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Obama To Unilaterally Normalize Relations With Cuba
Townhall.com ^ | December 17, 2014 | Conn Carroll

Posted on 12/17/2014 6:24:10 PM PST by Kaslin

resident Obama announced plans to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba today, including opening an embassy in Cuba.

"We will end an outdated approach that for decades has failed to advance our interests," Obama claimed, "And instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries."

Specifically, the White House took three major steps today as part of their "New Course on Cuba":

  1. Initiating discussions to reestablish diplomatic relations, including a U.S. embassy in Havana, and a Cuban embassy in the United States.
  2. A review, by the State Department, of Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
  3. Relaxing of regulations to facilitate the flow of travel, commerce, and information between the United States and Cuba.

In conjunction with the "new direction for U.S. policy," the White House also announced the release of United States Agency for International Development subcontractor Alan Gross who had been imprisoned in Cuba since 2009. The White House insisted that Gross's release was not related to the release of three Cuban spies held by the United States. Senior Administration Officials insisted that those three Cuban spies were traded for a "U.S. intelligence asset" that had been imprisoned in Cuba for 20 years.

Asked if the White House was planning on working with Congress to remove the embargo on Cuba, Senior Administration Officials stressed that was not the focus of today's announcement.

"Again, we're not focussed today on legislative action. We are focussed on what the president can do so he's not sought to initiate any process with respect to the lifting of the embargo," a Senior Administration Official said. "We're not focused today on calling on Congress to take any particular action, we're focussed on communicating this new direction for U.S. policy."

Obama's unilateral actions on Cuba today are just the latest in a series of unilateral actions he has taken without consent of Congress. Just last month Obama announced he would grant temporary amnesty to as many as 5 million illegal immigrants currently living in the United States and he announced a deal to cut U.S. carbon emissions with China. His administration has also signaled he will not seek any input from Congress as Obama tries to broker a nuclear weapons deal with Iran.

Unless Republicans in Congress show they are willing to stop Obama's actions through the appropriations process, Americans can expect many many more unilateral executive actions over the nest two years.

"Senators should also make clear that they will not allow the appointment of an ambassador to Cuba to proceed until there have been changes on the island," The Heritage Foundation's Michael Gonzales advises. "And look into the possibility of using policy riders in the upcoming Department of Homeland Security appropriations debate in February and the fiscal year 2016 appropriations process to deny the president funds for setting up relations."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Cuba; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: clowardpiven; cuba; executive; foreignpolicy; imperial; imperialpresidency; obama
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To: Talisker

Neither the Pope or the Vatican have denied Rabbi Sergio Bergman quote.


41 posted on 12/17/2014 8:49:44 PM PST by Dqban22 (Hpo<p> http://i.imgur.com/26RbAPx.jpg)
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To: VerySadAmerican

The US embargo against Cuba began October 19th, 1960.


42 posted on 12/17/2014 9:09:03 PM PST by Repeal The 17th (We have met the enemy and he is us.)
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To: Kaslin
1) Initiating discussions to reestablish diplomatic relations, including a U.S. embassy in Havana, and a Cuban embassy in the United States.

As the President is the head diplomat of the United States, I don't think that this falls outside his legitimate purview.

2) A review, by the State Department, of Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, as per State.gov:

Country Designation Date
Cuba March 1, 1982
Iran January 19, 1984
Sudan August 12, 1993
Syria December 29, 1979
I see no reason that a 30+ year old designation shouldn't be reviewed.

3) Relaxing of regulations to facilitate the flow of travel, commerce, and information between the United States and Cuba.

If that's contingent on #2, I have no problem with it.


All in all, these three items aren't unreasonable or exceeding his authority.
43 posted on 12/17/2014 9:10:45 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Repeal The 17th

Bay of Pigs - April 1961
Cuban missile crisis - October 1962
Assassination of JFK - November 1963
Damn, I am getting old...


44 posted on 12/17/2014 9:15:31 PM PST by Repeal The 17th (We have met the enemy and he is us.)
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To: logic101.net
The “President” is supposed to set policy

He is also supposed to obey the law but you knew that right?

45 posted on 12/17/2014 11:32:42 PM PST by itsahoot (Voting for a Progressive RINO is the same as voting for any other Tyrant.)
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To: VerySadAmerican
But he was man enough to take responsibility.

What does that mean exactly. Janet Reno took responsibility for Waco, I never heard what that meant to take responsibility, did she pay a fine or something?

46 posted on 12/17/2014 11:36:04 PM PST by itsahoot (Voting for a Progressive RINO is the same as voting for any other Tyrant.)
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To: Kaslin

Like Sulla did for Rome, Hussain is paving the road to dictatorship for U.S..


47 posted on 12/18/2014 12:40:55 AM PST by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
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To: tet68; Kaslin; All

So, is the Ebola “epidemic” now officially over, by reason of outliving its usefulness as a distraction?


48 posted on 12/18/2014 1:05:52 AM PST by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: logic101.net; All
But then again that is his specialty; creating chaos. He has been taking (please excuse the spelling) Clowerd-Pivon to new heights.

He has Cloward-Piven ("Overwhelm the system!") written all over him. This is going to be one of his "weekly crisis" sessions.

So in the 2 years remaining of his "doing time" we are looking at about 50-100 new crises — by its nature, it's very difficult for Congress to formulate and make a timely and appropriate response to an avalanche of "executive actions" ...

