Political Quotes

“today the Atlantic Council's Adrienne Arsht Latin American Center released a new, bipartisan public opinion survey on Americans' views about U.S. policy toward Cuba which should be read by every Member of Congress. The findings of this thorough and wide-ranging poll will surprise many. For instance, not only do Floridians--and Cuban-Americans in Florida--favor new policy approaches, but they do so in even larger numbers than do Americans in other regions of the Nation. It is time--past time--to modernize our policies and the frozen-in- time embargo on Americans' travel and trade with Cuba that have accomplished nothing but to give the Cuban regime a scapegoat for the failures of the Cuban economy. Change will come to Cuba, but our policies have delayed and impeded change. It is time to elevate the voice of a crucial stakeholder: the American people. Thanks to this poll, they are silent no longer. It is time to recognize that U.S. policy toward Cuba has been unsuccessful in achieving any of its objectives. There is no disagreement among Americans on both sides of the issue about the desire for a government in Cuba that respects individual liberties. We want to see freedom of expression Cuba, just as we want to see American citizen Alan Gross, who has been imprisoned there for more than 4 years, come home. The disagreement is over how best to achieve that. Just about the only beneficiary of our embargo has been Cuba's current regime.…”