Cuban-Americans Warn Bush of Possible Loss of Support in 2004

[Judi Lynn]

Cuban-Americans Warn Bush of Possible Loss of Support in 2004
By John Pain Associated Press Writer
Published: Aug 14, 2003




MIAMI (AP) - For the first time since he became an American citizen decades ago, Santiago Portal won't vote for a Republican for president. The 62-year-old Cuban American says he's fed up with President Bush's policy on Cuba and is urging other exiles to choose someone else in next year's election.

"He can't ask Cubans for votes if he hasn't helped Cubans get freedom," said Portal, holding a sign saying "President Bush push freedom for Cuba now! Why only Irak?" after he drank coffee with a crowd outside a bustling restaurant in Miami's Little Havana.

This kind of change-of-heart among Cuban-Americans, who overwhelmingly supported Bush in 2000 and helped ensure he won Florida's 25 electoral votes and the presidency, has GOP officials in Florida concerned heading into an election year.

Some Florida Republicans are now telling Bush they don't think his administration is doing enough to help the Cuban people and opponents of Fidel Castro's communist government. The president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, publicly questioned the administration's decision in July to return 12 alleged Cuban hijackers to face trial at home. An increasing number of Florida's elected Republicans have urged the president to review or change his Cuba policy. (snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/florida/MGA9P632DJD.html

[PennyLane]

1. Bush Couldn't Care Less!

He'll push the envelope on the Cuban vote until a few weeks before the election, then pull something astounding out of his arse. (Karl's already working on this, you can be sure!) They (the Cuban-Americans)will all be thrilled and vote his dumb ass in for another 4 years!!

[QuietStorm]

5. but Cubans make up a large pop in Fla

might make it more difficult for Jeb, unless this time they decide to take Cuban's who have been convicted of felonies off the voting lists, along with any Cuban's name that happens to rhyme with those names of known ex cons convicted of felonies.

[bluestateguy]

2. Cubans

Once Castro and Cuban communism are dead the Florida Cubans will have little use for the Republican Party. They won't vote like Mexicans or other Latinos, but Cubans will likely be up for grabs, and that is a net gain for Democrats. Also, the younger generation of Cubans does not still live in the 1962 world of Jorge Mas Canosa: they dislike the embargo, are more liberal on social issues and don't spend their every day obsessing over Castro.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Background on the Miami extremists' tantrum aimed at Rove's Cuba policy

(snip) NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTH
An act of sanity

Click for an audio clip (3 min)

By Jesús Arboleya Cervera

On Sept. 11, 2001, the United States understood that the rational boundaries of terrorism had been broken and that the nation should prepare to face the most mind-boggling actions. On the basis of that excuse, the country plunged into two wars, violated national and international juridical standards and created a new system that made domestic security a top priority.

Under these conditions, it became evident that U.S. policy could not continue to coexist with the forms of terrorism the country itself fostered and practiced from its own territory. Logic indicated that, no matter what the attitude of the U.S. government was toward the Cuban revolution, the rules that had sheltered the excesses of the Cuban American far rightists and encouraged the hijacking of planes and ships from Cuba had to be changed.

An immediate change could be seen in Miami's political climate. Old terrorists converted to pacifism. The Sunday exhibitions designed to collect funds for “the cause” stopped. And for the past two years, not a single bomb has exploded in Miami. Freed from the threat of terrorism, voices until then stilled by fear began to be heard more clearly, and the more recalcitrant rightist groups have gradually lost their formerly undisputed capacity to control the rest of the community.

However, the same did not happen with terrorism in Cuba. Another logic – this time the electoral hanky-panky in Florida, where the gubernatorial seat occupied by Jeb Bush and the possible re-election of the president, his brother, are in dispute – acted as a counterweight to the nation's more general interests. To ingratiate itself with the Cuban-American far right, the administration made sure that Cuban hijackers were received as heroes, that they were seldom tried, and, if they were tried, a pardon was ensured. Not only that, by virtue of a questionable ruling by a Florida court, the airplanes and ships stolen illegally from Cuba were seized and sold at auction. (snip/...)

http://www.progresoweekly.com/2003/08Aug/02week/Arboleya.htm

[QuietStorm]

4. Ah perhaps the Cubans are on to something!

[Judi Lynn]

6. For anyone who might be interested

I just read a note from a friend of D.U. who suggested a trip to www.batanga.com might be pleasant for people curious about Cuban music, which is often WONDERFUL. The island has produced an ENORMOUS number of amazing songs and artists, many known all over the world, although ignored here.

Some of the music is performed by Cuban musicians, and some of the music comes from, yech, Miami.

Scroll to the bottom of the left column, and click "Cubanisimo."

thank you.

www.batanga.com :hi:

[QuietStorm]

7. Cuban music is ALWAYS wonderful THANKS!

all music is part of the universal language that for the most part does connect us all in its natural ability to soothe the savage beast.

[Philosophy]

8. Bush* doesn't need the Cuban vote any more

He can just rig the votes in Florida. Someone needs to clue in his brother.