Castro takes fall

[Wakie]

Yes Philip, Castro is a big Kerry supporter. He supports Democrats because they like him and would have him stay in power. That's why 80%+ Cubans are Republican.

Castro is a Kerry supporter?  What?  I didn't know that he was in the habit of making political endorsements of American candidates.  I've heard that Bin Laden will be on the campaign trail with Dick Cheney in Iowa this week though. 

BTW ncjake, why would we (the Democrats) possibly "like" Castro and would "have him stay in power".  Keep in mind that we're the party of Kennedy who tried to have Castro killed dozens of times.  We hate Castro just as much as you do.

[opebo]

I would love to visit Cuba.  I'm not sure it is feasible right now.  What happens if they put a stamp in your passport?  Do the American authorities arrest you on the way back?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The Cuban authorities at the passport offices down there won't stamp it if you are an American and ask them not to.

[khirkhib]

I have quite a few friends that have gone to Cuba.  It was the next island when I was living in the Dominican Republic so it was fairly easy not as easy a Puerto Rico but easy. They didn't get there passports stamped and went right in.

[ncjake]

Yes Philip, Castro is a big Kerry supporter. He supports Democrats because they like him and would have him stay in power. That's why 80%+ Cubans are Republican.

Castro is a Kerry supporter?  What?  I didn't know that he was in the habit of making political endorsements of American candidates.  I've heard that Bin Laden will be on the campaign trail with Dick Cheney in Iowa this week though. 

BTW ncjake, why would we (the Democrats) possibly "like" Castro and would "have him stay in power".  Keep in mind that we're the party of Kennedy who tried to have Castro killed dozens of times.  We hate Castro just as much as you do.

The Democrats like having Castro in power because he is ideologically similar to most of them. Yes, Castro has made statements in support of Democrats. He obviously supported the Clinton administration during the Elian fiasco.

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If you were to take a poll amongst Cubans living in the USA on who they hate most, Kennedy might actually outpoll Castro.

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If that were true the Democrats wouldn't have tried for years to get the embargo removed. They wouldn't have given Elian Gonzalez up. They wouldn't have taken such a soft approach to communism. The Democrats haven't done anything to help Cuban-Americans. The Republicans have certainly tried and most of the time have delivered on thier promises.

[12th Doctor]

ncjake,

Do you think there is any chance of Cuban statehood? 

[John Dibble]

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If that were true the Democrats wouldn't have tried for years to get the embargo removed. They wouldn't have given Elian Gonzalez up. They wouldn't have taken such a soft approach to communism. The Democrats haven't done anything to help Cuban-Americans. The Republicans have certainly tried and most of the time have delivered on thier promises.

Just have to comment on this. From my viewpoint, I agree we shouldn't have given up Elian. However, I don't really see the point in the embargo at this juncture in time(Cold War times, maybe, but not now) - Castro is hardly being harmed by it, he still lives in luxury no doubht, but the Cuban people are definitely being harmed by it(you don't generally have time to think about rebellion when you are more worried about where your next meal will come from). Castro is on his last legs, so there's not much point in continuing it anyways - it would only help us in advance when we inevitably stick our nose in Cuba's business(to help establish a government or something) after his death.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I think there's a damn good chance Castro would be gone by now if it wasn't for the embargo, even if it was by a coup funded by American megacorporations.

[ncjake]

ncjake,

Do you think there is any chance of Cuban statehood? 

You mean Cuba becoming a U.S. state? That would be nice, but I doubt it would happen.

[Wakie]

The Democrats like having Castro in power because he is ideologically similar to most of them.

I could not disagree more with that statement.  Dems are big on equal rights and I wouldn't exactly say Castro has the best equal rights record.

Yes, Castro has made statements in support of Democrats. He obviously supported the Clinton administration during the Elian fiasco.

The whole Elian thing was a problem no matter how you cut it.  And while I agree that Castro is a brutal dictator and scumbag, when he dies (which likely will be before Elian reaches the age of 18) the regime he's built will collapse and Cuba will become a Democracy and a US ally.  So ultimately, what is better for Elian?  Living in a free society for 10 years with relatives he had never met before, or living in CastroLand w/ his father for that time.

If you were to take a poll amongst Cubans living in the USA on who they hate most, Kennedy might actually outpoll Castro.

Which is kinda an interesting thing.  There is no hatred of Ike who planned Bay of Pigs (and failed to transition it properly).

If that were true the Democrats wouldn't have tried for years to get the embargo removed. They wouldn't have given Elian Gonzalez up. They wouldn't have taken such a soft approach to communism. The Democrats haven't done anything to help Cuban-Americans. The Republicans have certainly tried and most of the time have delivered on thier promises.

Regarding the embargo (and I personally support keeping it in place) I have heard Republicans on here argue that an embargo doesn't hurt the ruler of a nation, only the people (I always hear this when I mention that Cheney opposed the embargo against Apartheid-led South Africa).

You say the Democrats haven't done anything for Cuban-Americans, what would you like to see done for them?  It is traditionally Democrats who fight for bilingual schools and Republicans who oppose them.  It is traditionally Democrats who favor affirmative action (which benefits Latinos applying to college as well as African-Americans).  What do the Republicans do for you?