Obama renews Cuba trade embargo

[dipsydoodle]

US President Barack Obama has extended the 47-year-old trade embargo against Cuba for another year.

In a statement, Mr Obama said that it was in the US national interest to extend the Trading With The Enemy Act which covers the trade embargo.

It is largely a symbolic step because the final decision rests with Congress.

Under legislation from 1996, the Helms-Burton Act, the embargo can only be lifted when Cuba is deemed to have begun a democratic transition.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8256196.stm

[Peace Patriot]

1. The embargo of Cuba will only be lifted after the U.S. has begun and completed

a democratic transition.

So there. My personal opinion. The US ceased being a democracy on November 22, 1963. And it was cemented as a corpo/fascist state in October 2002, when 'TRADE SECRET' code voting machines, with the code owned and controlled by a handful of rightwing corporations, with virtually no audit/recount controls, were fast-tracked all over the country by the Anthrax Congress. And, although I think that Barack Obama is a good and intelligent man, and was in fact elected, neither he nor any public official in this country can prove that they were. And that ain't democracy.

:patriot:

[Mika]

2. Peace Patriot, I've watched ballots being cast and counted in Santiago Cuba.

Like Canada. Counted on the same day as election day. Fully open for the public, including foreigners, to watch.

Candidates for all districts are openly nominated by the public in a caucus like process, with all of the shouting, campaigning, horse trading, coalition forming expected in an open political environment. Some districts choose quickly, some take days of haggling and platform consolidations. No party back room selections. 95% eligible electorate turnout and they are actively involved. Very intense. Exciting. Democratic.

:hi: