Fidel Castro is turning 77. Feliz Cumpleanos, hombre.

Once considered a dire threat to the security of the US because of intense
Soviet sponsorship, the island nation just 90 miles from Florida enjoys full
economic and diplomatic relations with the vast majority of the world.
Including the closest allies of the United States.

It's time to end the pointless US boycott, and reopen commerce and unrestricted
travel between Cuba and the US. We can use the good rum and cigars, as well as
improved access for boaters.

"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
Fidel Castro is turning 77. Feliz Cumpleanos, hombre.

Once considered a dire threat to the security of the US because of intense
Soviet sponsorship, the island nation just 90 miles from Florida enjoys
full
economic and diplomatic relations with the vast majority of the world.
Including the closest allies of the United States.

It's time to end the pointless US boycott, and reopen commerce and
unrestricted
travel between Cuba and the US. We can use the good rum and cigars, as
well as
improved access for boaters.


Agreed. I want to walk, fish (and drink) in Hemingway's footsteps for a
couple of weeks.

My girlfriend's mom (from Puerto Rico) was in Cuba last year for a teacher's
conference. She said the best travel advice she ever got was to bring a few
rolls of toilet paper. It's rationed, meaning that as she went into public
rest rooms, an attendant would dole out a foot or two. That's ridiculous.

"WaIIy" wrote in message
...
On 13 Aug 2003 06:58:00 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:

Fidel Castro is turning 77. Feliz Cumpleanos, hombre.

Once considered a dire threat to the security of the US because of
intense
Soviet sponsorship, the island nation just 90 miles from Florida enjoys
full
economic and diplomatic relations with the vast majority of the world.
Including the closest allies of the United States.

It's time to end the pointless US boycott, and reopen commerce and
unrestricted
travel between Cuba and the US. We can use the good rum and cigars, as
well as
improved access for boaters.


I love how you leftists ignore the suffering he causes on a daily basis
and celebrate the life of a murderer.

Have you no values left whatsoever?

Viva.... bull****.

Oh, come on Wally. You know full well that the dictator we like is not a
dictator, but an ally. So, Batista, the former dictator, was an ally because
we found him useful. He was *our* puppet (or, the mafia's, to be totally
correct about it). As soon he he was replaced with another puppet, Cuba
became a "problem". Grow up, will ya?

On 13 Aug 2003 18:33:34 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
When did we start that boycott? Forty years ago? Heck of an effective policy.
It will probably topple the Castro regime- any decade now, just watch. :-)

================================================== ====

The problem that I see is that the issue is very politicized with the
anti-Castro Cuban community in the US. They form a very vocal and
powerful voting bloc which few politicians are willing to rile. It
will take someone with impeccable and unimpeachable conservative
credentials to make the first move, similar to Nixon restoring
relations with China back in the 70s. I'm also looking forward to
cruising Cuba from my new home base in SW Florida but I think it
probably will not happen while Castro is still alive.

On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 00:18:11 -0400, WaIIy
wrote:
Now why the hell do you think there is an anti-castro community in the
United States?

================================================== =

Easy enough to understand but sooner or later it will be time to move
on and establish normal relations.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ...
"WaIIy" wrote in message
...
On 13 Aug 2003 06:58:00 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:

Fidel Castro is turning 77. Feliz Cumpleanos, hombre.

Once considered a dire threat to the security of the US because of
intense
Soviet sponsorship, the island nation just 90 miles from Florida enjoys
full
economic and diplomatic relations with the vast majority of the world.
Including the closest allies of the United States.

It's time to end the pointless US boycott, and reopen commerce and
unrestricted
travel between Cuba and the US. We can use the good rum and cigars, as
well as
improved access for boaters.


I love how you leftists ignore the suffering he causes on a daily basis
and celebrate the life of a murderer.

Have you no values left whatsoever?

Viva.... bull****.

Oh, come on Wally. You know full well that the dictator we like is not a
dictator, but an ally. So, Batista, the former dictator, was an ally because
we found him useful. He was *our* puppet (or, the mafia's, to be totally
correct about it). As soon he he was replaced with another puppet, Cuba
became a "problem". Grow up, will ya?

I love how you leftists ignore the suffering he causes on a daily basis
and celebrate the life of a murderer.

Doug, was he talking about Bush??!!

Wayne B. wrote:

I'm also looking forward to
cruising Cuba from my new home base in SW Florida but I think it
probably will not happen while Castro is still alive.

You can go to Cuba right now. Call and check with Customs and Immigrations.
Even the Coast Guard doesn't care. The only legal point is you're not supposed
to spend American Dollars while you're there. I know several people that have
gone in the last few years. Never been any problem when they got back. Boaters
have checked in at Key West. You can also fly to the Bahamas and take a flight
from there to Cuba. The Cuban government is so obliging, they won't even stamp
your passport. Just be sure to not try to smuggle in Cuban cigars or rum.

Barry

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On 13 Aug 2003 18:33:34 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
When did we start that boycott? Forty years ago? Heck of an effective
policy.
It will probably topple the Castro regime- any decade now, just watch.
:-)

================================================== ====

The problem that I see is that the issue is very politicized with the
anti-Castro Cuban community in the US. They form a very vocal and
powerful voting bloc which few politicians are willing to rile. It
will take someone with impeccable and unimpeachable conservative
credentials to make the first move, similar to Nixon restoring
relations with China back in the 70s. I'm also looking forward to
cruising Cuba from my new home base in SW Florida but I think it
probably will not happen while Castro is still alive.


People like Ry Cooder are finding ways to get Cuban musicians out of the
country for tours and recording. Hey..maybe it's a first step, as far as
diplomacy.

No, you are saying "Forget Castro, we want to have a new place to
vacation".

You and your ilk are insidious.

You live in a neighborhood.
In 1962, your next door neighbor acted like a real turd. You and all the rest
of your neighbors agreed not to talk to the guy.
Over the years, the neighbor acted like less of a turd, but was still a bit
edgy. Not any worse than a lot of the other neighbors, but not as nice a guy as
you'd like to see.

After several years, most of the other neighbors began speaking and visiting
with the offender. Now, 40 years later, it's the "holdout" neighbor, (still
shunning the original turd as if it makes a difference), who looks about half
way silly.

In fact, the shunning neighbor's kids routinely cut through other adjoining
yards to go visit the shunned turd's house, anyway.

The anti-Cuba lobby, mostly centered in south Florida, may have more to do with
keeping cheap Cuban sugar off the market and eliminating vacation destination
competition than anything else. Bill Marriott and Steve Wynn could have turned
the Cuban economy around in a year but it would have come at the expense of a
lot of Florida tourism. As the other poster said, if it was juat about
communist dictators we would be embargoing China. Instead we are crowing about
the success of the China outlet mall (Wal-Mart/Sams).