Cuban-American legislators threaten to withdraw support for President Bush

Associated Press ^ | 08/11/03 | Staff Writer

[bedolido]

MIAMI -- A group of Florida Republican state representatives is warning President Bush that he could lose their support for the 2004 election if he fails to adopt a tougher Cuba policy.

The Cuban-American leaders drafted a letter to be mailed Monday asking the administration to revise its current migration policy, indict Fidel Castro for the 1996 shoot down of two planes by Cuban fighter jets, ensure that TV Marti is viewed by people in Cuba and increase aid to dissidents on the island. ``We feel it is our responsibility as Republican elected officials to inform you that unless substantial progress on the above-mentioned issues occurs rapidly, we fear the historic and intense support from Cuban American voters for Republican federal candidates, including yourself, will be jeopardized,'' reads the letter, signed by 13 members of the state's Republican Hispanic Caucus.

Many prominent members of the Cuban American community have criticized the Bush administration's decision last month to return 12 Cubans suspected of hijacking a boat to reach Florida. Six of the men were freed upon their return to Cuba, one of the repatriated men said last week.

The United States agreed to return the suspects after receiving assurances from Castro's government that the Cubans would not be executed and would be sentenced to no more than 10 years in prison. Bush's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, took issue with the decision, citing concerns about a recent crackdown on dissidents and the executions of three men who tried to hijack a ferry to South Florida.

State Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, who helped draft the letter, called the discontent among Cuban-American voters as a ``growing crisis'' for Republican leaders at the federal level. He said the lawmakers could refuse financial and tactical support for Bush next year if he failed to meet the demands.

[aynrandfreak]

As with the rest of us that have a few issues with the administration... where are they going to go? To the party that took Elian?

[Pikamax]

hey knock yourselves out and not vote for the GOP, see how well the other side handles it in comparison.

"Besides Rivera, the letter was signed by Miami-area state Reps. Juan-Carlos Planas, Marco Rubio, Ralph Arza, Gus Barreiro, Gaston Cantens, Rene Garcia, Marcelo Llorente, Manny Prieguez, Julio Robaina, and Juan Zapata. The letter was also signed by Ken Sorensen of Key Largo and John Quinones of Kissimmee.
"

Just looking over these names, I don't see the regular hardliners, wonder if this is the new group coming up.

[harpu]

"A group of Florida Republican state representatives is warning President Bush that he could lose their support for the 2004 election if he fails to adopt a tougher Cuba policy."

AND, their alternative to W would be?

[The Bronze Titan]

"As with the rest of us that have a few issues with the administration... " - therein lies the problem.

The issue of U.S.'s "Cuba policy" to a great portion of Cuban-Americans, especially those residing in Florida, falls under a much higher degree of importance and emotion than the "...few issues" most of us have with this administration.

When one has family members who are still trapped in that gulag, then it is much easier to understand why this issue is of such importance to them.

You see, the issue of "Cuba-policy", taken in this context, is literally a matter of 'life or death' to them. Much like the abortion issue is with many conservatives.

It is a great misconception to just write this off as just another issue.

After all, all one has to do is consider this fact:

- There were more than 400,000 Cuban-American votes in FL

- Bush received more than "80%" support from C/A

- That's more than "320,000" votes received from C/A

- Bush won FL and Presidency by a mere "532" votes!

Now, you tell me, if you want to risk keeping any of these folks from EVEN voting (forget about voting for anyone else).

[agitator]

ping

[Luis Gonzalez]

There's a lot of trouble brewing for Bush down here, I've been saying it for months.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Staying home.

[Luis Gonzalez]

There's a BIG issue with the Party that sent these guys back to the Gulag.

[The Bronze Titan]

Think of the above picture, and pretend it is...

- June 1962...would Kennedy have sent them back?
- June 1967...would Johnson have sent them back?
- June 1972...would Nixon have sent them back?
- June 1977...would Carter have sent them back?
- June 1982...would Reagan have sent them back?
- June 1989...would Bush Sr have sent them back?
- June 1996...would Clinton...........
- June 2003...would Bush..............

What has happened over time?

The Soviet Union is no longer a communist threat and have left Cuba, consequently the Cubans seeking freedom are not worth "protecting" anymore in the eyes of the political world.

