Webb talked about this issue on Mark Plotkin's politics show a couple weeks ago. 

There's a link to the show and a summary at . . .

http://www.raisingka...

Webb talks about normalizing relations.  Although I think he's aware of some of the political realities involved with this. 

I think that finally tipped the scales!

Blockades don't work in poverty stricken states, I imagine China will bring sweatshop factories to Cuba, if they are not there already. Even if the the USA Blockade was lifted it would not mean much because Mexico is a favored Trade State with the USA and Mexico is drowning in Corporate Corruption and Mass Millions in dirt shack Poverty. Only way to control this is to put an Embassy Watchdog Person in these American factories abroad and mandate they are up to American Standards including Labor,OSHA,and EPA and including workers making American minimum wage in these abroad American factories and should they fail standards their products get fined first,second 6 months suspension of import rights to the USA, third blackballed import rights of a year suspension.

especially in this hemisphere are utterly stupid. We as a super power need to talk, talk, talk and win governments in this hempisphere over. I have often heard Jim say he believe's in diologue, which I take to mean he is against blockade's.

When ever I hear of people wondering what we should do in our southern hemisphere I always think of the movie "Red Dawn" with Patrick Swayze released in 1984. That was all about how we were invaded from the south and today it looks like that is becoming a reality.

Yes Cuba I want you back with us and I believe any good politican thinks the same, but is afraid to say it because it is not politically correct at this time.

The U.S. is the only country in the world that currently maintains full blown sanctions against Cuba.

Our sanctions have no impact inside Cuba because they have other trading partners in Western Europe, the Western Hemisphere (including Canada), and with countries such as China.

It is my understanding that ordinary Cubans are poor by U.S. standards, but not destitute.  The life expectancy of Cubans is about 74 years of age--marginally better than that of the U.S.  This is thanks in part to a system of preventative medicine that rivals most first world nations (Cubans, unlike us have a universal health care system). 

There isn't much economic opportunity and political dissent is not tolerated, but on the flipside, ordinary Cubans live longer than their counterparts in other Carribbean nations.

by Castro and his thugs to excuse the sorry state of the Cuban economy and the regime's repression.  Moreover, it's inconsistent with our policies with other equally authoritarian nations. 

Another problem I've always had with the blockade is that it has impeded the ability of Cuban Americans to effect change on their country from the USA.  Our immigration policies have served to encourage thousands of Cubans to risk their lives on perilous crossings while alienating Haitians and Dominicans who live in equal poverty but are treated differently if they make it to this country.  They are sent back while Cubans are allowed to stay if they can touch our soil.  None of this makes any sense to me.

Lifting the blockade and ceasing the favorable treatment of Cubans over other immigrants would serve to hasten change in Cuba.  The very lifting of the blockade would create a sense of opportunity for change which may discourage such hazardous undertakings as trying to get to America.