Senator Coleman to visit Cuba this weekend

[Osolomia]

Publishing date: 09-18-2003 10:00 AM

(Washington-AP) -- Senator Norm Coleman says he will travel to Cuba this weekend to explore trade, travel and human rights issues.

Coleman is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Western Hemisphere subcommittee. He said today that he plans to meet with both high-ranking Cuban government officials and political reform advocates. Coleman's office declined to say whether the senator will meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro.

The Minnesota Republican also said he plans to meet with ordinary Cubans, as well as religious leaders, business officials, diplomats and investors during the four-day trip.

More...
http://www.kaaltv.com/article/view/30121/

Yet another in a steady stream while Dems keep their heads in the sand!

[qb]

1. I hope he loses his passport and gets stuck in one of Castro's jails.

[goobergunch]

3. Seconded. (n/t)

[CMT]

2. they can keep him

but I doubt they would want that pack of s__t for long.

[dflprincess]

4. This is very interesting given that that weasel Coleman

doesn't breath unless Bush* tells him he can.

They're up to something, Shrub isn't going to risk alienating the Cuban vote in Florida so my bet is he's sending Normie to try and appease one side, but Normie will come back and say things are so horrible we just can't open up relations.

I hope Castro isn't planning on using any small planes while Norm is in town.

[mac56]

6. True.

Dubya's hand is up Coleman's back as far as it can go.

I'm highly skeptical about this.

[Another Bill C.]

7. Weasel is a good description

for Coleman. Like a weasel changes color according to season, Coleman was once Jewish and a Democrat. Now he's Irish and a Republican. I wonder what's next.

[dflprincess]

17. There is an IrishCatholicDemocrat family in St Paul

who have been quite active in DFL politics whose last name is Coleman (the late Nick Coleman, Sr. was state Senate Majority Leader about 20 years ago). Rumor has it that Normie has never discouraged those who confuse him with those Colemans. Though I doubt many in St Paul make that mistake.

[northernsoul]

50. not on yer life, Princess!

us St. Paulites may be crazy, but we ain't dumb!

well, ol' Normie is kinda our fault - so maybe I can't stand by that statement any more.

[truthisfreedom]

5. i hope he isn't planning to use any sex services, like bush suggested to

jesse ventura.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/4039203.htm

[Osolomia]

8. OMG, sure sounds like the freerepublic around here today!

More than 10 years after the Soviets left Cuba and progressive democratic undergrounders are still living in a hatemongering cold war fantasyland.

Shame! Shame! Shame!

[Cooley Hurd]

9. Huh? The "hatemongering" is reserved for Coleman...

...not for Cuba. You do know who Norm Coleman is, don't you? He had the audacity to say he has been a great improvement over the late Senator Paul Wellstone...

[MnFats]

48. A "99 percent" improvement over Wellstone, to be precise

the little asshole.
it amounted to gloating over his dead opponent. He is despicable.

[mac56]

10. I don't see any hate directed toward Cuba.

Only Weasel-Boy Coleman.

[Osolomia]

13. Just the place for Coleman though eh?

And I'd just finished reading the GD thread on Cuba. Yikes!

[mac56]

19. Huh?

I believe you've taken me way out of context.

Never have I or would I say anything insulting or demeaning about Cuba.

Please re-read my posts.

[joshcryer]

23. Don't worry about it.

I've gotten flamed a few times before, too.

Without actually being against pro-Cuba relations.

[Mika]

39. joshcryer

joshcryer, I don't think that you have been personaly flamed. Just the propaganda stereotypes of Cuba that are posted as fact from persons who, having never been there, have no idea of what Cuba is really like now.

Thanks for hangin' in, and reading the "Cuba threads". :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Osolomia]

40. Exactly!

I expect to find the propaganda stereotypes and hatemongering about Cuba on freeper forums but not here where people ought to know better by now.

[Mika]

43. on stereotypes

Osolomia, I was one of those brainwashed Americans before I went to Cuba to see it for myself as a young person, and many times since (legally). I find that unless there is some specific interest in Cuba, most Americans are prone to believe the all-encompassing anti Cuba corporate press and corporate government propaganda. This omnipresent propaganda is so deeply embedded that upon hearing that Cuba has a democratically elected government causes short circuits in the decades long cold war forced fed mentality. I'm not posting this as any excuse for the adamant ignorance of the commiephobes, but I am saying 'give us Americans a break', ok? Regarding Cuba, we Americans are politically and informationally stunted by the lies of our press and government (not to mention the US gov travel ban on Americans to Cuba, or the residual cold war phobias), and, since most will never go to Cuba, some of us DUers need gentle cajoling to open our minds to 'radical' concepts like Cuba's democracy & sovereignty, rather than getting clubbed over the head for not knowing Cuba's recent history.



edit--> Thanks Osolomia, for posting all of the great links that keep the "pro Cuba crowd" informed. Its much appreciated. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:



Some pro Cuba-ists might find this interesting,
http://www.cubasi.cu/n_istituzioni_terza.asp?lng=eng&canale=istituzioni&sezione=12&id=89

[Osolomia]

49. Dems have been using such excuses for a over 10 years now

This is the 4th US presidential campaign since the Soviets left Cuba and the Rest of the World figured this one out.

Considering the almost constant daily stream of articles relating to US relations with Cuba from the likes of AP and other major US news organizations in recent years that have been posted here on DU and the votes that have been taking place in Congress and elsewhere there’s no excuse for members of a forum such as this to still be so ignorant about what’s going on and why, especially with the likes of Bush and Cheney in the White House saying things like this to this day: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=122200.

Did you have to visit Iraq to decide whether you thought the US should invade or not?

The ignorant bigotry against Cuba persists because it is tolerated even by those who ought to know better by now imho.

[joshcryer]

55. Thank you.

That's the point I was trying to make in the other thread about the whole 'sticky situation' comment.

Believe me, I was just as baffeled as anyone when I heard that Castro had popular support and there were democratic elections. I didn't believe it. And no one could've expected me to, at first. We have to take our own initiative to learn the truth.

Sad, but true.

Keep it up guys. Even if I don't post in your threads, know that I am indeed reading them.

[Mika]

59. Joshcryer, I wish you could go to Cuba..

.. to see for yourself.

Cuba is no paradise, but Cubans have built very workable systems despite the war waged against them by 'the greatest & most powerful' nation on earth.

You could go to the local election offices and pick up some of the magazines, newsletters, and newspapers printed by the political parties and unions. You could watch the round table talk shows on Cuban TV that are the closest thing to DU on TV, anywhere. You could log-on to a computer, free email accounts for all to use, at the library or the local CDR office and send/ receive email to/ from your pals back in the USA and elsewhere, as Cubans do every day. You could see all of the construction and improvements going on all over Cuba to accomodate a growing tourism industry. You could see the markets and shops, both dollar and peso, that are expanding their product range constantly. I could go on forever..


Cuba is a wonderful place inhabited by wonderful, hardworking people. You would love it.

[Osolomia]

26. Huh? It wasn't specifically directed at you

but apparently you are blind to the ignorant stereotypes of Cuba being used by others who ought to know better by now.

