ended, but it was smart move to not take on that issue right now.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

The embargo should be ended, but it was smart move to not take on that issue right now.

How so? Isolation doesn't help us one bit.

 

[Polk]

The embargo should be ended, but it was smart move to not take on that issue right now.

How so? Isolation doesn't help us one bit.

Issues don't exist in a vacuum.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

The embargo should be ended, but it was smart move to not take on that issue right now.

How so? Isolation doesn't help us one bit.

Issues don't exist in a vacuum.

So you agree with Jillian that he should try to wait until after healthcare to rile up the right again? I think the sooner we normalize relations the better for all. There's always going to be opposition to just about anything a President does regardless of when he does it.

 

[Polk]

If I was him, I wouldn't touch the issue at all.

 

[veritas]

What does this have to do with healthcare? Isn't this something that can be handled by executive order, or failing to renew an executive order?

 

[jillian]

So you agree with Jillian that he should try to wait until after healthcare to rile up the right again? I think the sooner we normalize relations the better for all. There's always going to be opposition to just about anything a President does regardless of when he does it.

Since I made the comment you're addressing, let me put it this way, if you're the president of the U.S. and you have some very large issues on your plate.... and the loons are yelling that you're a socialist; a communist...and a few other -ists that haven't been invented yet, do you allow the din to get louder over what is a minor issue and thereby detract from your primary focus and allow the loons to steal another news cycle?

or do you put it off a while and deal with it during your second term....along with certain other important issues that aren't worth erosion of political capital.

After seeng what happened when Bill Clinton used up too much political capital with the gays in the military issue and lost the congress (which clearned the way for the impeachment) I would sure as heck put it off a bit and keep my eye on the ball.

oh...and he riles up the right when he wakes up in the morning... the goal is to stay on message.

 

[Xenophon]

I predicted this one.

No democrat will end this while Fidel lives, it would be slapping JFK in the face.

When Fidel is dead maybe, but even then its unlikely unless the dems want to lose Florida in any new elections as the Cuban exile vote is huge there.

 

[Neser Boha]

I'm guessing he wanted to deal with healthcare before he had to deal with the right on the Cuba issue...

Actually, that is a VERY good point.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

He's shown he has no problem dealing with controversial issues regardless of what the right says so I'm guessing that's not his motivation.

 

[Bill O'Olberman]

Well since 2000 US companies have been able to export food and medical supplies to Cuba. Also, what products can Cuba export to the US that will benefit the United States any significant amount? I mean maybe if we repeal the our sugar import quotas... which we should. I agree the embargo should have been ended a long time ago since it is clear that it has been a political failure and serves to hurt the Cuban people not the Castro government.

I'll put $20 dollars down that before the end of Obama's tenure as president the embargo will be lifted.

 

[jillian]

I'll put $20 dollars down that before the end of Obama's tenure as president the embargo will be lifted.

I agree... just not while the health care thing is going on.