Late Monday evening, the Atlantic Council released a poll showing 63% of Floridians favor allowing more American companies to do business in Cuba and removing restrictions on US citizens to spend dollars in Cuba. Polling was even higher with Hispanics and Latinos. The poll also revealed 67% of Floridians favor removing all restrictions on travel to Cuba by US citizens.
We did not hear from one of the two Libertarians running for the Office of Governor, however we did hear from Adrian Wyllie who is favored to run up against Rick Scott and likely Charlie Crist in the general election this November. Wyllie has been consistent in his stance the embargo should be lifted as has the Libertarian Party of which he is a member. Wyllie said this morning, “This poll shows that most Americans have a better fundamental understanding of foreign policy than our politicians. As Libertarians consistently point out, peace and friendship between nations is built upon trade, not embargo. The U.S. economy will benefit from access to Cuban goods and a new market for American products. Floridians will benefit from unrestricted travel and peaceful relations with one of our nearest international neighbors. The Cuban people will benefit from a new-found prosperity that will inevitably begin to repair the damage inflicted by decades of Communism and isolation. I fully support normalizing relations with Cuba and lifting the Cuban embargo.”
Read the full article here.
Thanks to Adrian Wyllie for link.
Yep. It has also provided an excuse which has helped the Castro brothers hold on to power longer. Since they can blame shitty economy on USA instead of taking responsibility for their failure.
@ Joe Wendt
Here in Arizona there’s no shortage of people collecting unemployment checks and refusing to take a job that is “beneath them”. This opens the floodgates for black market labor. I don’t think Americans are as eager to work as you think.
Anyway, who cares? If a company wants to move to Cuba, let them move to Cuba. You then can exercise your rights and choose not to support them. Where they do business is no business of yours or of the Feds.
The embargo is one of the dumbest failed propaganda charades in American history.
That’s equally dumb. That, and protectionism, are policies most libertarians correctly stand up against.
Joe, you should really read these:
http://www.amatecon.com/etext/cftoi/cftoi-toc.html
There’s not a fixed number of jobs to dole out and free trade creates more jobs and more wealth on both sides of the trade.
“The many people in this country who are unemployed and would love to have a job to support their families.”
Regulation, red tape, and the government’s mishandling of the economic downturn are far more to blame for the unemployment crisis than outsourcing. Sending jobs overseas frees up capital to hire people for better jobs.
“I’d rather see them get a decent factory job in a country with decent wages and rights”
Factory jobs aren’t decent. They suck. Poor nations are industrial. Rich nations are service industry oriented. I don’t want America to settle for mediocrity.
“as opposed to sending those jobs to China”
Companies can “send” jobs wherever they want, it’s none of the government’s business.
“where they live in meager conditions, receive little pay, and work in near slave-labor conditions.”
The alternative is they have no job at all and they & their family starve. Until the governments in those countries transform into the model we’re SUPPOSED to be, that’s the best they’re going to get.
Free and fair trade is the best model to bring the most peace and prosperity among nations. Restrictions to this breed despondent regimes & fuel the flames of war.
“Who the hell wants to slave away in a factory when you can give those jobs to people in poor countries & have more comfortable office jobs in America?”
The many people in this country who are unemployed and would love to have a job to support their families. I’d rather see them get a decent factory job in a country with decent wages and rights; as opposed to sending those jobs to China where they live in meager conditions, receive little pay, and work in near slave-labor conditions.
I guess there still are people who support it.
There’s been no reform in China? Seriously?
Also, I have no problem sending shitty jobs overseas. Who the hell wants to slave away in a factory when you can give those jobs to people in poor countries & have more comfortable office jobs in America?
Why would we do business with a totalitarian, communist regime. If we open economic trade with Cuba, many jobs in Florida will be outsourced to the cheaper labor market in Cuba, just as many jobs in the US have been outsourced to China. More importantly, free-trade with Cuba will not bring democracy or reform to Cuba, just as it’s failed to bring democracy or reform to China. Although, free-trade is the best ideal, when dealing with communist regimes that refuse to play fair, it’s an idiotic path that will not benefit our economy in the long run.
Many Libertarians in FL support “adequate background checks” for the free migration of individuals across imaginary lines. Ironic, because we have checkpoints on the border all the time yet “illegal” immigrants make their way over every day no different than substances banned by the US Government.
Is there anybody left who supports the embargo/travel ban?
Good issue for Adrian to include. I will be voting for him in November.