U.S. Should NOT Interfere In The Politics Of Haiti Or Cuba

The nation of Haiti has some serious political problems at present. Their leader was assassinated in a coup attempt and there is much unrest and violence over what is to be done (who will replace him). The current leader is barely hanging on, and has asked for U.S. troops to be sent -- and some in this country agree with that.

There are also some serious demonstrations going on in Cuba -- thanks to a food and vaccine shortage and a repressive government. Some in the United States (especially among Cuban immigrants) want the U.S. to take action against the Cuban government.

The U.S. government should not do either. It should stay out of the politics of both nations, and let the people of those countries decide their future. And the U.S. should definitely not send troops or take military action to either country.

Frankly, the United States does not have a good record of trying to cause regime change in other countries. We have either made the situation worse, or failed to get anything accomplished. We need to learn from our mistakes.

The nation of Iran had a democratically-elected government, but our CIA caused that government to fall (because they were going to nationalize their oil reserves). We installed the Shah in power, and that country suffered many years under his dictatorial rule. When he was finally ousted, he was replaced by the religious regime of the Ayatollah.

The nation of Chile had a democratically-elected government, but our intelligence services help the military stage a coup (because they were going to nationalize the copper mines). That nation then suffered many years under the dictatorship of General Pinochet (who simply murdered his opponents). Thankfully, the people of Chile finally ousted Pinochet (with no help from us) and re-established their democracy.

When the French left Vietnam, we sent our own troops to prop up a corrupt South Vietnamese government (because we were afraid the communist North Vietnamese would take over). We accomplished nothing but the deaths of thousands of people on both sides of the conflict -- and then withdrew when it became apparent that we could not "win".

We then made the same mistake in Afghanistan. We went to war with the Taliban government there because we wanted to capture or kill Osama bin-Laden. But when that became difficult, we changed our goal and decided to establish a "democracy" in that country. The government we established was corrupt, and after twenty years of war it became obvious that, like in Vietnam, we could not "win".

Frankly, with our tack record, we should not get involved in either Haiti or Cuba. We would likely just make things worse and cause a lot of unnecessary deaths.

Trump Reversal Of Obama Cuban Policy Mostly Bluster & BS

(Caricature of Donald Trump is by DonkeyHotey.)

"I am canceling the last administration's completely one-sided deal with Cuba." 

Those were the words of Donald Trump on Friday. He made it sound like everything President Obama had done regarding Cuba would be reversed. And I've noticed on social media that many people have accepted that as fact. It is NOT true. The truth is that Trump changed very little -- and most of Obama's accomplishments remain in place.

Trump said he would more strictly enforce the Cuban embargo. That was pure BS. That embargo was passed by Congress, and they are the only ones that can change it in any way. All Trump can do is enforce what Congress passed -- just like every president since John Kennedy has done.

Did Trump close our consulate in Havana, and kicked the Cuban officials out of their consulate in the U.S.? NO! Both consulates remain open and doing business just as they were.

Did Trump make it illegal for people to buy Cuban products and bring them back to the U.S.? NO! People can still buy Cuban cigars, rum, and other products -- just like they did under President Obama.

So, what was changed. Trump did ban people from traveling to Cuba purely for tourism. But even that was not a complete ban. There are 12 exceptions to the Cuban travel ban, and anyone who really wants to go there can surely find a way to fit in one of those exceptions. The exceptions are:

* Educational activities in Cuba for schools, including people-to-people exchanges open to everyone

* Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba

* Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions in Cuba

* Religious activities in Cuba

* Humanitarian projects in Cuba

* Journalistic activities in Cuba

* Family visits to close relatives in Cuba

* Activities in Cuba by private foundations, or research or educational institutes

* Support for the Cuban people

* Exportation, importation, or transmission of information technologies or materials

* Certain authorized export transactions including agricultural and medical products, and tools, equipment and construction supplies for private use

* Official business of the US government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations

He did ban Americans from spending money in Cuba that would go to support the Cuban military. Those coming back from Cuba will be subject to an audit on where they spent money while there. We'll have to see how this is enforced to know whether it will pose an onerous burden on travel to Cuba. How are people to know when they spend money there that that money will eventually wind up with the Cuban military? And what will be the penalties if they knowingly spent such money?