[mac56]

35. Clarify, please.

"Apparently you are blind to the ignorant stereotypes of Cuba being used by others who ought to know better by now."

Show me what I posted that led you to that assessment of me.

I'm waiting.

[Osolomia]

36. OMG

What part of "It wasn't specifically directed at you" don't you understand?

Considering what the USA has got going in Guantanamo "Castro's jails" would be too good for Coleman but apparently you don't recognize the original comment, or the many others like them, for what it is.

[mac56]

38. If it's not specifically directed at me -

why do you keep throwing things like this at me?

"Considering what the USA has got going in Guantanamo "Castro's jails" would be too good for Coleman but apparently you don't recognize the original comment, or the many others like them, for what it is."

Make up your mind.

[Osolomia]

41. My mind is made up based on the evidence

Read messages 1, 3, 4, and 5 and if you still don’t recognize the “propaganda stereotypes” that led to my observation in message 8 and discussed in messages 39 and 40 then I humbly suggest that you take your blinders off.

[mac56]

45. Ready, fire, aim.

I didn't write messages 1, 3, 4, or 5.

You seem to be lashing out indiscriminately.

Welcome to my "ignore" list. Enjoy your stay.

[Osolomia]

46. OMG, can't you read?

For the FOURTH time: the original comment was not directed at you, not one of the messages I just listed were written by you!

[Mika]

47. an example of adamant ignorance

"For the FOURTH time: the original comment was not directed at you, not one of the messages I just listed were written by you!"


Osolo, some people just don't want to get it. Or, maybe five times will do the trick? LOL


I am very happy that the farm belt is reclaiming some of their business with Cuba.. this means more much needed American jobs throughout the supply chain. American jobs that the hard line Miamicuban exiles and the politicians that pander to their anti Cuban and anti American agenda don't seem to care about.

Thanks for posting those very positive articles.

[dflprincess]

16. Let me make myself clear

I was bashing Coleman. Personally, I think it's time to open up relations with Cuba. (Though I've read that the time to visit Havana is now - before we get in there and it's full of McDonald's and Starbucks)

[piece sine]

71. we damn him if he does and damn him if he doesn't

love it when we box-in these politicans....too bad we also box in ourselves, as if no one besides us reads these threads. Many here support Cuba and want to see it prosper. But we can't stand Coleman. So for many here, hatred of Coleman pre-empts respect for the Cuban people. Resentment talks and long-range thinking walks!

If you support Cuba, you'll support any and all efforts by prominent Americans to normalize trade. Including Norm Coleman. Let's take whatever support we can get! If you HATE Cuba and HATE Coleman, well then I guess my comments don't apply to you.

[Mika]

72. Thank you, piece sine

Well said. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Osolomia]

74. Good points! Can you explain this to me?

Even Coleman is “pro-Cuba” but 2004 Dem presidential contenders are pro-embargo.

Can you explain why that is to me?

Obviously there’s a much bigger and powerful and more influential lobby out there these days than CANF and the Cuban-American “exiles” in Florida.

Obviously there’s a bipartisan majority all across the country who’ve managed to figure this one out despite all the propaganda they’ve been fed all their lives even if many of their rationales for lifting the embargo are purely capitalistic and imperialistic, at least they’re honest about it.

Strange, for all the support DUers supposedly have few even seem to know anything about the crucial vote coming up in the Senate any day now, or even want to know how their Senator plans to vote on this issue of “freedom” that will blow a huge hole in the USA’s wall across the Florida Straits if it passes.

Then what will Bush and the Dem presidential contenders do?

Inquiring minds want to know, and are paying attention!

[Mika]

75. Part of the explanation

"Obviously there’s a much bigger and powerful and more influential lobby out there these days than CANF and the Cuban-American “exiles” in Florida."



I have pointed out in earlier threads that, in addition to the hard core Miamicuban "exiles", there are the Florida tourism PACs, the Cruise line PACs, the Indian gaming PACs, the Bahamian tourism and gambling PACs, the Cayman Island tourism PACs, the Jamaican tourism PACs, the Las Vegas gaming PACs, the Atlantic City gaming PACs, and many many more tourism PACs (like the tourism board of Orlando & Disney & Universal Studios, etc), all who lobby against opening up Cuba to American tourists and their vacation dollars (which would be billions of American tourism dollars the first year alone).

All of these interests (who are major sponsors and advertisers) use the media to keep the "exiles" in the spotlight as the major players and policy makers. This also serves the "exile" anti Castro interests in the form of receipt of our tax dollars directed toward their fraudulent "free Cuba" foundations and PACs.


Its all about money, both pro and anti sanctions.

[Osolomia]

76. That doesn't explain why Dems keep pandering to the minority

Florida’s ”exiles” are rarely mentioned in the steady slew of articles about US politicians and businessmen going to Cuba. In fact, the bipartisan majority doesn’t seem to give a damn what the “exiles” and other such self-interest PACs think about lifting the embargo and travel ban, they’re going ahead and doing whatever trade and travel they can anyway.

If the "exiles" are “in the spotlight as the major players and policy makers” then how do you account for the vote in the House last week, and the one expected in the Senate next week, or the likes of Coleman being in Cuba as we speak?

If Florida’s hoteliers and cruise ship operators etc. still don’t want to be part of the trade or can’t compete in the free market that’s their problem, all the more business for those who do. It’s still no excuse for Dems to be pandering to the right wing minority while ignoring the steady stream of reports from the bipartisan “pro-Cuba” majority for several years now and still counting.

[Mika]

77. I wasn't trying to explain that

{edit - fixed chart}


I was responding to your comment that,
""Obviously there’s a much bigger and powerful and more influential lobby out there these days than CANF and the Cuban-American “exiles” in Florida.""


I said, "All of these interests (who are major sponsors and advertisers) use the media to keep the "exiles" in the spotlight as the major players and policy makers." was meant to connote that the Miamicuban exiles are a media front for the anti trade forces behind the scene, while not really being the powerful lobby we Americans have been led down the path to believe. You see it all over the place here at DU.. the misconceptions that a majority of Cuban-Americans are supportive of the US sanctions on Cuba. And another seen here on DU and elsewhere in America, is the misconception that Cuban-Americans are right wing republicans in total, when we know that they are not.

chart from www.opensecrets.org


You are right, Osolo. There are other forces at work keeping pressure on the sanctions against Cuba.



"If Florida’s hoteliers and cruise ship operators etc. still don’t want to be part of the trade or can’t compete in the free market that’s their problem, all the more business for those who do."

They don't want to lose American tourism dollars. So, by hook or by crook, they will work to keep as much business as they can, and if that means abrogating our travel rights, and negatively impacting jobs elsewhere in the farm belt.. so be it. They don't have a pro American agenda, they have a profit agenda with money to back it up.




"It’s still no excuse for Dems to be pandering to the right wing minority while ignoring the steady stream of reports from the bipartisan “pro-Cuba” majority for several years now and still counting."

I agree 100 percent. This issue is a microcosm of the lack of democratic representation that is America.

