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U.S., Cuba to restore diplomatic relations after 50 years

Dittohead not! said:
I think it must have been about the same time other nations with which we have diplomatic and trade relations became democracies.

The cold war ended 23 years ago. We won. It's time to celebrate its end.
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Someone should tell Putin.
 
Rials6 said:
Well I hope he keeps it up because I'm having a ball with all this skipping and scootin.
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Cool. I bet he's counting on it! Probably write another secret Executive Memo as a reward to himself. :2dancing:
 
ocean515 said:
Cool. I bet he's counting on it! Probably write another secret Executive Memo as a reward to himself. :2dancing:
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Well he deserves it. He's done so much for you.
 
Amadeus said:
Broken by most people's standards. Certainly by progressive standards, and since Obama is a supposed to be a progressive president, he should use his lawful authority to make progressive changes in policy. Don't like it? Put forth a better candidate and have them win an election.
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There are plenty on the left and the right that have no appreciation in the way Obama goes about implementing his (progressive) "Change". You see they have a respect for our laws and Constitution and find his flagrant disregard for it by so often making himself a government of "one" very dangerous. Whatever he can't get passed in Congress, he announces a new E.O. to get what he wants. If changing laws/policies were suppose to be so damn easy, our free republic would have never been designed to include a Congress. Just a president with a pen!
 
vesper said:
There are plenty on the left and the right that have no appreciation in the way Obama goes about implementing his (progressive) "Change". You see they have a respect for our laws and Constitution and find his flagrant disregard for it by so often making himself a government of "one" very dangerous. Whatever he can't get passed in Congress, he announces a new E.O. to get what he wants. If changing laws/policies were suppose to be so damn easy, our free republic would have never been designed to include a Congress. Just a president with a pen!
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Then, why doesn't the Congress stand up on its hind legs and put an end to this authoritarian rule? Has it really become so dysfunctional, so limp wristed, so impotent that a president can simply take over both branches of government?

Why don't our elected representatives address the issue of Cuba? Of illegal immigration? of health care? of anything at all? It's seriously time for a revolution at the ballot box in which we throw the rascals out and start over.
 
vesper said:
There are plenty on the left and the right that have no appreciation in the way Obama goes about implementing his (progressive) "Change". You see they have a respect for our laws and Constitution and find his flagrant disregard for it by so often making himself a government of "one" very dangerous. Whatever he can't get passed in Congress, he announces a new E.O. to get what he wants. If changing laws/policies were suppose to be so damn easy, our free republic would have never been designed to include a Congress. Just a president with a pen!
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If he is trampling on the constitution or breaking laws why aren't republicans doing anything about it? Because he's not. Your just repeating what you've heard on tv with no actual facts. He's a constitutional scholar so I'm sure he knows how far he can go with out breaking any laws. And what do you mean whatever he can't get threw congress? Congress doesn't vote on anything. Lmao!
 
Dittohead not! said:
Then, why doesn't the Congress stand up on its hind legs and put an end to this authoritarian rule? Has it really become so dysfunctional, so limp wristed, so impotent that a president can simply take over both branches of government?

Why don't our elected representatives address the issue of Cuba? Of illegal immigration? of health care? of anything at all? It's seriously time for a revolution at the ballot box in which we throw the rascals out and start over.
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For the record, they were currently working on the Cuba issue. It just wasn't going fast enough for Obama. As far as health care, that can't be overturned unless there is a sitting president willing to overturn it. But the House has resorted to suing Obama for his over-reach of powers in Obamacare. The cap and trade/EPA stuff has all been addressed in the House and passed but until the last election, Reid has shelved the stuff to avoid sending it to Obama's desk for a signature/Veto. We will see some of that stuff getting passed on bi-partisan votes in the Senate but it will be doubtful that Obama will sign them. We have two more years of Hell with probably another basketful of E.O.'s coming out of the White House making MAJOR changes although temporary. The only good news is whatever he has implemented by E.O. can be stopped the minute he vacates the Oval Office with hopefully replacing him with someone with a greater appreciation for our Contstitution. Until then, God knows what this man will do.
 
Anthony60 said:
Gee, what an upside. Trade with Cuba. Big deal. Who do you think will benefit from that? The people, or their dictators and army? Is that worth it? That's a hard decision?

And tell me, what did we get back? More freedoms for the Cuban people? Opening up the country? Maybe cut back on the human rights violations? I thought Obama and the left were oh so concerned about torture and treating people well. But now Obama will overlook that in Cuba's case?