[AmericanInTokyo]

You know regimes start to turn chicken shit when they send clear cut political refugees back to Communist regimes, where the defectors are for sure going to be tortured or executed.

E.g., friend of the USA or no friend, the Shah of Iran was an S.O.B. for sending a defecting Soviet pilot back to Moscow from Iran, a pilot who was tortured to death thereafterwards.

Clinton sent Elian back to Hell through Der Renofuerher. Getting kind of sick of this stuff.

We have to stand on our principles as conservatives and seekers of liberty (not just for ourselves, but for the oppressed). Otherwise our whole mission statement as FReeRepublic doesn't amount to a hill of dog logs. G.O.P. or no G.O.P., hot dog picnics on the White House Lawn or no picnics.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"...where are they going to go? To the party that took Elian?"

No "party" took Elian, not Party fought to keep him here either.

The Clinton administration took him, with the support of many who call themselves "conservatives"...some are even on this thread.

[The Bronze Titan]

-"We have to stand on our principles as conservatives and seekers of liberty (not just for ourselves, but for the oppressed). Otherwise our whole mission statement as FReeRepublic doesn't amount to a hill of dog logs."

I could not agree more with you.

You would think that 'principles' do not change over time, as noted in my timeline reference above.

It is no accident that the 'principled' Clinton decided to personally and unilatterally change a long-standing 35 yr policy of accepting Cubans who escaped that gulag.

The Cubans, under a liberal Democratic administration, were easy fodder to ignore. After all, to liberals, the Cuban exile community by and large is not viewed in the traditional "hispanic" mode as other hispanics. Most Cuban-Americans are conservative, do not actively court government programs based on race, are pro-business, entreprenurial, fiercely anti-communist, and and very pro-American. All of which do not fit well within the Democratic Party's agenda.

[MinuteGal]

"The U.S. agreed to return the suspects (?) after receiving assurances from Castro that the Cubans would not be executed and would be sentenced to no more than 10 years in prison".

This ticks me off. Ten years in a Cuban hell-hole prison is a life time, and in many cases, a death sentence, anyhow.

Leni

[The Bronze Titan]

"The Clinton administration took him, with the support of many who call themselves "conservatives"...some are even on this thread.

Yes. I know. The entire Elian affair really flushed out some of these "conservatives" who could not see past their own bias towards an entire group, irrespective of their kinship philosophy in matters of "liberty, freedom, and equality" concerning freedom-loving Cubans.

[harpu]

I love people who go brain dead over their idealogical passions.

AND, if all the C/A's sit their ignorant-asses home, and a demoCRAP wins...travel to and from Cuba will quickly be a reality and all that the C/A's supposedly believe in will be lost.

[The Bronze Titan]

Welcome to the world of 'politics'.

Frankly, I agree with your assessment (except the characterization of "arrogant.."). But the reality is, a politician turns their back on core supporters at their own peril.

Witness what happened to the Republicans in 1998 when they allowed themselves to be 'politically raped' by Clinton and the Democrats during the Budget process in October 1998. The Republican base stayed home and the Democrats picked up so many seats in the House it caused the resignation of the Speaker, almost losing outright control of the House altogether.

So 'who' ultimately bears the blame for this? The voters who stayed home? No. It is the politicians directly responsible for not coming through with what voters put them in there to begin with.

I am not saying that Cuban-Americans should turn their backs on the Republican Party because of minor disagreements, but when the Republican party has done not only "0" since coming into office to effect change in Cuba, but has actually continued to maintain and support the reversed immigration policies of the prior Democrat administration, why should they sheep themselves to politicians who 'talk the talk' but dont' 'walk the walk'.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"I love people who go brain dead over their idealogical passions."

At least they GO brain dead, they're not born that way.

Clinton signed an Executive Order creating wet foot/dry foot, he did it in accordance to an agreement with Castro, and agreement that this administration still honors, and a EO that's still standing.

One last thing, if being passionate about an ideology is a bad thing, then why do you give a rat's ass about who gets elected?

[Kuksool]

Would the Miami Cubans vote for Bob Graham if he is on the RAT ticket?

[Luis Gonzalez]

Believe it or not, Joe Lieberman has always been real popupar with the community down here.

Either Lieberman or Graham on the ticket will spell trouble for Dubya.