[Osolomia]

11. Some food for tought

Posted on Thu, Sep. 18, 2003
Miami Herald
JIM DEFEDE/COMMENTARY
Candidates lack original ideas on Cuba policy

Poor Condoleezza.

In the midst of all of the real problems in the world -- Iraq, North Korea, the break-up of Ben and Jennifer -- the national security advisor had to take time out of her schedule recently to write Florida GOP legislators to assure them that when it comes to Cuba, President Bush is committed to being as ill-informed as any of the Democratic candidates running for president.

Which won't be easy.

... The only reason the embargo exists is that to abandon it now would be admitting it was a failure. And that is simply too painful for many Cuban Americans to accept, especially those in power.

The embargo may have been started with the best of intentions, but today it is merely an object of ego and misplaced pride.

... I have trouble with a policy that says Cuban Americans are entitled to special privileges that other Americans can't have.

... And if you want a free Cuba, you don't pander for votes in Florida by telling Cuban Americans what they want to hear. You stand up and tell them what they need to hear.

Now that's presidential.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/jim_defede/6798041.htm

[Osolomia]

12. Some more food for thought

Cuba screams for American ice cream
Kren Ethridge
The Hartwell Sun, Georgia

What started as an idea to bring dinner to Cuba ended up being dessert. Havana, Cuba, is now receiving 240 tons of a soy-based ice cream mix from Savannah-based Y&Y Agriculture Corp. of Georgia.

Ray Lewis, Hart County’s chief registrar, is the secretary of Y&Y and played a major role in the $750,000 agreement. He and two other members of the company traveled to Cuba more than a year ago to look at putting in a fast food hamburger restaurant.

... During his 2002 visit to Cuba, Lewis attended a dinner hosted by Cuban President Fidel Castro for the food expo presenters.

“We had a 12-course meal and he gave everybody a cigar and a lighter. I shook hands with him and told him I decided I like Cuba,” Lewis said.

Although he said Cuba is a “different world,” Lewis is ready to go back and explore new business options. Lewis and other Y&Y executives are scheduled to go back to Cuba at the end of October.

“It’s exciting to be a part of history,” Young said.

http://www.thehartwellsun.com/tr/articles.asp?ID=2132&cat=business

[wellst0nev0ter]

14. He Isn't Too Difficult To Figure Out

He just wants to see if the place is ready to be NAFTA-ed to death.

[northernsoul]

51. yup, definitely recon for B*shco

good call, Voted4Wellstone!

[Osolomia]

53. Recent reports posted on LBN say Bush is to announce

his latest Cuba policy within the next week or so, just as the Senate is expected to defy Bush and debate and vote on your freedom to travel to Cuba whether the right wing extremists like it or not, not that many DUers even give enough of a damn to even know what's going on right under our noses as we speak since Iraq provides such a wonderful distraction to everything else!

[kwolf68]

15. Coleman

Will forever be engrained on my brain as the stuffed suit that took the place of a man I thought would one day be our President.

When I think of Paul Wellstone's passing I have severe time believing this is a just world. We needed him...I miss him so much. He was so inspirational. If I was flipping around C-SPANII and Senator Wellstone was talking I'd hold on, go grab me some chips and be amazed.

Meanwhile, Right-wing ideological biggots like Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond live to be 600 years old. It just isn't fair.

RIP Senator Wellstone. Your like will never again be seen.

[Emboldened Chimp]

18. Maybe he's just stocking up on some primo Cubans?

[Judi Lynn]

20. Anyone going to Cuba for primo prostitution is 43 years too late

Cuba was known as the "Whorehouse of the Caribbean" when Fulgencio Batista, the bloody dictator our own right-wing and American Mafia adored, was running things.


Guide to Havana, Cuba, U.S. Navy Fleet Publication 1954

http://cuban-exile.com/doc_226-250/doc0242.htm



SIN - With a Rhumba Beat (??????)
http://cuban-exile.com/menu1/%21entertain.html

When the Mafia was driven out of Cuba, a lot of trash was cleaned up.

Most of us are aware that Bush's State Department, starting with the professional liar, "exile" Cuban Otto Reich have been accusing people of perversion forever. Pathetic.

Before Otto Reich accused Jesse Ventura of going to Cuba for "sexual adventurism" when he was going to Cuba to participate, along with farmers and Minnesota agricultural experts in a trade/agricultural fair, he accused American reporters covering Nicaraqua of seeking sex, both heterosexual, and gay with the citizens of that country.

Anyone who has watched right-wing Presidents and their character assassins torpedoeing people in their road is really familiar with this STUPID finger-pointing.

As a DU poster who has been to Cuba multiple times, as well as living in Miami said, Miami is the place to look for prostitutes, actually.

[Emboldened Chimp]

22. I was actually thinking about cigars

So, what's on your mind? ;-)

[Judi Lynn]

24. Sorry, I, uh, jumped the gun

Not really informed on cigar lingo. Gulp. :dunce: :silly: :crazy:

Here's a nice cigar rolling photo to pay you off!

[Osolomia]

25. Members of Congress exempted themselves from the limit

on the number of cigars they're allowed to bring back from Cuba but such double standards don't seem to bother their apathetic constituents too much or they'd be pounding on the Senate's door my now in preperation for the upcoming vote on the issue.

[Judi Lynn]

27. Didn't know they excuse themselves from limited cigar grabs!

There's been a steady stream of U.S. Representatives and Senators coming and going to Cuba for years. It's really getting interesting when you read that during breaks you can expect delegations of numbers of them heading for Cuba.

Speaking of cigars, here's a climber bonding with a cigar, in Cuba with his group. He most likely won't be getting back there now, if Bush's demands are not overturned.


http://www.bigwalls.net/climb/Cubafolder/cubapic.html

If I understand correctly, almost all the small American groups are no longer allowed to travel to Cuba, so saith the pRes, unless they are the "exiles" who "fled" from Cuba originally, or their families, wanting to go back and have a look around.

[Osolomia]

31. Bush won't let the Cuban representatives enter the USA

that's why so many Americans are having to go to Cuba to meet with Pedro Perez (?) of Alimport. It's not just Latin Grammy nominees that Bush has been denying visas to while Dems turn a blind eye!

[Judi Lynn]

33. You're so close, it's Pedro Alvarez.

Press release

U.S.-Cuba Business Conference 2003
Gains Momentum

Atlanta, Dec. 16, 2002: Two new sponsors have chosen to become a part of the 2003 U.S.-Cuba Business Conference to be held February 17-19, 2003 in Cancun, Mexico and Havana, Cuba.

Adding their names to the roster of U.S. interests that recognize the value of opening the Cuban market to their products and services are Caterpillar America Services and Minnesota Department of Agriculture, AMS.

"We saw the value of being a sponsor of last January's Cuba Business Conference and we did not want to be on the sidelines this year," said Kurt Markham, Director of Minnesota Department of Agriculture. In a similar vein, Joseph Green, Northern Regional Manager of Caterpillar, said, "We were able to make new friends and renew old acquaintances at last January's Cancun conference which has helped us understand the changing business environment in Cuba."