Trump tried to act like he was doing big things to reverse Obama's Cuban policies. That was just bluster and BS. He actually did very little.

Marco Rubio should be feeling very foolish today. He sold out to Trump and defended him in the Senate hearings because Trump had promised him the reversal of Obama's Cuban policies. Now it looks like Rubio's purchase price was very cheap.

Did Rubio Sell-Out To Trump To Damage Relations W/Cuba ?

(Caricature of Senator Marco Rubio is by DonkeyHotey.)

Following article is by Fabiola Santiago in The Miami Herald:

It may be hard to fathom outside of Miami, but the faraway island of Cuba and Cuban-American politics could have played a role in Thursday’s historic hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Did the influential Republican senator from Miami on the committee, Marco Rubio, trade the integrity of this country for the pledge of a U.S. policy shift on Cuba from President Donald Trump? The optics — and the timing of a yet unscheduled visit by Trump to Miami to announce a rollback advocated by Rubio of President Barack Obama’s engagement policy — certainly make it seem that way.

Before Rubio’s intervention, the testimony by former FBI director James Comey had grown impressively damning to President Trump in the same manner a steady, thoughtful, and detail-oriented prosecutor builds a case.

Comey testified that, in a series of uncomfortable conversations before Trump fired him, the president had given him high praise and demanded loyalty. Trump made it known to him that he wanted the criminal investigation into National Security Adviser Michael Flynn dropped and the “cloud” of the investigation into Trump’s campaign ties to Russian interference “lifted,” Comey said. 

There’s no understating the moment — it was grave. 

Obstruction of justice easily came to mind — but then, it was Rubio’s turn to ask Comey questions. 

Or, more like it, to turn Comey’s testimony around and ask rhetorical questions that inserted doubt into Comey’s candid revelations. Rubio shifted the attention from Trump to leaks to the media. As for information, Rubio seemed most interested in getting Comey to publicly admit that President Trump “was not personally under investigation” than in obtaining any new evidence for the Senate investigation.

It was as if Rubio — who has become a fixture at the White House and has voted to confirm all of Trump’s controversial appointments — was acting as Trump’s defense attorney instead of as member of a bipartisan committee investigating crucial national security issues.

Rubio’s defense comes from a senator who called Trump a “con man” when they were both running for the Republican nomination, and who vowed to become the checks-and-balances senator the president might need. Well, this was the moment — and Rubio was only there to cast doubt on Comey, whose testimony could cost Trump the presidency.

Plain old partisan politics, perhaps, but there’s more.

President Trump has a two-faced view of Cuba. Although he made a campaign pledge to Bay of Pigs veterans in Miami that he would restore a hard-line approach to dealing with its government, his administration includes executives who eagerly embraced engagement and traveled to Cuba to explore business ventures.

Donald Trump, the citizen, also wanted to do business on the island.

Long before President Obama restored relations with Cuba in 2014, executives from the Trump organization visited Cuba to explore opening a luxury golf course, buying a hotel and erecting a Trump Tower in Havana. These excursions without Treasury Department approval, in violation of the U.S. embargo against Cuba, were well documented by Bloomberg Businessweek and Newsweek.

Despite the campaign promise, a reversal of Cuba policy wasn’t a sure thing. Trump’s inauguration Cuba policy has been “under study,” always a bridesmaid but never the bride to other policy priorities, as well as the president’s mounting scandals. But during the controversial healthcare vote, the Trump administration began making political deals.

For Rubio, an ultra conservative who courted Florida’s and the nation’s tea party voters with zeal, up-ending one of President Obama’s most significant legacy achievements in foreign affairs is a top priority — and personal. 

When President Obama announced on Dec. 17, 2014, that he was shedding 50 some years of failed Cuba policy — a historic moment embraced on both sides of the Florida Straits — the president did the unthinkable: He didn’t consult with Cuban Americans in Congress.

Rubio called it “a new low” and “a slap in the face.”

With Trump’s troubles swept aside, Rubio gets the opportunity to slap back — and take his victory lap in his home turf of Miami.

Without Trump, the policy of engagement takes a backseat to the crisis in the nation’s leadership, and if only by default, remains intact.

