Should we open trade and travel with Cuba?

[Carrikature]

"We don't like communism" seems a pretty poor reason to refuse trade and travel. My gut feeling is that the restrictions were early attempts at economic sanctions that didn't really work and have since been forgotten about. I've not read on this issue at all, though I'll do some poking around.

[Thoughtful Monk]

The way I see it: We've tried embargoing them for 50 years. It hasn't done jack to end communism there. All it's done is made the people of Cuba suffer.

My position, too.

[NormATive]

So, what's the hold up? Is it the perception that we're "accepting" Communism? Supporting a Communist regime?

Fidel Castro is still alive. Just wait. Once he's gone, we will normalize relations. His brother, Raul is itching to get in the US market. He can't do anything this radical as long as his older brother is alive.

Cuba is communist in name only. There has been an underground capitalist economy running for years.

The cigars. Oh, the cigars!

NORM

[Cow Poke]

Fidel Castro is still alive.

Yeah? So's Elvis!

Just wait. Once he's gone, we will normalize relations. His brother, Raul is itching to get in the US market. He can't do anything this radical as long as his older brother is alive.

Cuba is communist in name only. There has been an underground capitalist economy running for years.

The cigars. Oh, the cigars!

NORM

But, are you EVER going to mention the cigars?

[rogue06]

Fidel Castro is still alive. Just wait. Once he's gone, we will normalize relations. His brother, Raul is itching to get in the US market. He can't do anything this radical as long as his older brother is alive.

Cuba is communist in name only. There has been an underground capitalist economy running for years.

The cigars. Oh, the cigars!

NORM

The Black Market thrived in the old Soviet Union (often with a wink and a nod from those in the Politburo -- plus a few hefty bribes), but that didn't mean it wasn't a communist government

And they do have good cigars.

Used to. Had a great source for premium Cuban cigars (primarily Romeo y Julieta) in someone who played for the Atlanta Braves but quit shortly after he was traded.

I was once stopped by customs for bringing 20 Cuban cigars back from Jamaica. The two custom officers tried to make me feel bad for doing it but I pointed out that there was a recently published photograph of the President smoking a Cuban cigar. After several minutes of being grilled their superior came in and told the two to take a break. When they left he turned to me and said with a smile, "That's what happens when you take too many steroids." With that he said I was free to leave and as I headed for the door he tossed me one of the cigars and told me to have a good day.

And when I first started smoking cigars I was like Trout and smoked the big old Churchills (a.k.a., El Presidentes and No.1s) but didn't like how soagy they got after you got past the first half and started selecting smaller cigars.

That should read "soggy" not "soagy"

[seanD]

Open trade with Cuba. We need another place to send all our printed worthless fiat paper since the BRIC countries are making more and more moves to avoid our worthless fiat paper.