The U.S.-Cuba Trade Association and Alimport, the Cuban government's purchasing organization, are cooperating fully on the February conference. Pedro Alvarez, Chairman of Alimport, will head a delegation of more than 30 most senior Cuban commerce officials to the U.S.-Cuba Business Conference.

Kirby Jones, President of the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association (a Conference sponsor), remarked after a recent visit to Cuba, "I have had several meetings with Pedro Alvarez and his colleagues and they are enthusiastic about the business prospects which will be generated by this next conference in Cancun and Havana." (snip)

http://www.conway.com/cdi/press/021216pr.htm



Interesting site:

The year 2000 Farm Bill signed by President Clinton allows "licensed sales" of food and medicine to Cuba. Agricultural products from Southern USA states have been purchased by Cuba in 2002 for the first time in over 40 years....something not considered "possible" only a short time ago. There are many great possibilities in New Cuba. We hope you explore them with us.

DIXIE CUBA is an online publication dedicated to increasing bidirectional communication, friendship, trade, and travel between the Southeastern USA and Cuba. We continuously update this website to offer quality information to the global community. For more information regarding Cuba, please visit the links of our affiliates in the bottom menu of this homepage.

Paddleboats once transported USA goods to New Orleans where ships loaded the products and sailed onward to Cuba. Many Southern ports are interested in serving New Cuba. Mobile, New Orleans, Galveston, Houston, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale and Miami are updating their facilities, policies and procedures to handle "licensed sales" to Cuba. We are pleased "Dixie" will play an important role in New Cuba and USA/Cuba relations in the New Millennium.

http://www.dixiecuba.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

At one time, the right-wing "exiles" in Miami, and their supporters in the radical right called anyone who wanted the embargo removed "Castro-lovers," "Castro's Useful Idiots," and a gallery of loutish insults.

Now they are obligated to find a way to stretch these slurs to accomodate the entire spectrum of American life, young, old, West, North, East, and South. That's going to be a tough assignment.

[Osolomia]

34. Otto Reich Defends State Position on Cuba Visas

Reich Defends State Position on Cuba Visas
Reich says State is neutral, but rejects certain visits from Cuban officials

In his first appearance before Congress as a Bush Administration official, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Otto Reich told a Senate panel last week that State does not encourage or discourage agricultural exports to Cuba made under the Trade Sanctions Reform Act. But Reich said State would not budge from its position that high-ranking officials from Cuba’s state-owned buyer of farm commodities should not be allowed to enter the US to explore additional sales contracts with US companies.

Reich’s defense of the Bush Administration policy left Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) largely unsatisfied, according to congressional sources. Dorgan has led the charge in the Senate to allow Alimport to visit the US to explore new agriculture sales under TSRA, and has argued that rejecting visa applications from Alimport makes it more difficult for US companies to sell food and medicine to Cuba.

Dorgan, who chairs the Senate Commerce subcommittee on consumer affairs, foreign commerce and tourism, called the May 21 hearing in order to press for an explanation of why State in late March decided to revoke a handful of visas from Alimport officials. Among the visas rejected by State was one for Alimport President Pedro Alvarez.

... Reich gave three main reasons why State decided to reject Alimport visas last March. First, Reich said that for now, the administration has taken the position that visits from high-ranking Alimport officials would be “inappropriate and detrimental to the national interest.” He said this conclusion was reached after a determination was made that Cuba is still exhibiting “hostility toward the US” in the context of US efforts to combat terrorism around the world.

.... “These purchases demonstrate the Cuba regime’s strong motiviation to complete these sales, particularly taking into account that the Cuban government has chosen to use its very limited foreign exchange reserves in these transactions,” Reich said. “This is one reason for the administration’s policy judgment that marketing visits by Cuban trade officials are not necessary to conclude purchases of US agricultural commodities.”

More...
http://www.cubatraderpublications.com/maypromo2/


Btw, DUers slurs against the bipartisan majority "pro-Cuba crowd" were alive and well on GD last night:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=359877&mesg_id=359877

[Judi Lynn]

37. Very interesting G.D. thread, Osolomia

When the threads go long enough, it becomes clear who "thinks" what, and WHY. A lot more thinking and reading would really help, do you agree?

Thanks for posting it. Would never have seen it otherwise.

It was GREAT reading some of those insights, for sure.

[Osolomia]

52. A lot more thinking and reading by DUers better happen fast!

It’s not like the information isn’t right in front of our eyes, especially for people reading this LBN forum on the World Wide Web with the thousands of links to current news articles and background information that people like yourself have so diligently provided over the years.

Pleading ignorance decade after decade, US presidential election after election after election after election, doesn’t make the Democratic Party look any smarter than the repuke morons imho.

Forgive me for expecting a hell of a lot better from the majority of the USA’s Democratic Party and it's progressive Democratic Undergrounders in this internet day and bushwhacked age!

[Judi Lynn]

21. Coleman favors trade with Cuba, oddly enough for a Bush toad

(snip) Coleman stressed that it would be good for Minnesota to have a senator who had a good relationship with the president, although he said he disagrees with Bush on some issues like trade with Cuba.
(snip/...)

http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york110402b.asp

It appears he's on the 10-member Senate Cuba Working Group.

I think he'd have a very hard time trying to buck the pro-Cubatrade majority in Minnesota and keep his, er, Wellstone's Senate seat.

[JI7]

28. i hate coleman

but glad he is doing this. of course it's because it's something the state supports and in turn brings him more support.

[Osolomia]

29. Editorial: Cuban trip opens market to Montanans

19 September 2003
Billings Gazette opinion

Sept. 14 ought to rank as a historic day for Montana agribusiness -- the day that Montana farmers, a cattle rancher, U.S. Sen. Max Baucus and U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg met with Fidel Castro.

... Those two topics, part of a 10 p.m. till 2:30 a.m. meeting in Castro's Havana offices illustrate the promise and the challenge of this amazing trade trip. Nobody in the Montana group endorses Castro's regime. But everybody recognizes the mutual benefit of agriculture trade for Montana producers and the Cuban people.

... Selling Montana commodities to Cuba opens new up new opportunities for our state's biggest cash industry. Kudos to the forward-thinking Montanans, especially Baucus and Rehberg, for taking this trip to a potential new market for our state's products.

... We commend Baucus for organizing this trip. We commend Baucus and Rehberg for their commitment to Montana's economic development and their stands in Congress for lifting U.S. bans on trade and travel to the island nation. (President Bush has promised to veto legislation that would ease travel or embargo restrictions.)

... This is the first Montana-Cuba trade agreement. Let us hope it will be the beginning of a positive business relationship that benefits the people of Montana and the people of Cuba.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2003/09/19/build/opinion/edit.inc

[Judi Lynn]

32. Great!

Never knew Denny Rehberg was a part of this, until seeing your post.

