Statement from Barack Obama on Fidel Castro

[Orwellian_Ghost]

Statement from Barack Obama on Fidel Castro
By Sarah Ramey - Feb 19th, 2008 at 10:29 am EST

Barack Obama has issued the following statement in response to the news that Fidel Castro is stepping down as President of Cuba:

Today should mark the end of a dark era in Cuba's history. Fidel Castro's stepping down is an essential first step, but it is sadly insufficient in bringing freedom to Cuba.

Cuba's future should be determined by the Cuban people and not by an anti-democratic successor regime. The prompt release of all prisoners of conscience wrongly jailed for standing up for the basic freedoms too long denied to the Cuban people would mark an important break with the past. It's time for these heroes to be released.

If the Cuban leadership begins opening Cuba to meaningful democratic change, the United States must be prepared to begin taking steps to normalize relations and to ease the embargo of the last five decades. The freedom of the Cuban people is a cause that should bring the Americans together.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/sarahramey/gGgMq3

If Hillary has made one I would expect something equally distasteful.

[reality based]

1. I understand they still have mandatory health care there. n/t

[Orwellian_Ghost]

3. Not exactly

big difference between "mandatory" health care and universal health care.

We're heading towards the former which is in many ways a boon to the health care industry and not exactly such an amazing deal for the average citizen.

We've been trained to resign ourselves to crumbs.

[reality based]

10. I don't think we're "heading" for anything other than a health care disaster

until we get a single payer mandatory system.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

11. Single-payer

Agreed.

But the boogeyman of socialism will be paraded around by the propaganda machine and the people will fall for it. Just watch this thread.

[reality based]

15. Ah, yes, socialism has been a problem for this country ever since Ben Franklin

argued for public fire departments and headed up the Post Office.

[Occam Bandage]

8. No, they have single-payer heath care there. Like we should have.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Equally distasteful?

Is that a joke?

[Orwellian_Ghost]

5. No

Not a joke.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. So what do you take issue with?

[Orwellian_Ghost]

9. "Dark history?"

Hmmm. Sounds like propaganda straight from the State Department.

And believe it when you hear "democratic change" that means opening up to US markets.

If you don't understand that by now you never will.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. Ah, you're one of those.

Nevermind than.

[TooBigaTent]

4. Must pander for votes. Another reason to regret the lack of Democrats running

for the top job.

A question - with the decline of America's influence and financial ability to control the world, is it really necessary for the US to end the boycott? Cannot Cuba do as well with China, india, Russia, and the rest of the world as partners instead of relying on the good graces of the country that has done the most harm to the Cuban people - that being the US?

[Occam Bandage]

7. What's wrong with this statement? Glad Castro's gone,

political prisoners should be released, and it's time to start ending the embargo.

[The_Casual_Observer]

13. Bush essentially made the same speech yesterday. So what?

[Orwellian_Ghost]

14. Compare that with

this excellent piece by Peace Patriot:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2891589&mesg_id=2892388

[AlertLurker]

16. YAWN. More meaningless bullshit from another meaningless bullshitter.

Hey, Obama - perhaps you might want to propose a bill to repeal Helms-Burton?

No? Maybe you will actually VOTE on someone else's?

No? Then STFU. Nobody's buying it.

Nobody will buy it when Hillary says EXACTLY the same thing, either.