The former FBI director testified that Russia unequivocally was coming after the United States. He also said that the White House “lies, plain and simple.” He made a case for the president to be investigated for obstruction of justice.

Trading the integrity of this country for a political shift on Cuba policy is disgraceful.　　　　

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fabiola-santiago/article155176484.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fabiola-santiago/article155176484.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fabiola-santiago/article155176484.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fabiola-santiago/article155176484.html#storylink=cpy

General Public Disagrees With Trump About Cuba

The charts above were made from information in a recent Economist / YouGov Poll -- done on November 28th and 29th of a random national sample of 1,451 adults, and has a margin of error of 3.1 points.

After the death of Fidel Castro, Donald Trump once again showed his poor grasp of foreign relations. He said he would make demands of the Cuban leadership, and if those demands were not met, he would undo all that President Obama has done to put us back on the road to normalcy with Cuba.

That makes me wonder -- where has Trump been for the last 57 years. The United States has tried to change Cuba through bullying tactics for more than 50 years (since 1959), with threats and a failed embargo (which no one in the rest of the world recognizes anymore). What did it accomplish? NOTHING!

The government and the people of Cuba have shown us that they will not be bullied by the U.S. (or anyone else). Erasing the accomplishments of the Obama administration will not be any more successful than the bullying we have tried since 1959. In addition, it's not what the people of the United States want.

As the charts above show, the American public wants to normalize relations with Cuba. They want to be able to travel to Cuba, and they want to be able to trade with Cuba -- buying Cuban products and selling our own products to Cubans.

If Trump follows through on this ridiculous threat, it will just further convince the public that he is not going to be a good president.

My Thoughts On The Passing Of Fidel Castro

(Photo of Fidel Castro in from the Los Angeles Times.)

At the age of 90, Fidel Castro has died. His brother (and current Cuban leader) Raul announced his death on Friday.

Castro was someone who invoked strong feelings around the world. The leaders of many countries praised him -- because he always stood up to the United States, opposed racial inequality (including apartheid in South Africa long before the U.S. did), and sent doctors and teachers to many countries around the world to help lift them up. The view from most politicians in the U.S. is different. They are calling him a tyrant, a despot, and many other negative things.

So, who was Fidel Castro? Was he the savior of Cuba and a shining hope for the Third World, or was he the incarnation of evil? Probably both -- and neither.

Those who hated him point to his history of repressing opponents in Cuba, even to the point of putting them in prison or putting them to death. It is undeniable that happened. It is also undeniable that many U.S. politicians who eagerly demonize Castro are themselves engaged in trying to deny equal rights and opportunities to their own citizens (including the most precious right -- the right to vote).

But that's not the whole story. He also overthrew a corrupt government that denied basic rights to the Cuban people, and provided all Cubans with food, housing, free quality medical care, and a free public education (resulting in the highest literacy rate in the Americas) -- things that many U.S. politicians are still denying (or trying to take back) from their own citizens.

The truth is that, like politicians in the U.S. and around the world, Castro was a mixture of good and bad. He did some very good things for the Cuban people (and people in other countries), and he did some very bad things.

I think President Obama gave the most reasoned reaction to Castro's death, saying:

"We know that this moment fills Cubans — in Cuba and in the United States — with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him."

Fidel Castro said of himself:

“Judgment is spoken by the eternal court of history. Condemn me, it does not matter. History will absolve me.”

Both are right. History will be the judge of Fidel Castro -- as it is for all revolutionaries, leaders, and politicians.

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Unfortunately, Donald Trump's reaction to Castro's death shows he is much more bully than diplomat. He has threatened to undo all the progress that President Obama has made to normalize relations with Cuba unless the Cuban government gives in to his demands. This is foolish. He will learn, like all other presidents since 1959 did, that the Cuban people will not be bullied.

U.N. Asks U.S. To Lift The Cuban Embargo On A 191-0 Vote

(The cartoon image above is from cuba-embargo.procon.org.)

On Wednesday, the United Nations passed a resolution calling on the United States to end the Cuban embargo (which has been in effect for over half a century). The vote in the U.N. General Assembly was 191 to 0.

It marks the 25 year in a row that the U.N. has passed this resolution, but the first time the United States has not voted against it. This year the United States abstained from voting. Israel, which in the past has voted against the resolution, also abstained.