Found their photos with "Cuba's top agriculture importing official, Pedro Alverez:"



September 14, 2003

Rehberg, Baucus Take Lead in Reaching
$10 Million Cuban Trade Deal

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana's Congressman, U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg, and Montana Senator Max Baucus signed an historic agreement to sell Montana agriculture products to Cuba.
While leading a fact-finding mission to Havana, Rehberg and Baucus helped negotiate a $10-million Cuban agriculture purchase, which will include Montana wheat, malting and feed barely, live cattle, and dry beans. Baucus and Rehberg made the announcement shortly after finalizing a letter of agreement with Cuba's top agriculture importing official, Pedro Alvarez, (all three are pictured below).

"This is an historic agreement that will help boost Montana's ag economy and create jobs," said Baucus, who organized the fact-finding mission. "This deal paves the way for future sales to Cuba, and it's another example of what can be done when we work together for Montana. I'm glad we came here in person to showcase all Montana has to offer."

"This is the reason Max and I came to Cuba," said Rehberg, a member of the House agriculture committee. "Much of this was developed with groundwork from previous trips and an earlier meeting with Mr. Castro."

Current U.S. restrictions didn't allow for the singing of a formal contract for the deal, but Baucus and Rehberg said that paperwork, and additional details of the sale, would be worked out once the Montana delegation is back on U.S. soil Monday. (snip/...)

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/mt00_rehberg/091403_CubaTrade.html

Wow! Just saw at the site that Rehberg is a Republican. Whattdya know about that.

Just WHAT is Bush going to do to demolish this foreward movement by bipartisan American leaders? You know he's going to try.

[Osolomia]

30. The "pro-Cuba" crowd are popping up all over the place thesed days!

Port Manatee eager to establish Cuba ties
Port director ready to lead trade mission to Havana

By MICHAEL BRAGA
Herald Tribune

PORT MANATEE -- David McDonald wants to lead a trade mission to Cuba later this year.

The executive director of Port Manatee would like to take people from four or five area businesses with him, tour ports in Havana and Mariel, and get to know Cuban trade representatives.

"Cubans move cargoes on a relationship basis," he said. "We want to take companies down there and put together some type of agreement to ship our goods to them."

McDonald's proposal received general approval from the Manatee County commissioners at a Port Authority meeting Thursday.

Commissioner Joe McClash, who has made two trips to Cuba, was especially enthusiastic and said he plans to go along. Commissioner Pat Glass was also supportive.

"I think the time is right time to initiate this," Glass said.

More...
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030919/NEWS/309190391/1200&cachetime=5

[Osolomia]

42. Even more news from the "pro-Cuba crowd" today!

Wake up folks, it's a steady stream that can't be denied or ignored!

Trade panel focuses on Cuba, cars
Gilbert Nicholson
Staff
Birmingham Business Journal, Alabama

State officials continue to beat the drum to get Alabama companies interested in exporting overseas. Their latest efforts include a two-day conference in October at what arguably is the state's most elaborate resort.

The Alabama International Trade Conference, at Marriott's Grand Hotel in Point Clear on Mobile Bay, will feature seminars on doing business with Cuba, the automotive industry and the emerging impact of the cruise ship industry in Mobile.

The event is sponsored by the Alabama Development Office, the state's industrial recruiting organization, and the Alabama World Trade Association, a group of business and political leaders promoting Alabama exports.

... The highlight on Tuesday, Oct. 14, is a panel discussing emerging opportunities for trade with Cuba.

Panelists include state Agricultural and Industries commissioner Ron Sparks and Maria Mendez, manager of Latin American sales and trade development for the Alabama State Docks.

http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2003/09/15/story5.html

[Mika]

44. Miami will sink into the sludge before it will budge

LOL. The port of Miami will wallow in unemployed anti Cuba hate before waking up to smell the coffee. They reep what they sow.

[Judi Lynn]

56. Miami? You betcha!

That interpersonal flair they've got has propelled them right to the top of the chart in HIGHEST POVERTY RATE IN AMERICAN CITIES OVER 500,000 POPULATION.

They've managed to create the largest poor class, combined with one of the most corrupt city governments, with one of the most violent histories in the U.S., once having been considered "America's Terror Capital."

They are going to be TOTALLY SCREWED when that inevitable embargo droop occurs. They have no other focus, have made ZERO attempt to adapt to American culture and American society. They have only learned to play American politics: bribery, and coersion.

Don't you just love their latest political face, threatening the Republicans with the chance they'll just take their votes and just loooook around if they don't get their Cuba-screwing goals met? As if they have any real identity established formally with the Democrats, after years of venom against "Bill Klintoon" and "Al Bore?"

[Judi Lynn]

54. Alabama business community is reshaping to include Cuba

This article is a great example.

Alabama has the first U.S. city to establish a link with Cuba through the Sister-Cities program. Mobile was the very first years ago.

Mobile has a port which has been enthusiastic about getting things underway with Cubatrade. NO ONE dares call Alabamians unpatriotic to their faces, especially the Miami right-wing crowd.

They have devised the new all-purpose BUSINESS SLUR, to cover businesses wanting to connect with Cuba for future cooperation and advancement. They are referring to them with the simple, elegant, understated GREEDY PIG epithet.

[Mika]

61. Old news you will find interesting

The Miami Herald
August 7, 1999
Proposal to lift sanctions on Cuba defeated in Senate
http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~delacova/us-cuba/proposal.htm

Florida's senators and their anti-Castro allies on Wednesday
 beat back an attempt by their farm state colleagues to lift important sanctions
 against Cuba and other nations shunned by the United States.

 Sens. Bob Graham and Connie Mack scrambled to blunt a Senate initiative that
 would have ended restrictions on U.S. food and medical sales to Cuba, North
 Korea, Iran, Libya and the Sudan.

 The Floridians' drive turned back a surprisingly strong vote Tuesday night by farm
 state Republicans eager to open up foreign markets for agricultural goods. The
 Senate had voted 78-28 in favor of a proposal by Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft to
 allow unrestricted humanitarian sales to countries designated as ``terrorist''
 nations by the U.S. government.

Ashcroft, a staunch conservative, had persuaded more than two dozen
 Republican colleagues to abandon their support of the existing U.S. sanctions
 policy toward Cuba on the grounds that it hurts American farmers and innocent
 civilians abroad.

 His amendment would have lifted all unilateral bans on food and medical sales,
 and compelled the President to win congressional approval for any new sanctions
 except in time of war or national peril.

 Ashcroft acknowledged that he was motivated by farmers' calls for relief from a
 proliferation of U.S. sanctions, which they say have crimped profits by closing
 markets abroad. The bill would, he said, assure ``that the livelihoods of U.S.
 farmers and ranchers do not hang in the balance when tyrants and dictators act
 badly.''

Chart from www.opensecrets.org


I guess that the Dems have had their hands in the CANF cookie jar for too long, and the farm belt has been fighting to regain the loss of their former market -Cuba- for a long time. If the Dems ignore the farm belt, and the American labor forces from production to shipping, then they will lose their support.

Pandering to Miamicuban "exile" extremist cretins has been a BAD move for the dem party, and could impact the US presidential election - once again. When will they ever learn?

[David Zephyr]

57. He' s Looking for a Boyfriend.

Closet Queen Norm Coleman makes me sick.

