Cuba libre
by digby
I'm pretty sure that this is all most people know about Cuba:
Good for President Obama for finally taking some steps to normalize relations. It takes some cojones. Not because it's a big deal. America's Cuba policy is absurd --- it pretty much hasn't changed since the period depicted in that famous scene. And nothing can substantively change until the US congress joins the 21st century on this issue. But it's guaranteed to make the right wing completely lose its shit. This proves in their minds, if they didn't believe it already, that Barack Obama is a full blown communist. I have to believe with this one that he's completely given up on even pretending to give a damn.
All Cuba policy for at least 40 years has really been about Florida presidential politics so it will be interesting to watch how it plays out politically. From the looks of FOX news, most Republicans still think it's 1961 so I wouldn't assume they're going to grow up.
Update: Polling on Florida:
— 68 percent of respondents favor restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba.
— Among younger respondents, 90 percent of respondents favor restoring diplomatic ties.
— When you include only registered voters, 51 percent of them support continuing the embargo.
— 69 percent of all respondents favor the lifting of travel restrictions impeding all Americans from traveling to Cuba.
— 53 percent of respondents said they would be likely to vote for a "candidate for political office who supported the re-establishment of diplomatic relations."
— A large majority — 71 percent — responded that the U.S. embargo of Cuba has not worked at all or has not worked very well.
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