49 posted on 12/18/2014 1:22:26 AM PST by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: itsahoot

He is also supposed to obey the law but you knew that right?

This is the one time he did follow the law. Not to say it is good policy, he never does that.


50 posted on 12/18/2014 4:56:43 AM PST by logic101.net (How many more children must die on the altar of gun free zones?)
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To: roadcat

We do not have the right to independenceand divoce,mwe all must be kumbaya with corrupt idiot retard communist thugs, on whom toes cannot be tread on: America, tear down this wall. Yeah, we are the wrong ones again. This guy is class A traitor afraid of defending the free speech of Cubans. There goes the wprld down the toilet, from Sony caving to Norks to this.


51 posted on 12/18/2014 5:28:52 AM PST by lavaroise (A well regulated gun being necessary to the state, the rights of the militia shall not be infringed)
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To: itsahoot

The law requires him to stand up for free speech of Cubans, but our President is a pu$$y.. And he also likes to submit us to enemies because it is his cheesy way of submiting us to him by proxy. This is typical of arrange court ordered relationships like gay marriages/divorce terms.


52 posted on 12/18/2014 5:31:17 AM PST by lavaroise (A well regulated gun being necessary to the state, the rights of the militia shall not be infringed)
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To: Kaslin

I’m not familiar with the process that initiated the embargo against Cuba.

Was Congress involved?
Was a bill passed / signed?
Was it an executive action by the President at the time?
Is there a process for doing away with the embargo that Obama is circumventing by this action he’s taking?


53 posted on 12/18/2014 6:15:31 AM PST by Personal Responsibility (I'd use the /S tag but is it really necessary?)
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To: Personal Responsibility
This might be helpful

United States embargo against Cuba

54 posted on 12/18/2014 6:26:34 AM PST by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin

So this line is the effective one then:

The Cuban Democracy Act was signed into law in 1992 with the stated purpose of maintaining sanctions on Cuba so long as the Cuban government refuses to move toward “democratization and greater respect for human rights”.

Has Obama point to how Cuba has moved toward democratization and greater respect for human rights?

Also, this is a law - there’s a process for overturning a law and I’m pretty sure it involves Congress.


55 posted on 12/18/2014 6:44:18 AM PST by Personal Responsibility (I'd use the /S tag but is it really necessary?)
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To: tsowellfan

tsowellfan wrote:
<<
Look at the bright side... politically.... If Amnesty prevails and the borders secured the so called “immigration” problem will no longer be a campaign issue for the democrats.
>>

How is this the bright side? What indication have you seen that our elected “leaders” in Washington have any intention of securing the borders? There are already many laws in the books that directly deal with this.

Bottom line... The Democrat party wants amnesty as a means of creating a permanent majority underclass, thereby cementing the party’s power in perpetuity. The Republican party wants amnesty in hopes of replacing its conservative base and delivering millions of cheap indentured servants to its puppet masters at the Chamber of Commerce.


56 posted on 12/18/2014 6:44:35 AM PST by DestroyLiberalism
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To: itsahoot

She said the words. Isn’t that enough? Isn’t that what taking responsibility is all about? Just saying “I take responsibility”?

What, you think they should suffer some consequences? Hahahhahaha...


57 posted on 12/18/2014 6:51:20 AM PST by Personal Responsibility (I'd use the /S tag but is it really necessary?)
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To: Kaslin

And now the Satanic Kenyan Marxist in the Oval Office is capitulating to communist countries. Is anyone honestly surprised by this despicable putrid sub-human’s never ending lawless, destructive, and treasonous actions against this once great nation?


58 posted on 12/18/2014 6:54:22 AM PST by DestroyLiberalism
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To: itsahoot

Murderous Reno was telling her masters that she had done as she was told to do, and she expected to be rewarded as told. She could have just as easily said, “I’m a good servant, your lordships.” Then turned to the media recording her message and nodded her affirmation that they could now run with that message so her globalist masters would/could seal the deal and move forward with their agenda.


59 posted on 12/18/2014 6:55:23 AM PST by MHGinTN
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To: DestroyLiberalism
What indication have you seen that our elected “leaders” in Washington have any intention of securing the borders?

None. That's why I added the conjunction "IF" in the sentence.

There are already many laws in the books that directly deal with this.

But they mean nothing if the president chooses to ignore them and John Boehner chooses to do nothing about the president's ignoring them. This is and has always been where the problem began.

This all began when Senator Obama refused to prove his eligibility to be POTUS in the beginning.

Obama demanded that John McCain prove his eligibility and John McCain followed through. Obama did not. Why? Was it because he was really born in Kenya? Was he an illegal alien? NO!. His goal was likely to show the American people that rules and laws and the US Constitution No Longer Matter. And he did.

Seven years later... the Republicans are now the elephant in the room.

You cannot pick and choose your fights. You cannot pick and choose which parts of the US Constitution are important and which parts are not.

As long as John Boehner is Speaker of the House he and the democrats will make sure that Conservatives (not liberal republicans - not democrats - not Obama) are to blame for any bad thing that happens in this nation.

We need a Trey Gowdy as Speaker of the House. Not that half-wit John Boehner.

60 posted on 12/18/2014 7:51:04 AM PST by tsowellfan (www.cafenetamerica.com)
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