Comments on: Who wins — and who loses — if Obama opens travel to Cuba?

By: John McAuliff

John McAuliff — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:36:57 +0000

Cubans and Americans will benefit from the end of travel restrictions.

Tomorrow the President could allow unlimited non-tourist travel for educational, cultural, humanitarian, religious and other people to people purposes, the essential precursor to Congress restoring everyone’s right to visit Cuba.

You can urge he do so via the White House Office of Public Engagement http://www.whitehouse.gov/ope/contact/

Even simpler is to join the 85,000 Americans who have signed the Orbitz petition at http://www.opencuba.org

John McAuliff
Fund for Reconciliation and Development
http://www.ffrd.org

By: Cuba Opens Up - Travel Restrictions Ease | Top Trips

Cuba Opens Up - Travel Restrictions Ease | Top Trips — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:39:39 +0000

[...] without resorting to illegal travel tactics. (Which while tempting, I have avoided) Read More… Do you like this? Not Yet Rated Related Tags: Cuba, Havana, travel [...]

By: Harold Flagg

Harold Flagg — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:01:42 +0000

It’s no fair! Cuban-Americans can go to Cuba and spend big bucks, but I, as a US-born American can’t go. I keep hearing the US is a free country but if we have no freedom of travel, we got nada, nix, nein, nyet. Also, is it okay for Cuban-Americans to spend dollars in Cuba and it won’t help the Brothers Castro, but my dollars are toxic?

By: Joyce White

Joyce White — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:12:56 +0000

I think it is a wonderful idea.T he cuban people have suffered enough.Hopefully it will create jobs and create a better standard of living for my cuban brothers and sisters.I would love to see that beautiful country.I enjoy their delicious food ,music and the warmth of the people.God bless PresidentObama and the cuban goverment for wanting a dialogue.It has been a long time in coming.I will be looking forward to traveling there in the future

By: Marlene McCuistion

Marlene McCuistion — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:03:19 +0000

Since Cuba is only 75 miles from Key West , it will be a very short hip, next to most of the other trips, even round trip! John was on the Tampa Fire Dept for 22 years, when many Cuban moved to Florida and made Spanish easy to learn.
Thanks, John & Marlene McCuistion

By: Benito Segovia

Benito Segovia — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:17:18 +0000

I see a social problem coming up, the cubans who left due to Castros philosophies are still Cuban citizens, but what will happen with the ordinary CUBANO who have stayed in Cuba all this time without any choices for a better life for them and their families while the MARIELITOS in Miami and calle 8 have lived all this time enjoying the privileges that only God Bless America can offer, the question is: will the local citizens in Cuba will ever enjoy the well deserved “WHAT’S COMING FOR THEM” or the story will continue hoping for a better tomorrow for them?

I strongly suggest that before we spend a penny in Cuba we keep an eye on the CASTRO BOYS AND AL PACINO’S INVESTORS

Thank you Sir Obama, it is a great begining now lets go all the way to free these guys

By: Gelad

Gelad — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:30:17 +0000

To UrbanSpaceman; I just would like to ask you what the difference is between Cuba, Venezuela, whom we don’t deal with and China whom we deffinately do!! The embargo obviously hasn’t worked, It’s time for another tactict.

By: UrbanSpaceman

UrbanSpaceman — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:12:27 +0000

Marilyn–that may be true, but being a communist country, how much of Cuba’s new riches via tourism will flow to the people of the country?

Considering that the USA was about the only country with a Cuban embargo, allowing other countries to trade with Cuba, how come most pictures of Cuba I see show the Cubans driving 50-year-old USA cars, as opposed to new Peugots or some Russian sedan? I am thinking that lifting the embargo will help the Castro boys but not the average Cuban.

As an aside, I am also concerned with the USA now trying to “play nice” with communist countries (in this case, Cuba and Venezuela).

By: Marilyn Long

Marilyn Long — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:39:08 +0000

I hope that the Cuban people would be winners, too. Surely, if tourism increases (as it would if US citizens are allowed to go there), more jobs will be created and ordinary Cuban citizens will find more lucrative employment. Our embargo all these years has apparently not hurt the Castro brothers, but it has not helped the average Cuban.