April 5, 200917 yr I know most will disagree with me, but I think this is a GOOD thing! I work with several Cuban immigrants. One gentleman, Primitivo, left Cuba with his wife 2 years ago, after waiting for over 10 years for permission to leave Cuba. While waiting to leave, his children grew too old to leave with their parents. The weren't permitted to leave. So Primitivo and his wife came to the US without them. Because of the restrictions here, and in Cuba, he has only seen his children once in two years, and has grandchildren he's never seen. God love him! I hope this makes things easier for him and his wife to see his family more often. It seems we are mostly in agreement with you. I disagree that we disagree with you. Does that help?:lol::jump::sssh::bunny::clap::popcorn::taz::thumb::isurrender::ohbrother::lol::idunno:
April 5, 200917 yr I will floor everyone and say I agree with Obama on this one. And very soon allow anyone that wants to go, go. In fact flood the country and hopefully this will help the Cuban people to peacefully move to a democracy, just as Eastern Europe did in the early 1990's.
April 13, 200917 yr Pshh! What's up with P&R! Too much agreeing since I've been gone! That's because Acemona quit responding to me. :cry:
April 13, 200917 yr Pshh! What's up with P&R! Too much agreeing since I've been gone! No were not.:irked::lol::lol::lol:
April 29, 200917 yr Sorry, but we are at war in two countries right seems like there is just bigger fish to fry than worry about our relationship with Cuba especailly after our history with them.
April 29, 200917 yr The general feeling relayed through one my Cuban friends is those that have been here less than 10 years love it, those that have been here more than 20 years (the ones that tend to vote) hate it, and the rest think little of it. As for my friend and employee, Raul, he thinks we are slowly, but surely, becoming just like Cuba anyway, so "Who cares?". I tend to agree with him.
April 30, 200917 yr I think the ultimate plan is to determine if most of the folks in Cuba would likely be Democrats and if so, to have them be admitted as the 51st state so there can be two more Democratic Senators in Congress and another Democratic Representative. Personally I couldn't give a hoot in hades whether Obama lifts the travel and trade restrictions. Making it easier for some folks to be able to visit their friends and families in Cuba is not sufficient justification for it however. The Cuban exiles came here with an understanding of the rules.
April 30, 200917 yr I know most will disagree with me, but I think this is a GOOD thing! I work with several Cuban immigrants. One gentleman, Primitivo, left Cuba with his wife 2 years ago, after waiting for over 10 years for permission to leave Cuba. While waiting to leave, his children grew too old to leave with their parents. The weren't permitted to leave. So Primitivo and his wife came to the US without them. Because of the restrictions here, and in Cuba, he has only seen his children once in two years, and has grandchildren he's never seen. God love him! I hope this makes things easier for him and his wife to see his family more often. :thumb: I agree. Now we can see what life was like for young Primitivo in Cuba, and we may be able to bring some good cigars back as well. win/win situation.
April 30, 200917 yr Just got back from a meeting with a former Ambassador to Venezuela who had attended the recent Fith Summit of the Americas. He had some very interesting thoughts about Cuba and Obama's recent actions regarding Cuba. He gave his personal thoughts that as long as Fidel is alive, our efforts to improve relations with Cuba will not matter much. Furthermore if I interpreted what he wanted to say but had to be cautious, it sounded like our efforts to improve relations would just strengthen the anti American efforts in Cuba (i.e., Americans are weak). The speaker, by the way, was not a political appointee; rather was a long employee of the State Department. Also had some interesting thoughts in re Chavez and Obama. He did say that Obama was received as a rock star in Trinidad by not only the citizens but by most of the other political leaders attending the Summit. He felt that while our efforts to reach out to Cuba might not help much with Cuba, it would put the States in a better light with the leaders of a lot of our South and Central American countries because it makes it look as if its Castro, Chavez and Ortega that are being the obstinate and close minded leaders. Interesting stuff. Another intesting thing he briefly discussed, which may be the subject of another thread, is that in Mexico, Brazil and some other Latin American countries, under a specific welfare program, called conditional cash payment program, welfare payments are made by the govt to poor parents only if (and that's the conditional part) their children stay in school and perform at a satisfactory level. Perhaps that's something we should consider in Ky. We hear way too often that a large reason kids are not doing well or staying in school is because the parents themselves don't care about education and aren't involved in their children's education. Perhaps if we paid them money based on the educational success of their kids, the parents would get more involved and be more supportive of their kids' educational efforts. Cash is a great motivator. I know that such would involve more bureacracy, but something has to be done. Paying cash to the parents if their kids finish high school, paying cash to go to college or a trade school and paying cash to finish those programs, might encourage the parental support and involvement that is so badly lacking in Ky.
April 30, 200917 yr Just got back from a meeting with a former Ambassador to Venezuela who had attended the recent Fith Summit of the Americas. He had some very interesting thoughts about Cuba and Obama's recent actions regarding Cuba. He gave his personal thoughts that as long as Fidel is alive, our efforts to improve relations with Cuba will not matter much. Furthermore if I interpreted what he wanted to say but had to be cautious, it sounded like our efforts to improve relations would just strengthen the anti American efforts in Cuba (i.e., Americans are weak). The speaker, by the way, was not a political appointee; rather was a long employee of the State Department. Also had some interesting thoughts in re Chavez and Obama. He did say that Obama was received as a rock star in Trinidad by not only the citizens but by most of the other political leaders attending the Summit. He felt that while our efforts to reach out to Cuba might not help much with Cuba, it would put the States in a better light with the leaders of a lot of our South and Central American countries because it makes it look as if its Castro, Chavez and Ortega that are being the obstinate and close minded leaders. Interesting stuff. Another intesting thing he briefly discussed, which may be the subject of another thread, is that in Mexico, Brazil and some other Latin American countries, under a specific welfare program, called conditional cash payment program, welfare payments are made by the govt to poor parents only if (and that's the conditional part) their children stay in school and perform at a satisfactory level. Perhaps that's something we should consider in Ky. We hear way too often that a large reason kids are not doing well or staying in school is because the parents themselves don't care about education and aren't involved in their children's education. Perhaps if we paid them money based on the educational success of their kids, the parents would get more involved and be more supportive of their kids' educational efforts. Cash is a great motivator. I know that such would involve more bureacracy, but something has to be done. Paying cash to the parents if their kids finish high school, paying cash to go to college or a trade school and paying cash to finish those programs, might encourage the parental support and involvement that is so badly lacking in Ky. Very interesting. I'm going to make it it's own thread so we can keep this one on topic. Hope you don't mind.
April 30, 200917 yr Very interesting. I'm going to make it it's own thread so we can keep this one on topic. Hope you don't mind. Don't mind at all.
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.