Cuba legislation underway on C-Span 2 right now, 11:30 am EST

[Judi Lynn]

Hasn't been on long.

Senator Byron Dorgon, North Dakota is making opening remarks.

Can be followed on www.c-span.org and click on c-span II.


Senator Larry Craig, Republican, Idaho, is speaking now. He's a co-sponsor on the Cuba travel ban amendment.

[Mika]

1. Senator Larry Craig is pointing out the obvious

The total waste of homeland security on tracking grandma's going to Cuba for bicycle trips.

Good for him!

[Judi Lynn]

3. Always had a low opinion of him before

Thought he had a closed mind on everything.

What he's saying NOW is quite revolutionary for a Republican!

[Judi Lynn]

4. We've got to wonder what this means

Larry Craig is as conventional as a person can get!

Now the terrific Senator Max Baucus. You remember he has sponsored Cuba bills in the past, and just got back from a successful Cuba trip.

[Mika]

6. Baucus spreading BS

I agree with his positions on ending the travel ban & embargo.

BUT,

Baucus said that the Cuban government "fears" contact with Americans. LOL

Its the Cuban government as well as the internal dissident movements in Cuba that are BOTH pushing for an end to the US travel restrictions! Jeezuz. What is this man smoking?

[Judi Lynn]

8. I've noticed some doing this, too

I think it's just easier than challenging them to educate themselves, it's just easier and quicker to get cooperation.

It takes too long to re-educate them, I guess. Yikes.

[Mika]

2. OFAC denying scholars from going to Cuba to study Hemingway

Senator Larry Craig - a repuke from Idaho- is actually defending US citizen rights on this issue. :toast:

[Mika]

5. BIPARTISAN support to end the embargo!

Why can't all of our Dem presidential candidates understand that?

[Judi Lynn]

7. Republican Senator Mike Enzi, Wyoming

up now. He stated he's been to Cuba lots of times, also.

HE'S on the right side of this, too. Can't believe I'm listening to him saying something right. I always ignored him in the past when he stuck so close to conventional Republican dogma.

[Mika]

9. Enzi: Its Castro's fault that America creates stupid policy

Enzi: 'Castro has an open visa system knowing that the US will not grant Cubans travel visas - see how tricky Castro is?'


Mike Enzi must be on the same drugs as Rush.

[Judi Lynn]

12. Wasn't that stupid?

How badly can you mangle the truth?

[Judi Lynn]

10. Woo-HOOOO. Washington Democratic Senator Patty Murray

is a co-sponsor.

Crappy old Alaska Republican Senator Ted Stevens is on to try to fight it.

[ramapo]

11. Another stupid waste of time

Why is it that a reportedly "free" people would be banned from travel to a certain part of the world.

Don't these morons notice that Castro is still here after 30+ years. Do they think a travel ban will hasten his death?

Our legislators are so fortunate to have these fringe issues to argue about so they don't have to deal with substantial problems.

Nero fiddles while Rome burns.

[Mika]

13. Some basic info on Cuban democracy

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.

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.

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

[Judi Lynn]

14. Ted Stevens is repeating a bogus quote from Castro

on a trip to Iran, which was debunked TOTALLY, after being traced to its source, Agence France Presse, which has no actual record of the speech whatsoever. That speech is not recorded anywhere.

Cuba scholars have spoken out and claimed that the "speech" is completely unlike any of Castro's other speeches. It was published in the U.S. by El Nuevo Herald, the Cuban-American paper in Miami, well-known for its misstatements and utter propaganda ravings serving the right-wing Cuban "exile" community.

[Mika]

15. Altered states

Man, even the pro travel factions are whacko.

Gotta run, back later.

Thanks for the heads-up on the "debate" judiLyn. :thumbsup:

[Judi Lynn]

16. This is getting interesting

in the roll call, Bill Frist has voted "aye" to deny funds enforcing the Cuban Travel Ban in 2004. I'm positive _Bush
wouldn't want this.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Whoops. It's a motion to table.

Lieberman has voted with the Republicans, of course.

[Judi Lynn]

18. Motion to table the amendment has failed

Really hacked Ted Stevens off. He's almost overwrought.

The roll call had a few surprises, with some unexpected Republicans voting against tabling the Cuba travel ban amendment.