US considers new moves against Cuba

[Severian]

MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4890621/)

"A government commission is recommending to President Bush a series of measures to cut U.S. dollar flows to Cuba as part of a broader policy to hasten the end of the country’s communist system, an administration official said Sunday night.
....
Still unresolved, according to the administration official, was a decision on whether to recommend a cut in the legal limit of $1,200 a year that Cuban-Americans are allowed to send to friends and relatives on the island. Much of the money ends up in government coffers.

Some officials are advocating that remittances be eliminated altogether to deprive Castro of an important source of income. Others recommend that the current limit be retained for humanitarian reasons. The official predicted that the final decision would be somewhere in between."

This is the "Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba", headed by Colin Powell.

[RevolutionNow]

As if the embargo on Cuban goods was'nt enough. But on a different note think about my suggestion. I think that the governments of the United States, and Cuba should start a citizen exchange. An American Socialist for a Cuban Democrat, everyone would be happy. Cubans that want to escape the government of Castro would be allowed to come to the United States in exchange for an American socialist that wants to experience communism. It would be like a foreign exchange program. :)

[j.guevara]

most of the money ends up in government coffers?

[MiniOswald]

lol wouldnt both side start sending fakes, like a U.S socialist whos actually a republican supporter? anyways those pesky yanks keepin al' the money, someone needs to rob off with their gold and dump it in the ocean that would teach em

p.s. methinks im goin insane tonight

[Fidel Castro]

Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba

Ahhh of course, a little club for the Miami-Mafia and their government puppets to come up with great ideas on how to topple big-bad-Fidel's socialist system and suggest great ideas on what they will do with their new playground when Fidel is gone.

I think that after attempted invasion, trade embargo, travel ban, terrorist tactics, assassination attempts and propaganda movements it will take more than cutting dollar allowances to cause a collapse of socialism in Cuba.

Cuba has one of the fastest growing tourist trades in the world, and this goes hand-in-hand with a growing demand for Cuban produce such as coffee, crafts, art, music and even films (I noticed the other day that my local store sells fair-trade fruit juice from Cuba).

[MiniOswald]

hmm maybe i should start looking for cuban products in my area

[Fidel Castro]

hmm maybe i should start looking for cuban products in my area

Especially since most of those products (in my experience) are under the Fair Trade banner.

I don't think it will be too long before the circulation of U$ dollars in Cuba is no longer required, in fact I believe Fidel has said recently that it is the aim of government to eventually scrap the dollar system in Cuba.

[elbolao23]

if it wasen't for the dollar fidel would not be on power because cuba would be an even crapier place to live

[Severian]

Ok. Update.

Here's (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/headline/world/2554799) what Bush decided to do:

1. They did not limit the amount of money that can be sent to Cuba.

2. They did reduce the right to travel to Cuba in order to visit relatives there. Cuban exiles and Cuban-Americans can now only visit their relatives once every three years, for no more than fourteen days, and can spend less when they do visit.

3. They are stepping up propaganda efforts to undermine the revolution, including broadcasts and funding for Cuban dissident groups. Basically as detailed in the earlier article.

Denounced by Cuban exile and Cuban-American groups opposed to the occupation: (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8636256.htm?1c) And doubtless by many individuals who like to visit their relatives more often than Bush will allow.

Even the Financial Times (http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1083180371332) says this new attack has pissed off people on the streets of Havana.

And finally: The Cuban government has responded (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5098126&pageNumber=0) by suspending the sale of goods in dollars - except for food and a few other necessities. Dollar prices will be raised for those.

"The brutal and cruel measures, on top of a strict blockade of 45 years ... are directly aimed at strangling our development and reducing to a minimum hard currency resources vital to cover food needs and medical, educational and other essential services that our population needs," the Cuban government said.

Some reports on the suspension of dollar sales noted that while the stores bring in hard currency, they are linked to increased social inequality which the Cuban government has never been comfortable with.

[The idealist]

Anybody know where to get Habana cigars? Just to know.