This means that the Republican Congress, which has refused to lift the embargo, stands alone against the entire world. It is time for them to stop playing political games, and lift the embargo.

Obama And Castro Agree It's Time To End The Embargo

(This photo of Obama and Castro is by Reuters and is from the BBC web site.)

President Obama's trip to Cuba seems to be a big success. A majority of the citizens in both countries approve of the trip, and it has given the leaders of both countries the chance to talk and chart a course for the restoring of full diplomatic rights between the United States and Cuba.

But there is one thing they agree still needs to be done, and it is something that neither Obama nor Castro can do -- end the trade embargo the United States levied against Cuba more than five decades ago. Unhappy with the result of the Cuban Revolution, the United States sought to force Cubans to change their government by installing the embargo.

The embargo has never worked, and most other countries stopped honoring that embargo long ago (resuming their trade with Cuba). Continuing the embargo is not going to change anything now either. It's just going to hurt American businesses that would like to trade with Cuba -- and hurt American workers whose jobs would be enhanced by trade with Cuba (both manufacturing and agricultural workers).

Unfortunately, the embargo was put in place by Congress, and if it is to be lifted, Congress must do it. But Congress is controlled by Republicans, and most of them are opposed to lifting the embargo. They still want to punish Cuba for refusing to be an American-controlled country -- even if that punishment long ago became weak and ineffectual.

But the American public doesn't agree with those congressional Republicans. About 48% (nearly half) of Americans think it's time to end the embargo, while only 22% are opposed. These numbers are from a YouGov Poll -- done between February 19th and 22nd of a random national sample of 1,000 adults, with a margin of error of 4.1 points.

Does the United States have the right to tell Cuba (or any other country) what kind of government or economic system they should have? Of course not. That is something that can only be decided by Cubans. Imagine how Americans would feel if another country tried to tell them what kind of government or economic system they should have. They would be incensed, and rightly so. We need to give Cuba the same kind of respect we expect from other countries.

The embargo has failed, and really should never have been imposed. It needs to be lifted as soon as possible.

A Historic Moment For The United States And Cuba

(This photo of the president and his family arriving in Cuba is from ABC News.)

History was made yesterday, when President Obama and his family set foot in the nation of Cuba. An American president hasn't visited Cuba in nearly 9 decades (since Calvin Coolidge visited the island nation in 1928) -- and no American president has visited since the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

This is one more step in the normalization of relations between the two countries. And that normalization is long overdue. Outside of Canada and Mexico (which share borders with the United States), no other country is as geographically close to the U.S. as Cuba is (about 90 miles away).

Cuba poses no danger to the United States (far less than many other countries with which we share full diplomatic relations), we have no right to dictate to Cuba what kind of government we think they should have. That is a matter for the Cuban people alone. There is no rational reason why we shouldn't treat Cuba fairly, and give them the same respect we offer to most of the world's other countries.

It is also time to end the silly embargo we have had regarding Cuba. It has accomplished nothing, and the other nations of the world long ago stopped honoring it.

Public Approves Of Obama's Cuba Trip (& Lifting Embargo)

A few days ago, I brought you the results of a new Gallup Poll that showed a majority of Americans now view Cuba favorably. Now there is a new YouGov Poll (done between February 19th and 22nd of a random national sample of 1,000 adults, with a margin of error of 4.1 points) that shows the public also approves of President Obama's impending trip to Cuba.

A majority of Americans (and most demographic groups) think it's a good thing for the president to visit Cuba -- the first trip to that island nation by an American president in nearly nine decades. While 51% approve, only 34% disapprove of the trip.

Perhaps even more important, a solid plurality of Americans (48% to 22%) now think its time for Congress to lift the failed embargo against Cuba. They are right. Most other nations are no longer cooperating with the embargo, and are freely trading with Cuba. The embargo has accomplished nothing, and lifting it would help many American businesses.

A Majority Of Americans Now View Cuba Favorably

The White House has announced that President Obama will visit Cuba in March to talk with Raul Castro. It will mark the first visit to Cuba of an American president in nearly nine decades, and is another important step toward the normalization of relations between the two countries.