There is no upside. That is why every President kept the embargo going. We never had one this clueless in office before. The Castros must be laughing at us.

"What, the U.S. is lifting the embargo? Oh, no! What did we have to give up for that? HUH? NOTHING? LOL!"
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Your hysterical rant aside for a moment, have you proved in any regard that the embargo worked?
 
Rials6 said:
If he is trampling on the constitution or breaking laws why aren't republicans doing anything about it? Because he's not. Your just repeating what you've heard on tv with no actual facts. He's a constitutional scholar so I'm sure he knows how far he can go with out breaking any laws. And what do you mean whatever he can't get threw congress? Congress doesn't vote on anything. Lmao!
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Tell that to Professor Turley a Constitutional scholar and law professor at George Washington along with others who find Obama's actions an abuse of powers. Tell that to the Supreme Court who has already smacked Obama's hands over abuse of power in the Executive Branch.
 
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OrphanSlug said:
What makes you think that warming relations with Cuba has no benefit?
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In order to recommence diplomatic relations with Cuba Obama might have done some negotiating on the human rights issue, for example. Apparently this was not done.
 
vesper said:
Tell that to Professor Turley a Constitutional scholar and law professor at George Washington along with others who find Obama's actions an abuse of powers.
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Since he is abusing his power doesn't that warrant a impeachment? What's the hold up?
 
Grant said:
In order to recommence diplomatic relations with Cuba Obama might have done some negotiating on the human rights issue, for example. Apparently this was not done.
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So Obama should have done something that a 50+ year old embargo failed to do? That is your story?

And if you really feel that human rights is a prerequisite for trade and/or relations then that alone would eliminate over half (perhaps as high as 75%) of the world we currently trade and/or have relations with. Including one major nation that builds an overwhelming percentage of the things we buy every single day.

Let me ask this another way in terms of general foreign policy... why do various nations have different standards to gain your good graces in doing business with? Perhaps a better question is why is human rights an issue to do business with Cuba but not others?
 
Rials6 said:
Since he is abusing his power doesn't that warrant a impeachment? What's the hold up?
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With the new Congress being sworn in in January giving an majority to the Republicans in both chambers, it may very well come to that as last resort.
 
OrphanSlug said:
What do I see? I see potential trade opportunity and warming relations with a nation 90 miles off the coast of Florida. Not because Russia trades with them, but rather because Canada, Netherlands, Spain, China, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Venezuela, and dozens of other countries all over the globe all realized a long way back that isolationism of Cuba is a failed idea.
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What did all these countries recognizing Vuba help the Cuban people? Cuba had little to trade with other countries and there only chance at freedom during these years was escape. Does any of that change with this latest recognition? It doesn't seem so and, like the rest of the democratic world, we'll still be waiting for the tyrants death.
A relic of the Cold War that no longer applies. Face it, we failed to achieve any objective in isolating Cuba. We need a new direction and a Libertarian answer here is one we should consider.
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That decision is not for Barrack Obama or anyone else to make. If nothing changed with all these countries you mention not changing things, why should it change now?
 
vesper said:
With the new Congress being sworn in in January giving an majority to the Republicans in both chambers, it may very well come to that as last resort.
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I can almost guarantee they may not be able to agree on bathroom break times let alone on impeaching the president. It's going to be a mess.
 
Dittohead not! said:
Then, why doesn't the Congress stand up on its hind legs and put an end to this authoritarian rule? Has it really become so dysfunctional, so limp wristed, so impotent that a president can simply take over both branches of government?
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Of course. As long as we allow incumbency, legislators will do as little as possible in the hopes of angering the fewest possible people. We're finished if we don't force a single term limit.

Why don't our elected representatives address the issue of Cuba? Of illegal immigration? of health care? of anything at all? It's seriously time for a revolution at the ballot box in which we throw the rascals out and start over.
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Cuba is not an issue. It is a communist dictatorship inimical to the U.S. We shouldn't so much as look in its direction. Dealing with Cuba is just like dealing with Iran. There is no value in it for the U.S. Not even a little. This comment is made by me, a person actually raised in Cuba.
 
JasperL said:
But if you can't stand Obama, then I suppose it must be "childish and petulant" to choose an option other than what Charles Krauthammer suggests.
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And if you're still blindly infatuated with the awesomeness that is Obama, then I suppose having his opinion rule the land is just what you've been hoping for.
 
