The Cuba Deal | National Catholic Reporter

The Cuba Deal | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: This is a good thing, although sadly Obama had to wait until the midterms were over to do it - not because it is inappropriate but because he does not want to be blamed for the backlash by Cuban-American Exile voters (who like the rest of the GOP old white male club, are dying out.  More then Castro, their exit was necessary for full relations and no embargo.  How sad is it for a group to have progress have to wait until they are dead.  Its as bad as being Castro.  This is precisely when Obama had to do this.  Any closer to the election and the former governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, reaps too many benefits - just as his brother did when Bill Clinton did the legal and proper thing and sent Elian Gonzalez back home with his father - essentially costing Al Gore the election (no, it was not Nader).  Like young Elian, this action cannot really be undone and there is no reason to do so.  More trade, not less, will change the economic equation and that will free people to begin to chaff politically (which I am sure IS happening in China under our radar).  Trade with Eastern Europe certainly began the the process of overthrowing the USSR, although frankly we now know that they never were all that - and we had an interest in keeping it that way, just as some do with Cuba.  We have taken a step in ignoring these interests - making their continued reliance on Castro as a scape goat to keep the Exiles in the GOP less and less reasonable with time.