How is this visit possible? The chart above tells us. A majority of Americans (54%) now view the island nation of Cuba favorably -- as do Independents (53%) and Democrats (73%). The only political group of people viewing Cuba unfavorably are Republicans, and even they have have shown a 6 point growth in favorability in the past two years.

Cuba poses no danger to the United States, and there is no reason why we shouldn't have normal diplomatic relations with them. It is time to finish the process -- and that includes removing the silly embargo of Cuba (which has been a spectacular failure anyway).

The chart above was made from results in a new Gallup Poll -- done between February 3rd and 7th of a random national sample of 1,021 adults, with a margin of error of 4 points.

Latin America Agrees - U.S. Should End The Cuban Embargo

 (This cartoon on Cuban embargo is by Matt Wuerker at Politico.com.)

Recently, U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro negotiated a return to normal diplomatic relations between the two countries. And last month each nation officially opened an embassy in the other country. But one thing the president did not do was end the U.S. embargo of Cuba.

That embargo has now been in effect for over 50 years. It was instituted to put economic pressure on Cuba, and force it to change their government (to one more compliant with U.S. government policies and U.S. corporate greed). To say it has not worked would be an understatement -- and the other nations of the world long ago abandoned it. They all now trade with Cuba as though the embargo did not exist. That includes the nations in this hemisphere, especially the Latin American nations.

Latin American nations have tried to convince the United States for many years to allow Cuba into the Organization of American States (OAS), and to normalize relations with Cuba. Those goals have now been accomplished. All that really remains to be done is to end the embargo on trade with Cuba.

The reason President Obama couldn't end the embargo is because that embargo was imposed by Congress -- and only Congress can remove it. Unfortunately, Congress is controlled by right-wing Republicans -- and they still think they can gain politically from continuing the embargo (especially among their xenophobic base).

Latin American nations disagree. They want the embargo to end. The Pew Research Center surveyed at least 1,000 citizens in each of five of the largest and most powerful Latin American nations, and they found huge majorities of citizens in those nations want the United States to end the embargo against Cuba. They see it as divisive and counterproductive. The results of that survey are illustrated in the chart below:

U.S. And Cuba Officially Establish Diplomatic Relations

(This photo of the Cuban embassy sign is from CNN.)

This seems to be happening under the radar, with little news coverage -- but it should be a moment for celebration. On Monday, the Cuban and United States embassies opened for the first time in many years.

Cuba opened their embassy officially in Washington, DC, and raised the Cuban flag. The American embassy also opened for business in Havana -- but they are delaying the official raising of the American flag until August 14th, when Secretary of State John Kerry visits Cuba.

I am happy to see this happen. Now the United States Congress needs to take the final step, and end the silly 50 years long embargo of Cuba. It has not worked, is not recognized by other nations, and still serves as nothing but an embarrassment for the United States.

Cuba And U.S. To Re-Establish Embassies

A few weeks ago, President Obama announced that Cuba and the United States would be engaging in talks designed to normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries. It looks like those talks have been successful, because yesterday President Obama announced the two countries would open embassies in each country this month. A simultaneous announcement was made on Cuban television, as an announcer read a letter from Raul Castro.

The two embassies are scheduled to open on July 20th, and Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Cuba to open the U.S. embassy. This is long past due. There is absolutely no reason why the United States and Cuba shouldn't have normal diplomatic relations.

Now Congress needs to do its part, and end the silly and ineffective trade embargo that has been in effect for more than 50 years. Cuba poses no danger to the United States, and all other nations ended there part in this embargo long ago. If we can trade with nations like China, then there is no reason why we shouldn't trade with our neighbor to the South.

President Obama Removes Cuba From Terror List

(This image of Cuba, and its flag, is from ramsar.conanp.gob.mx.)

It has finally happened. President Obama has removed Cuba from the U.S. list of countries supporting terrorism. I had expected some in Congress, especially right-wing Republicans, to try and keep this from happening -- but they didn't. Here is how Taegan Goddard's Political Wire reports it:

"Cuba’s designation by U.S. officials as a state sponsor of terror was officially lifted, the State Department said, clearing a hurdle to re-establishing diplomatic ties between Washington and Havana,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“President Obama recommended to Congress last month that Cuba be removed from the U.S. list, triggering a 45-day congressional notification period in which lawmakers could have challenged the decision. Though Mr. Obama’s Cuba policy has opponents on both sides of the aisle, lawmakers didn’t take steps to do so. The two governments continue to negotiate over the re-establishment of embassies.”

