Does The 'Freedom To Travel To Cuba Act' Have a Chance?

[Billy Burnett]

Does The 'Freedom To Travel To Cuba Act' Have a Chance?
http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/12/23/12559/381/travel/Does+The+%27Freedom+To+Travel+To+Cuba+Act%27+Have+a+Chance%3F

We alluded to the Cuba travel embargo this morning in our Biggest Hotspot Of The Decade post, and rumors of its imminent demise have certainly been picking up. Reuters reported last week that travel industry insiders—the people who have a financial incentive to be on the cutting edge—are gearing up for Congress to lift travel restrictions.

Not coincidentally there's a bill winding its way through Congress that aims to do exactly that. The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act seems to be within striking distance of passing the House and it's lined up some powerful figures in the Senate. Obviously travel industry blogs are keeping an extremely close eye on the legislation, and Travel Agent Central has a nice survey of the political landscape:

A bill to end the travel ban, sponsored by Democrat Bill Delahunt of Massachusetts and Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona, has 195 backers in the House of Representatives, 23 votes short, supporters of the measure said. Similar legislation in the Senate has the support of key senators such as Republican Richard Lugar of Indiana, but needs 60 votes to pass. No action on the bill is expected until the spring.

Yeah, listen. This isn't going to happen. We understand that there are economic, political, and maybe even moral arguments for why it should happen. We understand that the industry wants it and that there are some polls which indicate public support. But it's not going to happen.

First and most simply, it's an election year and nothing controversial happens during election years. By the time spring rolls around there won't even be anyone in DC to take the vote. If there was a vote it's to pass. Of those 195 backers in the House, 15-20 are only "supporters" because they know they'll never have to prove it on the record. On the other side of Capitol Hill, being close to 60 votes in the Senate doesn't get you anything. Ask supporters of the public option.

There's also some inside baseball stuff going on in the Florida Senate race—key anti-Castro Republicans are peeling away from GOP frontrunner Crist who will eventually become a Democrat and then Congressional Dems will need to give him cover—but we don't need to get into that. Suffice it to say that anything scheduled for "spring 2010" might as well be scheduled for "spring 2011" because that's the first time it could see the light of day. And given the anti-incumbency wave sweeping the country, predicting anything about the next Congress is just silly. So keep drinking those "Cuba Libres," but it's all wishful thinking for now.

[Peace Patriot]

1. I can understand the perspective of this writer, on the political front.

But the recent fracas in Cuba about the CIA supplying computers and cell phones to Cuban dissidents, and a number of other events in the region, make me think that the U.S. government very much wants "in" to Cuba, to help complete its "circling of the wagons" in the Central America/the Caribbean/ northern South America region.

US global corporate predators and war profiteers are determined to crush the left in this region. Now that they've toppled democracy in Honduras--their traditional "lily pad" country for launching aggression in Central America--they're gunning for the remaining countries that have recently elected leftist governments--Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala. Their ultimate goal is to net in Venezuela's northern region on the Caribbean where most of Venezuela's oil reserves and facilities are located. Fascist politicians in that region of Venezuela openly talk of secession--which provides one possible strategy for invasion (to get "invited" in by fascist rebels). And the Pentagon has just arranged the mechanism for a huge US military buildup in neighboring Colombia, including US military use of SEVEN bases in Colombia and what will quite possibly be a US "naval blockade" support base on the tip of the Guajira peninsula, overlooking the Gulf of Venezuela and only 20 miles from Venezuela's border.

I think it's a reasonable guess, anyway, that the US is anxious to gear up subversion in Cuba. (Cuba also has oil--a new find.) When Fidel and Raul Castro die (both are very old), who have played the role of monarchs, protecting the Cuba revolution, that would be the ideal moment to open up travel, flood the place with CIA operatives, and attempt to put the Miami mafia back in charge.

