New Jersey's delegation and the Cuban embargo

[ButterflyBlood]

this is how the vote went on allowing travel to Cuba: http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=483

5 of the 22 Democrats who voted no are from New Jersey, and that's 5 out of the 7 Democrats in NJ's delegation. Why is New Jersey against allowing travel?

[jiacinto]

1. Could there be Cubans in NJ

And maybe they aren't pro-Castro extremists and sympathizers like some posters here.

[ButterflyBlood]

2. oh give me a break

the amendment was sponsored by a REPUBLICAN. It passed overwhelmingly. I doubt only extremists are in favor of it. Also through a scan of the vote I can that DeMint, the ultra right wing wingnut who's running for Senate in SC even voted for it.

[UnapologeticLiberal]

3. I think Menendez is Cuban

And I think there is a pretty large Cuban population in parts of North and Central Jersey

[TreasonousBastard]

4. Yeah, lots of Cubans.

I'd have to check the numbers, but I remember around here there was a huge Elian turnout at the courthouse from the Cuban ward.

Surprised Payne didn't vote with the Cubans on this one, but his demographics may be more black and other hispanic. Most of the Cubans might be just south of his district and up there in Bergen county.

Payne's got the Ironbound and North Elizabeth, which is heavily Brazilian, Argentinian, and some others. They're not that friendly with the Cubans.

[Judi Lynn]

5. You're right. Robert Menendez is definitely Cuban.

New Jersey has the largest Cuban population outside South Florida, followed by Los Angeles and New York.

The Cuban American National Foundation has a New Jersey branch.

There are direct flights from Miami, Los Angeles, and New York to Cuba regularly, freely used by Cuban immigrants, and not ordinary Americans who are forbidden to travel to Cuba, under existing laws.