Now the U.S. government needs to remove the useless and embarrassing embargo of Cuba. It has accomplished nothing, and the rest of the world abandoned it long ago.

(This image of the Cuban embargo is from coha.org.)

A Handshake With Historical Significance

Both this photo and the following portion of an article (by Julie Hirschfeld and Randal C. Archibold) are from the New York Times:

President Obama and President Raúl Castro of Cuba shook hands here on Friday night, and American officials said they would hold discussions on Saturday during a gathering of regional leaders, in the first full-fledged meeting between presidents of the United States and Cuba in more than a half-century.

The expected encounter was not on Mr. Obama’s official schedule, but it held deep significance for the regional meeting, as the president’s move to ease tensions with Cuba has overshadowed the official agenda.

Mr. Obama is nearing a decision on removing Cuba’s three-decade-old designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, citing progress in the effort to re-establish diplomatic ties after half a century of hostilities.

He spoke by telephone with Mr. Castro before the gathering, and on Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry met with Bruno Rodríguez, the Cuban foreign minister — the highest-level session between the governments in more than 50 years — to lay the groundwork for the advancing reconciliation. The much-anticipated handshake on Friday night came as leaders gathered for a welcome dinner, where Mr. Obama and Mr. Castro were seated at the same table, separated by two other people.

Cuba - Our New Friend

I haven't always agreed with President Obama's decisions on foreign policy. I don't like his actions in the Middle East, and I think he should have ended the war in Afghanistan long ago. But his decision to start the process of normalizing relations with Cuba is one with which I wholeheartedly agree. Cuba poses no danger to this country, and there's no reason to treat them like an enemy.

Now the president has done some more toward becoming friends with Cuba. He has ended the U.S. objection to Cuba participating in Latin American Summits, and in fact, is expected to meet at least briefly with Raul Castro at the next one. He also is likely to very soon remove Cuba from the list of terrorist supporting nations (something else that should have been done long ago).

And while I'm on the subject of Cuba, a new poll has been done of that country's citizens by Bendixen & Amandi for Univision. It gives us an interesting look at the island nation we have spurned for so long. Here are some of the things that survey showed:

A Majority Of Americans Want Normalcy With Cuba

For more than half a century now, the United States has treated Cuba differently than it treats any other country -- with an embargo on trade, a restriction on travel, and the refusal to have any diplomatic relations with the island nation. The intention of theses actions was to force the Cubans to change their government to one approved of by the United States. But it has been an abysmal failure -- and a substantial majority of Americans think it is now time to change that failed policy.

The Gallup Poll recently surveyed 1,016 adults on February 14th and 15th about U.S. policy toward Cuba (and the survey had a margin of error of 4 points). The poll shows that 59% of Americans (well beyond the margin of error) now think the U.S. should re-establish normal diplomatic relations with Cuba, end the travel restrictions, and end the trade embargo.

This policy has never made any sense, and was abandoned long ago by all our allies. The U.S. has had normal trade, travel, and diplomatic relations with other countries whose governments we oppose (even communist countries), and it simply makes no sense that we treat Cuba differently. It is time to discard this ridiculous policy.

Americans Like These Two Obama Executive Actions

Since it has become more than obvious that nothing of any importance is going to come out of the Republican-controlled Congress, President Obama has decided to step up and act on his own as much as possible. The president touched on a couple of his executive actions in his State of the Union speech -- his exemption of the families of immigrant "Dreamers" from deportation, and his initiating the restoration of normal relations with Cuba.

Republicans blew their tops when those actions were taken (and pointedly refused to clap when they were mentioned in the SOTU speech), and have said they would try to overturn both. They would be making a mistake to do that. Of course making mistakes seems to be their forte these days.

I say that because a majority of the public likes the president's actions. They wish they could have been accomplished in conjunction with Congress, but they don't want them overturned. As the charts above show, 52% of Americans support the immigration action and 60% support restoring normal relations with Cuba. Opposing these actions is just going to further alienate Republicans from what the public wants.

