The United States should lift its trade embargo with the island nation of Cuba. On the most basic level, in this economic recession, the more trading partners the U.S. has, the better for our economy overall. The real benefactor with the most to gain, and which could jolt the state out of its current dire economic malaise, is the State of Florida. I love this state and would love to see Florida have a new economic renaissance due to Cuba.
1. The trade embargo has not worked. Fidel Castro has successfully handed over power to his brother and there has been, and will be, no "democratic" uprising in Cuba. The trade embargo has hurt families more than it has helped the U.S. We have more to gain from engaging Cuba than from ignoring it. This is 40 years of a failed diplomatic policy.
2. Cuba is the last virgin island in the Caribbean. It is ripe for development in every way: restaurants, hotels, tourism, casinos, air travel, cruises, real estate, television, trade, factories......there are hundreds of American industries and small businesses that could stand to gain billions of dollars in revenue from Cuba. Again, the State of Florida is the gateway to most of the Caribbean for Americans, and it could spur revenue growth for the state. Governor Charlie Crist and our U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives should be working full time petitioning the Obama Administration for lifting the trade embargo.
3. I really want to go on vacation there. Cuba is stuck in the 1950's. While I would only want to go for 3-4 days, the fact that I would need to leave the U.S. and could get arrested for trying to enter Cuba from another country is the most insane thing I have ever heard.
Cuba Libre - and by that I mean I want to actually enjoy a Cuba Libre drink on a balmy, breezy summer night in Havana.
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