[Judi Lynn]

58. You don't get much more middle-America than Colombia, Missouri

where this article is appearing today:

Cuba
Time to consort with the enemy

By HENRY J. WATERS III, Publisher, Columbia Daily Tribune
Published Friday, September 19, 2003
Some of you might have noticed a story with pictures in our Show Me section on Sept. 7 describing our trip to Cuba. Vicki Russell and yours truly, wife and husband, piloted our own boat to Cuba, visiting on land and sailing around the island.

Our distinct impression, borne out in similar encounters by countless other Americans in Cuba, is unmistakable. The people of Cuba and the United States deserve each other. The more we see of each other, the better we like the connection. Despite the tensions between governments, the citizens of both countries are friends. Cubans want Americans to visit, and not just for the dollars we will spend.

Moreover, Cuban leader Fidel Castro is ready for more interaction. He does not intimidate the people of Cuba over the prospect of more American visitation. He, and they, needs the tourist revenue. They, if not he, want the social interaction as well. Nothing will stop this growth of person-to-person rapport.

We noticed an obvious brightening among Cubans when they learned we were Americans, not Europeans. Cuba is a somewhat popular venue for travelers from Europe, where no embargoes interfere. We saw many more visitors from the continent and from Canada than from our own country. Not surprising, considering the discouragement put in our way by our own government.

U.S. public opinion favors elimination of the generations-old embargoes imposed by U.S. policy, particularly restrictions on travel. Freedom to move about is one of our most basic citizen rights. The very idea of official policies seeking to keep Americans from going anywhere is anathema. It’s time for the U.S. government to get out of the way.(snip/...)

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2003/Sep/20030919Comm001.asp

WRITTEN BY THE PUBLISHER! Woooo HOOOOO! :bounce:

[peacetalksforall]

60. Oh my heavens....

if the Bush administration allows trade with Cuba, the world is going to fall apart. Our congresspeople won't get their payola from CANF and brother organizations of Cuban Americans. Their will a severe adjustment of business habits in South Florida and the tears will flow...should a Cuban 'American' in the U.S. stay in the U.S. or go back to Cuba and if they should go back should they do it before or after Castro passes on (under God's will, we here all hope.)

The destruction of the Berlin Wall as it relates to our relationships with Cuba will be brought current.

And some of the lies about Cuba will be exposed.

OH MY what are we to do?

Well, I don't trust Coleman, the cabal and their puppet, and Reich..so maybe I'll just wait and see.

Maybe I better clarify something...Bush is the puppet of the cabal. Coleman is the puppet of Bush, thus the cabal.

[TygrBright]

62. NORM THE WEASEL is going to Cuba???????

Well slap me silly and call me tapioca!

NOW what is the sleazy little bastard up to?

Whatever it is, I can tell you two things about it:

Weaselboy thinks it'll result in cash or power for him; and

Truth, honor, and reason WILL take it up the ass.

There are a million slimy politicians in the history of the GOP, and in that ignoble pantheon, Norm the Weasel (as St. Paulites used to not-so-affectionately refer to their bought-and-paid-for Hizzoner,) has already advanced to a place in the front ranks.

This smells.

repulsedly,
Bright

[Judi Lynn]

63. He doesn't seem intelligent enough to be of much value

on some kind of "mission" for his Bush cronies, does he? He seems so useless.

[TygrBright]

64. He has a certain low cunning....

...like most of the family rodentiae, he has a sharply-honed opportunism that sees how to make the system dispense pellets into his food dish.

>>He seems so useless.<<

Oh, gawd. Don't EVER make that mistake. People with NO scruples, NO ethics, NO loyalties (other than their own self-interest) and NO limits on what they'll do for power, money, etc. are always extremely useful to the oligarchs. They'll use him until he's all used up. Then I hope devoutly that I'm around when Weaselboy gets his Darryl Issa phone call....

vindictively,
Bright

[RowWellandLive]

65. Why so pro-Cuba?

Can citizens leave at will?

Can they freely speak out against their Government?

Why has one guy been in power for 50 years?

Are there websites like this in Cuba?

Are there free and open elections?

Why the defense of Cuba? Universal healthcare and literacy are not enough to substitute for freedom. No country is perfect, certainly not ours. But when people risk their lives on leaky rafts that says something to me. I've never seen an American going the other way.

Not agreeing with the embargo and travel restrictions is certainly a valid argument. Not seeing what Cuba really is seems delusional.

Interesting how the same small handful of people always participate in these Cuba love fests. All sane posters on this topic have given up.

[Mika]

68. Why so uninformed? Oh yeah.. we don't have a free press any more

{edit: formatting}

"Can citizens leave at will?" <--Posted by RowWellandLive

Yes. And they do. Cubans that can afford to, travel all over the world, except the US gov makes getting travel visas to America for Cubans very difficult. But, the US offers over 20,000 immigration visas to Cuba annually. Not all are applied for every year.

Q- Can Americans leave for Cuba at will?
A- No




"Can they freely speak out against their Government?" <--Posted by RowWellandLive

Yes. And they do. There are many political parties in Cuba, including 'opposition' parties that espouse capitalism, and/or religious integration into their government.




"Why has one guy been in power for 50 years?" <--Posted by RowWellandLive

Do some research..

There hasn't been one guy in power for 50 years in Cuba.

The elected Cuban National Assembly holds the power in Cuba, not Castro. The president of the Cuban Assembly (their parliament) is Ricardo Alarcon.

http://www.bartleby.com/65/do/Dorticos.html

Dorticós Torrado, Osvaldo

1919–83, president of Cuba (1959–76). A prosperous lawyer, he participated in Fidel Castro’s revolutionary movement and was imprisoned (1958). He escaped and fled to Mexico, returning to Cuba after Castro’s triumph (1959). As minister of laws (1959) he helped to formulate Cuban policies. He was appointed president in 1959. Intelligent and competent, he wielded considerable influence. In 1976 the Cuban government was reorganized, and Castro assumed the title of president; Dorticós was named a member of the council of state.

The Cuban government was reorganized (approved by popular vote) into a variant parliamentary system in 1976.





"Are there websites like this in Cuba? " <--Posted by RowWellandLive

Not sure that there is anything like DU anywhere else, but, Cuba doesn't have a fully developed internet infrastructure, although more and more are getting computers and internet at home. All Cubans do have access to free email and internet access in public libraries and at the neighborhood CDR offices. There are many other forums for debate, & dissent in Cuba.





"Are there free and open elections?" <--Posted by RowWellandLive

Yep. I've seen them for myself. If you really have followed the "Cuba threads" then you wouldn't need to ask this repititous question. You would have seen plenty of reference links and personal observations to answer your question.

