Hillary and Rudy share tired view on Cuba policy (NY Daily News)

[antiimperialist]

Sunday, August 26th 2007, 4:00 AM

Surprising as it may be, Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, New York's' own presidential contenders, have something in common: Both support policies on Cuba that have failed for 46 years.

Any reasonable person would ask why would these two seasoned politicians back measures such as a trade embargo and a travel ban that for nearly half a century have done nothing to change the Communist regime but much to make life difficult for the people of Cuba they are supposed to help?

"Rudy Giuliani believes America must stand ready to help the Cuban people reclaim their freedom, but decreasing sanctions on Cuba will only serve to boost the Castro regime," said a campaign statement.

"She supports the embargo and our current policy toward Cuba, and until it is clear what type of political winds may come with a new government - if there is a new government - we cannot talk about changes to U.S. policy," said a Clinton campaign spokeswoman.

But if you are looking for the real answer as to why they support Bush's position on Cuba, forget all the grandiose statements and self-serving platitudes. The real reason is much more pedestrian: Both Clinton and Giuliani are avidly pursuing the swing vote and the deep pockets of the South Florida Cuban-American voters. Pandering, after all, is a bipartisan art.

Yet both candidates may be barking up the wrong tree. Every recent poll shows that a majority of Cuban-Americans and a whopping two-thirds of all voters nationally agree that the current Cuba policy has failed.

The travel restrictions imposed by President Bush distinguish themselves for their unnecessary cruelty and political shortsightedeness. They limit family visits to Cuba to once every three years instead of once a year. In addition, the spending limit for Cuban-Americans (it does not apply to any other visitor to the island) was reduced to $50 a day, down from $167.

Also, the new sanctions limit remittances of money to $100 per month and only to "immediate" family members - no aunts, uncles or cousins.

...

Read more:
http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/2007/08/26/2007-08-26_hillary_and_rudy_share_tired_view_on_cub.html?ref=rss

[MethuenProgressive]

1. The story is bullshit.

The writer calls the postion "pandering" and then says it really isn't...
The Ultra Right Wing HillHating Daily News will try *anything*!

Both Clinton and Giuliani are avidly pursuing the swing vote and the deep pockets of the South Florida Cuban-American voters. Pandering, after all, is a bipartisan art.

Yet both candidates may be barking up the wrong tree. Every recent poll shows that a majority of Cuban-Americans and a whopping two-thirds of all voters nationally agree that the current Cuba policy has failed.

[antiimperialist]

2. The writer of this story, Albor Ruiz, is not an ultra-right winger

Calling for easing the embargo is not a right-wing position. Albor Ruiz is a progressive Cuban who is much more sympathetic to the Democratic party than he is to the Republican party. He also praised Obama in this story.