[freedomtowernight_edited.jpg] 26th Parallel: Rep. Rangel Shocked at Exile Reaction

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Rep. Rangel Shocked at Exile Reaction

New York U.S. House Representative Charles Rangel is a big fan of fidel.

I mention this because of a letter to the editor that Mr. Rangel wrote to the Miami Herald, published today.

Here it is, with comments to follow:

I have been shocked at the sight of people dancing in the streets over reports of Cuban President Fidel Castro's illness. It is unseemly, and even un-American, to publicly wish for someone's death.

We all hope to see a free and open democracy in Cuba. But the way to achieve that is not by attempting to dictate who runs for office or who doesn't, as we have done under the Helms-Burton law. Rather, we should be opening doors to Cuba by promoting free trade and cultural, scientific and academic exchanges and encouraging travel between the two countries.

Showing off the American way of life is the best way to influence the choices that the Cuban people -- not American politicians in Florida -- must eventually make. The Bush administration would be better served by rethinking a policy that has failed to achieve its ends after almost 50 years. The U.S. embargo, which I and many of my colleagues in Congress have opposed for years, has only hurt the Cuban people and economy, but done nothing to advance democracy.

I feel for Cuban Americans who have relatives in Cuba whom they can visit only once every three years because of the tightening of the embargo. The policy, which is dividing Cuban families, was not devised by the Cuban government. It is the American government's misguided policies that have erected walls between Cuban Americans and their families on the island.

CHARLES B. RANGEL, representative, U.S. House, 15th Congressional District, New York

One can reasonably argue about the travel restrictions, the "embargo", and other issues involving U.S.-Cuba relations. That's not my beef here. And he's far from the only person in the U.S. who sympathizes with fidel. That's not it either.

I bring this up because Rangel isn't just some freshman representative getting his feet wet in Washington. He happens to be the ranking Democrat in the House Ways and Means Committee, which means that if the Democrats take control of the House this fall, he becomes the chair of the committee.

A fidel sympathizer in control of an important committee in the United States House. Does that disturb anyone? It should.

Some might say, "What's the big deal, Robert? What does him liking fidel have anything to do with the United States and the Ways and Means Committee".

When someone is a fan of a person who has vowed with our worst enemies to "put the U.S. on its knees", and that individual is in a high position in our government, I worry. What are Rangel's true interests? Is he being honest when he says he wants a "free and democratic Cuba"? Those are fair question to ask considering who his friends are. And I won't even bring up Rangel's trip to Cuba in 2003 which was funded by fidel.

Rangel is upset that Cuban-Americans are wishing for fidel's death. Perhaps Rangel should also be upset at fidel for his record as a murderer, oppressor, human rights violator, and for publicly stating that he wishes harm on the United States. No, that would be too honest for a hypocrite such as Rangel.

Some people wonder why Cuban-Americans are mostly Republican. Focusing solely on Cuban issues (there are many reasons that transcend Cuban issues), politicians such as Rangel make it obvious. As a conservative, I'll be the first to say that Republicans are far from perfect when it comes to Cuba issues (examples: Bush refusing to revoke the wet foot/dry foot policy, the inability for leading Republicans to come up with real and constructive ways to deal with fidel). In fact, I'm sure many if not most Cubans agree with certain core Democratic issues.

But as long as the Democrats have Rangel and others in their ranks, Cuban-Americans will have good reasons to be more skeptical of Democrats than Republicans when it comes to Cuba.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm not sure I'm following your logic, Robert. A U.S. Congressman is a communist sympathizer and a "big fan of fidel" because he disagrees that people shouldn't be dancing in the streets and celebrating a human being's death?

I suppose if I was upset that the Heat had a huge parade after winning the championship, that would make me a Dallas Maverick fan. Using your logic, it would.

Rangel has clearly stated that he is not "for" Fidel, per the previous commenter. I don't know how much clearer he can be. The fact that he doesn't agree with the celebration of human death, whose ever that might be, is not an automatic stamp of approval with their ideology.

For the record, as I've stated at SotP, I have no problem with the celebrations. But I understand those that may think they are a bit morbid. Are they all communist sympathizers? No, of course not.

Many Cuban-Americans will forever lambaste the Dems for every single wrong they think is being done to them. And they will minimize or totally ignore those that a Republican White House and a Republican-controlled Congress has continued or made stricter. It's because they are hardline Republican voters and they will never, ever change, no matter how "Cuban friendly" a candidate the Dems can field.

Speaking of "Cuban friendly," did you hear Condi today tell Cubans not to come to the U.S. if there is political change on the island? No, I didn't think so.

.

7:14 PM, August 05, 2006  
Blogger Fantomas said...

excellent

1:41 AM, August 06, 2006  
Blogger Robert said...

Rick,

Follow me here: Rangel is a fan of fidel because he's a fan of fidel. Check the link in the first sentence. It's that simple. His record on Cuba and the (non) support of Cuban dissidents is well-known.

His reaction to the celebrations in Miami is BECAUSE of his feelings for fidel. His reaction didn't lead me to make that assertion, it's well-known despite his "denial" in an interview in which he then proceeds to compare Bush to fidel.

As far as Cuban-Americans supporting the Democratic party, I'll say this: the day that Democrats in Congress stop whining about the "embargo" and start to come up with constructive ways to support real change in Cuba through the dissident movement, you might see a big flip-flop in party affiliation.

Say what you want about the Republicans, and they've screwed up their fair share, but AT LEAST they've put their heads together to come up with a plan, however flawed it may or may not be, that lends support to the dissidents. That's much more than any Democrat has done in many years.

9:19 AM, August 06, 2006  
Blogger Michael Pancier Photography said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

10:22 AM, August 07, 2006  
Blogger Michael Pancier Photography said...

I was going to comment on the Cavuto interview which I heard live in my car on XM, and fumed, but it seems you got the actual transcript. Charlie is fidel's best buddy in congress.

10:25 AM, August 07, 2006  

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