Once again,

Here are some of the major parties in Cuba. The union parties hold the majority of seats in the Assembly.

http://www.gksoft.com/govt/en/cu.html

* Partido Comunista de Cuba (PCC) {Communist Party of Cuba}
* Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Cuba (PDC) {Christian Democratic Party of Cuba} - Oswaldo Paya's Catholic party
* Partido Solidaridad Democrática (PSD) {Democratic Solidarity Party}
* Partido Social Revolucionario Democrático Cubano {Cuban Social Revolutionary Democratic Party}
* Coordinadora Social Demócrata de Cuba (CSDC) {Social Democratic Coordination of Cuba}
* Unión Liberal Cubana {Cuban Liberal Union}

Plenty of info on this long thread,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=6300&forum=DCForumID70


http://www.poptel.org.uk/cuba-solidarity/democracy.htm

This system in Cuba is based upon universal adult suffrage for all those aged 16 and over. Nobody is excluded from voting, except convicted criminals or those who have left the country. Voter turnouts have usually been in the region of 95% of those eligible .

There are direct elections to municipal, provincial and national assemblies, the latter represent Cuba's parliament.

Electoral candidates are not chosen by small committees of political parties. No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates.

--

Representative Fidel Castro was elected to the National Assembly as a representative of District #7 Santiago de Cuba.
He is one of the elected 607 representatives in the Cuban National Assembly. It is from that body that the head of state is nominated and then elected. Raul Castro, Carlos Large, and Ricardo Alarcon and others were among the nominated last year. President Castro has been elected to that position since 1976.


You can read a short version of the Cuban system here,
http://members.attcanada.ca/~dchris/CubaFAQ.html#Democracy

Or a long and detailed version here,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0968508405/qid=1053879619/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-8821757-1670550?v=glance&s=books







"But when people risk their lives on leaky rafts that says something to me." <--Posted by RowWellandLive

Does it say - "looking for more opportunity, like most immigrants coming to the USA" - to you?

First of all, Cubans are offered immigration perks like no other immigrant group seeking ILLEGAL entry into the US via the Cuban Adjustment Act & the 'wet foot/ dry foot' US immigration policy for Cubans only, such as: Instant work visa, instant social security, instant welfare access, instant medicaid and medicare, instant access to sec 8 housing, and more.

No other immigrant group is offered such perks from any other nation - but they still pour in - on leaky rafts, overloaded boats, across hot deserts. From all over the Caribbean, Central and South American DEMOCRACIES... risking their lives to make a better living in America, to send money to their families back home, and bring them to America if possible.

None of these other immigrants are offered what Cuban illegal immigrants are offered.. but they still pour in "escaping" poverty from all over.

That is what Cubans are coming to America for, but they are offered perks for entering the US illegally. They are a 'special class' of immigrant.






"I've never seen an American going the other way." <--Posted by RowWellandLive

Have you been to Cuba? How could you see such a thing without going there to see it? Americans can't go to Cuba without a special US permit, and Cuba doesn't allow illegal immigration like the US allows of Cubans.






"Not seeing what Cuba really is seems delusional." <--Posted by RowWellandLive

How can Americans see what Cuba is if we aren't allowed to freely go there to see? Our own government forces the delusion upon us, by an intense 40+ year propaganda campaign and the travel ban.

Delusional is making judgement about Cuba based on CIA & Miamicuban "exile" disinformation & propaganda without knowing how and what Cuba is.

Americans should be allowed by their own government to see what Cuba "really is" with their own eyes, as I have. Actual experience tends to wipe away the delusions.





"Interesting how the same small handful of people always participate in these Cuba love fests." <--Posted by RowWellandLive

Interesting that the small handful of people who have actually been to Cuba have good things to say about the place, and have discovered that Cuba is NOTHING like the picture that US gov propaganda paints.





" All sane posters on this topic have given up."

You mean the "sane posters" who have never been to Cuba, or have never taken time to read non CIA/NED/USIA sponsored information, but yet "know" all about Cuba?

You mean the "sane posters" who don't seem to care about the abrogation of out right to travel freely to Cuba at the behest of a small intransigent group of disgruntled Batista supporters?

You mean the "sane posters" who don't seem to care about the loss of US jobs in America's farm belt due to the political pandering of the Dem party, as well as the repukes, to this same intransigent group of disgruntled "exiles" in the form of the embargo?

Oh.. those "sane posters".

[Judi Lynn]

70. Remember the LAST leaky boat coming to Miami bearing over 200 people?

(snip) Boatload of Haitians swarms ashore in Florida
Wednesday, October 30, 2002 Posted: 2:42 AM EST (0742 GMT)


MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- More than 200 Haitians -- including many children -- jumped from a 50-foot wooden boat near Key Biscayne Tuesday afternoon, swimming to shore and swarming the highway leading into Miami. (snip)

(snip) Detective Delrish Moss of the Miami Police department said a triage center had been set up on the causeway.

"Many of them have been on the water for several days and some are dehydrated," he said.

Although many Haitians were stopped before they got across the bridge, some got away.

"Our big concern is that some people may have left the causeway in cars. People feel sorry for them and pick them up," Moss said.

Jennifer Miller, a Cuban-American who witnessed the exodus from the boat, said it was sad.

"People started running up over the bridge, jumping on cars. They were jumping on rocks on the shore, hurting themselves and bleeding," she said. (snip)

(snip) Unlike Cubans, who are automatically granted asylum if they reach U.S. soil in what's called a "wet foot, dry foot" policy, most Haitian migrants do not qualify for political asylum.

Lida Rodriguez-Taseff, president of the greater-Miami American Civil Liberties Union, said that policy is unfair.

"We need to look at the cause of why these people are coming to shore like this and running away," she said. "What you're seeing is the result of a very misguided policy." (snip)

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/South/10/29/haitians.ashore/




Haitians run across the highway, stopping traffic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I surely remember and I live a heck of a long way from Miami. I can only guess what it's like living there and seeing these people get herded up and shipped back to their living hell, Mika.

But then, our government hasn't authorized anyone to actually THINK about Haiti, and hasn't passed around any propaganda, so a lot of people are TOTALLY clueless about their plight.

[Osolomia]

73. Because a BIPARTISAN MAJORITY wants the embargo lifted now!

That’s why all the 2004 Dem presidential candidates have already stated their wishy washy positions on it!

Like it or not, there is a BIPARTISAN MAJORITY all across the country who have gone to Cuba in recent years and judged for themselves and decided to fight to lift the trade and travel ban despite Bush’s threatened veto.

Go ahead, keep you head in the sand and ignore the bipartisan majority opposition to Bush’s Cuba policy and pander to the extremist right wing minority in Florida instead and see where such persistent ignorance and bigotry gets the Dem party for many more years to come.

SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!

[Judi Lynn]

66. Norm Coleman HAS ARRIVED!

Notice there was no smarmy insinuations from Cuban "exile" Bush failed nominee Otto Reich assailing Coleman's character, as in the case of fellow Minnesotan Jesse Ventura, when Coleman planned this trip. Wonder why!

(snip) September 19. 2003 7:11PM
Sen. Coleman arrives in Cuba to talk about trade, travel, human rights
The Associated Press

HAVANA

U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman arrived in Cuba on Friday for a four-day visit focusing on U.S. restrictions on travel and trade with the island, as well as the island's human rights situation.

The Minnesota Republican planned to meet with a variety of people, including high-ranking communist officials, foreign diplomats, human rights activists, church leaders and ordinary Cubans.

