US Sen. for Ending Cuba Shows

Sen. Russ Feingold

By Circles Robinson

HAVANA TIMES, Jan. 27 — Senator Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin democrat, wrote President Obama on Wednesday calling on him to end the US government funding of Radio and TV Marti, stations beamed illegally from the United States to Cuba.

Both the broadcasts are routinely jammed by the Cuban government, which maintains a protest over the interference in the country’s radio and TV frequencies in an annual call to end the nearly half century US economic blockade on Cuba lodged at the United Nations.

“This programming is a relic of the Cold War, falls short of journalistic standards and is a prime example of wasteful government spending at a time when we should be reducing the deficit. There are better ways to support the freedom and human rights of the Cuban people – ones that are not so careless with American taxpayer dollars,” said Feingold in a press release.

The senator said US $300 million could be saved over ten years by eliminating the illegal broadcasts.