What they are "circling the wagons" against is the immensely successful leftist democracy movement in South America and its new "common market," UNASUR. And what they are "circling the wagons" for is a close-to-home, reliable supply of oil to fuel the Pentagon's great war machine. This is the reason for the intense disinformation/psyops campaign against Hugo Chavez, a very popular, democratically elected president, and strong supporter of democracy and self-determination in Latin America. It is a total slander that he is a "dictator." The main goal of the disinformation/psyops campaign has been to reverse the truth, and make us folks in the U.S. not care when Colombia attacks Venezuela with US soldiers, US 'contractors,' US high tech spying capabilities and US planes and ships as backup. It will be a war much like Vietnam, with the local government and military fronting for US activities and goals (and I think will be conducted in coordination with fascist secessionists in northern Venezuela, and may also net in Ecuador, which also has lots and lots of oil, adjacent to Colombia to the south, and where the US/Colombia rehearsed a cross-border bombing/raid in March 2008).

Cuba is allied with Venezuela. The U.S. very much wants to change that, as quickly as possible. Post-Castro subversion, destabilization and toppling of the government will require a lot of US travelers in which to embed the US operatives.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Yes! When the US controlled Latin America through puppets, and military juntas,

there was no advantage in giving up the punishment of one small island which refused to allow US domination, and brutality administered by puppets, and more powerful goblins like Batista.

It would be new US politics adapting to being left out in the cold by the leftist led countries. By attempting to absorb Cuba gradually, US political wizards would try to possess a country which has been admired throughout the world for standing up to a great, dangerous power.

[Braulio]

5. Why not have free and fair elections?

Regarding Cuba and Venezuela, the advice Cubans give to Venezuela stinks. Venezuela would be better off getting advice from the mad hatter. As for help, what help is to Venezuela an island full of 10 million people whose exports are cigars and minerals, and lack the capability to feed themselves? Furthermore, the only thing Venezuela can sell to Cuba is oil. And Venezuela can sell oil to other clients with a much sounder checkbook. So what's the big deal?

[flamingdem]

2. It's hard to predict this one

what with the latest dust up about Raul and the Cuban ambassador's comments about Obama being arrogant in Copenhagen.

Etc. There is always something...

However... there are positive signs on the cultural front:

Check out the pictures of the hottest salsa act from Havana, they just did their first concert in San Francisco after almost 10 years of being barred due to BUSH.

David Calzado and La Charanga Habanera invade Miami and they will be back for a 45 days tour in May 2010.

http://www.elnuevoherald.com/entretenimiento/revista-aplausos/story/615892.html

Naturally the Miami Mafia is not pleased..

Kool and the Gang just played in Havana:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hOGz9CVAXuLwMe_SNnV3Odj3YpmwD9CNCPIO0

Legendary Cuban orchestra, grammy winners Los Van Van are set to play in Miami and Key West at the end of January. I might attempt to see them there.

http://ca.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idCATRE5BM3VX20091223

[Judi Lynn]

4. Wow. I just looked for a You Tube featuring La Charanga Habanera

Saw they are the group which recorded this BIG song in Havana and in Miami!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDUof_55-cM&NR=1

I've heard this is played all over Miami, as well as being a wild favorite in Cuba!

They have so much energy. It would be a great show.

(Hope the people who mobbed Los Van Van, hurling canned Cokes, and D cell batteries and baggies containing excrement won't be there. They sent someone to the hospital trying to terrorize concert goers ten years or so ago. Hope Miami is mellowing as more young people replace the old school exiles.)

Another song by these guys:
ttp://www.youtube com/watch?v=58vH9zzbcgI

"Keeping Kool in Havana" (You Tube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuJ8gLL_hHU&NR=1&feature=fvwp
(Cuban woman said she danced to their music when she was an adolescent!)

Kool & The Gang Plays Cuba!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTQZend_pg4&NR=1

Concierto de Kool and The Gang en La Habana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uDfGA7MXCo&NR=1

Los Van Van - Sandunguera (Live in Miami)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WrGi2bAh1A