GW & The Cubans

2004 is coming around pretty quickly. The campaigns for the Presidency are starting to heat up. And as usual, the Cuban-Americans of Florida are positioning themselves to play kingmaker.

Now I personally think that the Cuban-Americans have gotten a raw deal. For as long as I can remember, with every new election comes the hope that during this term the US will finally do something to get rid of Fidel. And by the third year of each election cycle, the Cuban-Americans are once again feeling betrayed and used, as well they should. Castro needs to go. The Cuban-Americans know it. Every politician promises it. And nothing happens.

The Cubans exiles of South Florida can really make a serious difference in the outcome of an election. They're involved. They're organized. They vote. They helped Clinton to win in both of his elections; they helped to push GW over the top in Florida in 2000.

Gov. Jeb has realized the importance of the Cuban bloc - he went as far as to publicly call out his brother on the lack of direction in Cuban policy.

But what's really surprising about the lack of direction is that GW has a Cuban born member of his cabinet - Mel Martinez. Granted, he's the head of HUD, but he still has a valuable input to add to the debate.

I don't think that GW is in danger of losing the Presidency in 2004, even if he loses the Cuban-American vote. He has done enough right to have probably secured himself a second term without Florida this time.

I understand the "wet feet/dry feet" policy of the government, but I don't think it's right. The Cubans that are trying to escape now are not the dregs of Cuban society. The people risking their lives on floating '51 Chevys are not the criminals and insane that Castro unleashed on us during Mariel. These are similar to the thousands upon thousands of other Cuban refugees that have come to our shores seeking refuge - they are hard-working people who want a chance.

GW wants to make the claim of being friendly to the Cubans, but he hasn't really done anything to be friendly. If he's not going to go after Castro like he did Saddam or Osama, then at the very least he needs to change the current "wet feet/dry feet" policy and put in place a policy that gives the Cubans a better chance at having a life.

But I still think that the best policy would be to get rid of Castro and give the Cubans an opportunity to rebuild their homeland. It would be more humanitarian and would quiet the anti-refugee crowd. The Cuban people, in America or in Cuba, deserve the opportunity to make Cuba great again.