It is interesting how much attitudes have changed in the last quarter century. Back in 1978, normalizing relations with Cuba couldn't have been done. Only 31% of the public would have supported it than (see chart below).

All of these charts are from the new NBC News / Wall Street Journal Poll that was done between January 14th and 17th of a random national sample of 800 adults, with a margin of error of 3.46 points.

Americans Are Ready For Normal Relations With Cuba

(The cartoon image above is by David Horsey in the Los Angeles Times.)

A few days ago, President Obama announced he would be normalizing diplomatic relations with Cuba, and easing travel restrictions a bit (although most Americans would still be forbidden to travel their). He also asked Congress to consider lifting the trade embargo that has been in effect for over 50 year (and accomplished nothing).

In Congress, Democrats applauded the president's decision and Republicans opposed it. But the real question was -- what do the American people think? Last week I showed you the results of three recent polls -- polls that showed most Americans want normal relations with Cuba (and want the embargo lifted). They were the CBS News Poll, the Rasmussen Poll, and the CNN/ORC Poll.

Now there is a fourth survey (see charts below) that verifies what the other three polls have shown. It is the YouGov Poll done between December 20th and 22nd of a random national sample of 1,000 adults, with about a 4 point margin of error. It shows that half of Americans (49%) want to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba, while on 24% do not. And 55% majorities want to end the trade embargo and let all Americans travel to Cuba, while only 25% and 26% respectively do not.

And this stretches across all gender, racial, and age demographics. They all show either a majority or strong plurality in favor of the president's position (and opposed to the position taken by congressional Republicans). There is only one group that differs -- Republicans (which may be why the congressional Republicans have taken a position not supported by most Americans).

Our policy toward Cuba has long needed changing (as the rest of the world has already done). Finally, that change has been started. If Congress was smart, they would now finish the job. They won't though. They are too afraid their teabagger base would think they agree with the president on something.

Public Supports Normalizing Relations With Cuba

President Obama recently announced that he is taking steps to once again normalize relations with Cuba. That means that soon we will have an embassy in Cuba -- and the president also relaxed some rules on doing business with Cuba, is going to allow more money to be sent there by private citizens (although most citizens will still be restricted from traveling there).

These moves (and more) have needed to happen for quite a while now in my opinion. But naturally, the Republicans in Congress hit the roof when the president announced his plans. They accused the president of supporting the abuse of human rights (even though they have recently defended this country's use of torture) and complained that he us supporting a dictatorship (ignoring the many right-wing dictatorships they support themselves, like Saudi Arabia). I suspect that, as usual, their opposition springs more from the fact that it was done by President Obama, than any feeling that it was the wrong thing to do.

So, who is right? Does the public support the president's actions or the Republican's outrage over those actions? After examining several new surveys on the subject, it looks to me like the Republicans have positioned themselves in opposition to the desires of the American public. About 54% of the public supports normalizing relations with Cuba, while only 28% oppose that.

In fact, the American public would like to see our government go even further. A whopping 77% think all Americans should be able to travel to Cuba (like the people of all other nations can do), while only 17% want to keep the travel restrictions in place. And about half of the public (49%) would like to see the U.S. completely lift the embargo against Cuba (something only Congress can do), and only 28% would oppose lifting the embargo.

If the Republicans think they will win support by opposing the president on Cuba, they are sadly mistaken. Americans are ready to end the diplomatic and economic war on that island nation. And the charts below show us why that is. About three-quarters (74%) of the American people no longer see Cuba as a threat to the United States. And that includes those over 50, many of whom are old enough to remember the Cuban missile crisis.

I doubt that the Republican Congress will lift the embargo against Cuba. They wouldn't want their teabagger base to think they agree with the president on anything -- even something that makes sense and is wanted by most Americans. But they should do it.

The top two charts above are made from a CBS News Poll -- done between December 18th and 21st of a random national sample of 1,000 adults, with a 3 point margin of error.

The third (bottom) chart above is from a Rasmussen Poll -- done on December 19th and 20th of a random national sample of 1,000 likely voters, with a 3 point margin of error.

The two charts below were made from a CNN/ORC Poll -- done between December 18th and 21st of a random national sample of 1,011 adults, with a 3 point margin of error.