Coleman is chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and lawmaker from a major agricultural state, he is especially interested in exploring opportunities for Minnesota farmers. (snip/...)

http://gainesvillesun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030919/APN/309190995&cachetime=5

[Judi Lynn]

67. This is so interesting. Now Port Manatee in Florida is involved.

Port Manatee eager to establish Cuba ties
Port director ready to lead trade mission to Havana


By MICHAEL BRAGA



[e-mail]


PORT MANATEE -- David McDonald wants to lead a trade mission to Cuba later this year.

The executive director of Port Manatee would like to take people from four or five area businesses with him, tour ports in Havana and Mariel, and get to know Cuban trade representatives.

"Cubans move cargoes on a relationship basis," he said. "We want to take companies down there and put together some type of agreement to ship our goods to them."

McDonald's proposal received general approval from the Manatee County commissioners at a Port Authority meeting Thursday. (snip/...)

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030919/NEWS/309190391/1060/NEWS02

Oh, yeah. No one's interested in straightening out US/Cuba relations other than a scraggly group of would-be Castro hanger-ons? Oh, for sure! :eyes:

Some of the right-wing reactionaries are going to have to rack their feverish brains to develope slimey insults to cover such a HUGE bipartisan number of Americans.

I think IT'S PROBABLY NOT JUST A SMALL GROUP OF MISFITS SUPPORTING THE END OF THE EMBARGO. Check with your representatives and senators, the way we all do. Maybe they can get you back on track.

[Mika]

69. THE DAM IS BREAKING! Bush's Cuba policy goes down in FLAMES

Bush's Cuba policy goes down in FLAMES!!! WooHOO!!! (((YESSSS))) :party:

Are DUers delighted that another one of Bush's insane policies and threats of veto are falling on deaf ears?

Overall? Sadly, no.

[Judi Lynn]

78. Here we go. Does this come as a shock?

One of the posters on this thread already called this, I believe!

(snip) Republican visits Cuba, hardens embargo position

By Marc Frank


HAVANA, Sept. 20 — U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, a Republican from Minnesota, is reportedly hardening his position on Cuba just 24 hours into a visit to the Communist-run nation, a source in his four-member delegation told Reuters on Saturday.

Coleman has in the past favored easing the more than four-decade-old U.S. embargo on Cuba, even though U.S. President George W. Bush strongly supports the sanctions.

''The senator is hardening his position and now wants to see movement on human rights before a further loosening of sanctions,'' said a member of Coleman's delegation who asked not to be named. (snip)

(snip) ''It has been very interesting so far,'' Coleman told Reuters, before lunching with two leading dissidents at a family-run restaurant.
Coleman discussed Cuba's political and economic situation with the dissidents, and also talked with them about 75 Castro critics imprisoned in April after being convicted of working with the United States to topple the government, the dissidents said. (snip/...)

http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters09-20-122821.asp?reg=AMERICAS

I hope the Minnesotans who have been working on relaxing the trade barriers with Cuba give him holy hell.

What a Bush WHORE.

[TygrBright]

79. No shock at all...

We've been slimed.

Of course, that was inevitable with Norm the Weasel involved. Wherever his name appears, you can expect something sleazy and disgusting to ooze out of the cracks.

He is purely and simply a buttboy for whoever will get him one more rung up the ladder.

disgustedly,
Bright

[DemonFighterLives]

80. Coleman is a hollow man

Just like Garrison Kiellor said.
<clip>
Empty victory for a hollow man
How Norm Coleman sold his soul for a Senate seat.

- - - - - - - - - - - -By Garrison Keillor

Nov. 7, 2002 | Norm Coleman won Minnesota because he was well-financed and well packaged. Norm is a slick retail campaigner, the grabbiest and touchingest and feelingest politician in Minnesota history, a hugger and baby-kisser, and he's a genuine boomer candidate who reinvents himself at will. The guy is a Brooklyn boy who became a left-wing student radical at Hofstra University with hair down to his shoulders, organized antiwar marches, said vile things about Richard Nixon, etc. Then he came west, went to law school, changed his look, went to work in the attorney general's office in Minnesota. Was elected mayor of St. Paul as a moderate Democrat, then swung comfortably over to the Republican side. There was no dazzling light on the road to Damascus, no soul-searching: Norm switched parties as you'd change sport coats.

Norm is glib. I once organized a dinner at the Minnesota Club to celebrate F. Scott Fitzgerald's birthday and Norm came, at the suggestion of his office, and spoke, at some length and with quite some fervor, about how much Fitzgerald means to all of us in St. Paul, and it was soon clear to anyone who has ever graded 9th grade book reports that the mayor had never read Fitzgerald. Nonetheless, he spoke at great length, with great feeling. Last month, when Bush came to sprinkle water on his campaign, Norm introduced him by saying, "God bless America is a prayer, and I believe that this man is God's answer to that prayer." Same guy.

(Jesse Ventura, of course, wouldn't have been caught dead blathering at an F. Scott Fitzgerald dinner about how proud we are of the Great Whoever-He-Was and his vision and his dream blah-blah-blah, and that was the refreshing thing about Jesse. The sort of unctuous hooey that comes naturally and easily to Norm Coleman Jesse would be ashamed to utter in public. Give the man his due. He spoke English. He didn't open his mouth and emit soap bubbles. He was no suck up. He had more dignity than to kiss the president's shoe.)

Norm got a free ride from the press. St. Paul is a small town and anybody who hangs around the St. Paul Grill knows about Norm's habits. Everyone knows that his family situation is, shall we say, very interesting, but nobody bothered to ask about it, least of all the religious people in the Republican Party. They made their peace with hypocrisy long ago. So this false knight made his way as an all-purpose feel-good candidate, standing for vaguely Republican values, supporting the president.

He was 9 points down to Wellstone when the senator's plane went down. But the tide was swinging toward the president in those last 10 days. And Norm rode the tide. Mondale took a little while to get a campaign going. And Norm finessed Wellstone's death beautifully. The Democrats stood up in raw grief and yelled and shook their fists and offended people. Norm played his violin. He sorrowed well in public, he was expertly nuanced. The mostly negative campaign he ran against Wellstone was forgotten immediately.

He backpedalled in the one debate, cruised home a victor. It was a dreadful low moment for the Minnesota voters. To choose Coleman over Walter Mondale is one of those dumb low-rent mistakes, like going to a great steakhouse and ordering the tuna sandwich. But I don't envy someone who's sold his soul.

He's condemned to a life of small arrangements. There will be no passion, no joy, no heroism, for him. He is a hollow man. The next six years are not going to be kind to Norm.
---
(Sorry, I don't remember where I got this and hope I'm not breaking any rules here.)
Coleman is just trying to squeeze through the door that Jesse Ventura went through. Doesn't surprise me that he is changing on the go. It would be great to get over the problems with Cuba. It is in all our best interests.

[Osolomia]

81. Show me a Dem prez contender who's saying anything different than Coleman

''The senator is hardening his position and now wants to see movement on human rights before a further loosening of sanctions,''

If it wasn't for the crackdown that Bush and James Cason provoked what excuse would they have?