Majority Support in US for New Cuba Policy
Alvaro Fernández (Progreso Weekly)
HAVANA TIMES — The Washington Post is reporting that a new Washington Post-ABC News poll has a large number of Americans supporting President Obama’s decision to establish diplomatic ties with Cuba, but an even larger number in favor of ending the trade and travel bans to the island.
As reported by Scott Clement, “the national survey finds little erosion in public support after President Obama announced sweeping changes in U.S.-Cuba policy, despite his weak approval ratings nationally. Sixty-four percent support establishing ties with Cuba, similar to 66 percent in a 2009 Post-ABC poll asking whether the United States should do so.
“Sixty-eight percent support ending the trade embargo with Cuba — up 11 points from 2009 — and 74 percent support ending travel restrictions to Cuba — a jump of 19 points from five years ago. The poll described each policy in general and did not mention Obama’s action, maintaining broad comparability to previous surveys.”
Even republicans, who not long ago were against the measures, now support allowing trade and travel. “In 2009, 36 percent of Republicans said the United States should end the trade embargo and 40 percent favored an end to travel restrictions,” reported Clement. But those numbers have skyrocketed in favor with 57 percent now supporting trade with Cuba and 64 percent supporting travel between the countries. “Republicans continue to split on establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba overall, with 49 percent supporting and 47 percent opposing the idea — a similar split to 2009,” said Clement.
According to the Washington Post – ABC News poll, as reported by The Washington Post: “Majorities in nearly every other major demographic group in the survey support establishing diplomatic ties with Cuba, along with scuttling travel and trade bans. Independents support renewed diplomatic ties by a 63-32 margin, with 67 percent supporting lifting the embargo and 72 percent backing travel between countries. More than three quarters of Democrats support all three proposals tested in the poll.
“Hispanics are among the most supportive of re-starting diplomatic relations with Cuba; 75 percent support doing so, while 20 percent are opposed. The survey did not include a large enough sample of Hispanics or detailed questions to examine attitudes of Cuban Americans.”
“This are all good things for the Cuban people even though they seem meaningless to you.”
Moses, none of what you want for Cuba is ‘meaningless’ to me…I’m wanting the same. Where we differ is that you have demands…whereas, I have expectations. You find it necessary for the Cuban government to concede to demands before the embargo and Helms-Burton are repealed. This is where we differ, and where the world differs with your government too…including a significant portion of your own US population. Lastly, it’s absolutely fruitless to demand anything from the Cuban government because, as history has proven, Cuba will not concede to US demands. I support the carrot…while you still support the club. As your President has asserted, it’s time for a new approach.
When my wife tells people she’s Cuban, people want to talk about two, maybe three things. Cigars, Fidel Castro and dancing salsa. They always ask “Is Castro still alive?”. Beyond that Cuba is not on anyone’s radar.
No one should support the status quo at this point. This difference is where the changes are to take place. Lifting the embargo unilaterally will cost the US economy nothing. It will not add or subtract jobs. It won’t lower the crime rate. But if Obama demands more democracy in Cuba, it will make life much better for Cubans. Either way, Cuba is poor third world country with few natural resources and a crumbling infrastructure. Cuba has huge problems ahead of them either way.
When you feel the need to comment and facts and figures escape you, we can always count on you to resort to name-calling.
Terry, I don’t disagree that the embargo is on a slippery slope to being lifted. This would be great for Cuba and beneficial to the US as well. Here is the difference between you and I. I am expecting that the lifting of the embargo will mean an independent and free media exists in Cuba. This means that Circles could publish HT from Cuba free from harassment. I hope no embargo means yes to multiparty elections. That means the possibility of a faction of the Communist Party from the extreme left as well as a Democratic Socialist Party from the right. It should also mean someone other than a Castro is in charge. This are all good things for the Cuban people even though they seem meaningless to you. Finally, my comments are not about me so if being embarrassed for standing up for free speech in Cuba is the price I pay. Me apunto!
Everyone is relying on the Patterson propaganda drivel to enhance the expected drivel from the King of paranoia.
Meanwhile, the muppet of a President, O’Barmy continues with his comedy act to win over the US brainwashed masses.
Polls clearly show that even in Florida and Dade County people support changes….only the dinosaurs of the Cuban right stick to their oudated stance…
Moses, the end of the embargo is now inevitable, and there is nothing that you or anyone else can say or do that will stop that momentum. Your continuing defeatist and paranoid attitude is nothing more than a joke now. Stop it…you’re only embarrassing yourself futher.
What’s important to remember is that, outside Miami and Havana, where all things Cuba related make the news, no one particularly cares about Cuba. It’s just an another island in the Caribbean.
I recently returned from Burmingham Alabama on business (before the changes in Cuba policy were announced) and the fact that I was a Cuban was a great curiosity with those I was doing business with. They asked questions and were curious about my opinion, but it was obvious that Cuba is not something they often, if ever, think about. Cuba, and US policy towards Cuba, is simply not that important. Remove the ever present Alan Gross from the equation and Cuba is once again relegated to the back burner….
If you inserted the word “Communist” in front of Cuba in the same poll, the results would have been different. If you added Fidel and Raul Castro worse yet. Given the lack of interest and therefore lack of information that most Americans have regarding Cuba, these results don’t surprise me. Had the polled Americans known that Cuba is BFFs with North Korea, Iran, Syria and Russia, I have no doubt the percentages would reverse. Before the vote in Congress to lift the embargo is called, I have every confidence that Americans will be much better informed about the truth of the Castro dictatorship.