Change in Cuba policy

[Capt.Slog 0]

About time too!

www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/us/politics/13cuba-factsheet.html

The President has directed the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Commerce to take the needed steps to:

· Lift all restrictions on transactions related to the travel of family members to Cuba.

· Remove restrictions on remittances to family members in Cuba.

· Authorize U.S. telecommunications network providers to enter into agreements to establish fiber-optic cable and satellite telecommunications facilities linking the United States and Cuba.

· License U.S. telecommunications service providers to enter into roaming service agreements with Cuba's telecommunications service providers.

· License U.S. satellite radio and satellite television service providers to engage in transactions necessary to provide services to customers in Cuba.

· License persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction to activate and pay U.S. and third-country service providers for telecommunications, satellite radio and satellite television services provided to individuals in Cuba.

· Authorize the donation of certain consumer telecommunication devices without a license.

· Add certain humanitarian items to the list of items eligible for export through licensing exceptions.

[AggieDave 6]

That's great and all, I just want some nice cigars.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[billvon 3,107]

This is the most important part:

====================
Authorize U.S. telecommunications network providers to enter into agreements to establish fiber-optic cable and satellite telecommunications facilities linking the United States and Cuba.

· License U.S. telecommunications service providers to enter into roaming service agreements with Cuba's telecommunications service providers.

· License U.S. satellite radio and satellite television service providers to engage in transactions necessary to provide services to customers in Cuba.
====================

Once they can easily get American Idol and reality TV, there will be no holding back the Cubans.

[ryoder 1,590]

Quote

Once they can easily get American Idol and reality TV,

Haven't those people suffered enough?

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[pilotsR4pimps 0]

+1

[happythoughts 0]

The sticking point has always been the seizure of
private property.

It is difficult to define a business relationship when"
-no reparations have been paid to people who lost
property.
-the person responsibile is still in power.
-the property owners are still alive in the US.

Personally, it might work in my favor.
I don't think that I'll be able to afford to retire in
Fla, but a sailboat off of Cuba might work.

[billvon 3,107]

>It is difficult to define a business relationship when:
>-no reparations have been paid to people who lost property.
>-the person responsibile is still in power.
>-the property owners are still alive in the US.

I don't think it's difficult at all. Pre-paid phone cards, for example, would be one way to establish phone service there. Order the phones via the Internet, have them shipped there to dealers (or even directly to customers) and then have dealers (or even dime store owners) sell phone cards to customers. No property to seize.

Now, that may royally piss some people off who feel that Cuba should be punished - but that's a different issue.

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

>It is difficult to define a business relationship when:
>-no reparations have been paid to people who lost property.
>-the person responsibile is still in power.
>-the property owners are still alive in the US.

I don't think it's difficult at all. Pre-paid phone cards, for example, would be one way to establish phone service there. Order the phones via the Internet, have them shipped there to dealers (or even directly to customers) and then have dealers (or even dime store owners) sell phone cards to customers. No property to seize.

Now, that may royally piss some people off who feel that Cuba should be punished - but that's a different issue.

The Canadian hotel chains have established some
business relations there. That is their choice.
At this point, I am sure that Castro would like the
US tourism business that goes to the Bahamas.
It's just business.

There are people who lost everything.
I can understand the bitterness. I'd be miffed
about it too.

Band leader Desi Arnaz - his mothers family owned part of Bacardi Rum and his father was mayor.
His father was imprisoned and was released.
With events like that in a persons life,
I can understand how "just get over it" wouldn't work.

[billvon 3,107]

>There are people who lost everything. I can understand the bitterness. I'd be
>miffed about it too.

Definitely. But as time goes on, the people who lost everything are being replaced by people who see Cuba as an opportunity to make money (which isn't a bad thing.) Hopefully they will heed the lessons of the past so they don't get 'taken'.

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

The President has directed...

You forgot this part:

Fidel Castro criticized Sen. Barack Obama on Monday, writing that the Democratic presidential hopeful's plan to maintain Washington's trade embargo against Cuba will cause hunger and suffering on the island.

The ailing 81-year-old former president wrote that Obama was "the most-advanced candidate in the presidential race," but noted that he has not dared to call for altering U.S. policy toward Cuba.

"Obama's speech can be translated as a formula for hunger for the country," Castro wrote in a column published by government-run newspapers, referring to remarks Obama made before the influential Cuban American National Foundation in Miami last week.

Obama said he would maintain nearly 50-year-old trade sanctions against Cuba...

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2008/05/26/castro-obama-embargo-plan-will-cause-cubans-to-go-hungry/

As usual, he sounds good, but doesn't actually do much.

[ryoder 1,590]

Quote

Personally, it might work in my favor.
I don't think that I'll be able to afford to retire in
Fla, but a sailboat off of Cuba might work.

I can see Bill now;
Living in his sailboat, with a pet alligator chained on deck.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

Hopefully they will heed the lessons of the past

It seems to be working well everywhere else.

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

Quote

Personally, it might work in my favor.
I don't think that I'll be able to afford to retire in
Fla, but a sailboat off of Cuba might work.

I can see Bill now;
Living in his sailboat, with a pet alligator chained on deck.

I'll need to work on the scruffy beard.
After 3 months, I have the beard of an 11yo kid.