Grant said:
What did all these countries recognizing Vuba help the Cuban people? Cuba had little to trade with other countries and there only chance at freedom during these years was escape. Does any of that change with this latest recognition? It doesn't seem so and, like the rest of the democratic world, we'll still be waiting for the tyrants death.
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Why would it change? And BTW, the rest of the "democratic" world moved on and trades with Cuba.

Grant said:
That decision is not for Barrack Obama or anyone else to make. If nothing changed with all these countries you mention not changing things, why should it change now?
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I agree it would be nice if this was handled by Congress.

My main point is our foreign policy with Cuba, which is 50+ years old, failed to achieve any of the goals in isolating Cuba. So why not change direction since it is clear the embargo path did not work?
 
rocket88 said:
Obama could introduce a non-binding resolution about the sky being blue and we'd be hearing about "Obama-sky." Any Republicans who said "Well, yes it is" would be called "RINOs"

There is no support from both sides of the aisle anymore.
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Indeed. And belittling Congress and trying to marginalize their role in the governance of America is just the ticket to smoothing over differences and getting everyone on that bipartisan bandwagon.

But hey, since I consider Democrats in the White House to be a blight on world issues, I have no serious problem with Obama destroying the Democrat brand over his remaining two years.
 
Rials6 said:
If he is trampling on the constitution or breaking laws why aren't republicans doing anything about it? Because he's not. Your just repeating what you've heard on tv with no actual facts. He's a constitutional scholar so I'm sure he knows how far he can go with out breaking any laws. And what do you mean whatever he can't get threw congress? Congress doesn't vote on anything. Lmao!
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The Supreme Court has continually ruled against Barrack Obama, bringing into question his claim to be a 'Constitution Scholar'. His flip-flops on immigration versus the Constitution reflect that.

He may still be a 'constitutional scholar but, like his presidency, not a very good one.
 
vesper said:
1. For the record, they were currently working on the Cuba issue. It just wasn't going fast enough for Obama. 2. As far as health care, that can't be overturned unless there is a sitting president willing to overturn it. 3. But the House has resorted to suing Obama for his over-reach of powers in Obamacare. The cap and trade/EPA stuff has all been addressed in the House and passed but until the last election, Reid has shelved the stuff to avoid sending it to Obama's desk for a signature/Veto. 4. We will see some of that stuff getting passed on bi-partisan votes in the Senate but it will be doubtful that Obama will sign them. 5. We have two more years of Hell with probably another basketful of E.O.'s coming out of the White House making MAJOR changes although temporary. The only good news is whatever he has implemented by E.O. can be stopped the minute he vacates the Oval Office with hopefully replacing him with someone with a greater appreciation for our Contstitution. Until then, God knows what this man will do.
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1. They'd have been "working on it" for yet another fifty years.
2. "overturning" Obama care is not the issue so much as coming up with a replacement. Right now, there is no alternate plan.
3. Yep. Pure partisan gamesmanship. That is one thing that they can do.
4. I'll believe that when I see it happen.
5. Followed by what? Four years of.... (fill in the blank)

and none of the above answers the question of just why the Congress sits idly by and allows the president to rule by executive order. If Obama is really shredding the Constitution and instituting one man rule, as is being claimed, why don't our elected representatives do something about it?
 
CanadaJohn said:
Indeed. And belittling Congress and trying to marginalize their role in the governance of America is just the ticket to smoothing over differences and getting everyone on that bipartisan bandwagon.

But hey, since I consider Democrats in the White House to be a blight on world issues, I have no serious problem with Obama destroying the Democrat brand over his remaining two years.
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Hard to believe he began with an 80% approval rating and has since lost the House, the Senate, and now his approval ratings are well into the negatives.
 
OrphanSlug said:
Why would it change? And BTW, the rest of the "democratic" world moved on and trades with Cuba.
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Yes, I know but what good has this done the Cuban people? They are still trapped in Cuba under appalling living conditions. And what does Cuba have to trade anyway? They have no real industry.
I agree it would be nice if this was handled by Congress.
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Yes, but that hasn't been happening.
My main point is our foreign policy with Cuba, which is 50+ years old, failed to achieve any of the goals in isolating Cuba. So why not change direction since it is clear the embargo path did not work?
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Because it's up to the Castro family to change direction and there are no incentives for them to do so. Adding another country to the list of countries already on the trade list won't change a thing, which is the point many have raised. Why not negotiate something for the Cuban people before recognizing Cuba?

Of course we can hope change will come but that hope has been going on for 50+ years now and there has been nada.
 
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