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Travel Referendums: Considering Cuba

Where: Cuba
October 24, 2008 at 4:14 PM | by pbb | 2 Comments

This November 4 is about more than just deciding between McCain and Obama. Other issues that directly affect travelers are up for decision, and this week we're taking a closer look at some of them.

Early in the Democratic primaries, Sen. Christopher Dodd, a returned Peace Corps volunteer, talked up the fact that all the American embargo on Cuba seems to accomplish is getting presidential candidates those 27 electoral votes in the swing state of Florida. We haven't heard much about Cuba policy ever since everyone's money evaporated, but there remain differences between the two possible presidents on whether or not the US should ease its embargo.

Barack Obama brought up the "pander to Cubans in Florida" aspect of campaigning when he spoke in Miami back in May. Before that, he stated that his administration would hold a "series of meetings with low-level diplomats" in Cuba. On the travel tip, though, Obama's policy isn't encouraging to would-be tourists from the US who want to obey the law. His stance on Cuba:

In the case of Cuba, [he and Biden] will empower our best ambassadors of freedom by allowing unlimited Cuban-American family travel and remittances to the island. Using aggressive and principled bilateral diplomacy he will also send an important message: If a post-Fidel government takes significant steps toward democracy, beginning with freeing all political prisoners, the US is prepared to take steps to normalize relations and ease the embargo that has governed relations between our countries for the last five decades.

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Cuba Travel: Is the Embargo Hurting the United States, Too?

Where: Cuba
December 19, 2007 at 12:00 PM | by pbb | 1 Comment

Customs and Border Protection officers in Florida spend so much time searching passengers coming back from Cuba they may be missing actual threats to the country, says the Government Accountability Office. A report from the agency today says one in five passengers arriving in the States from Cuba are given intensive inspections, despite the fact that most of them have visited the island legally. (On average, customs officers put just three percent of international arrivals through the wringer.)

All the attention on enforcing the embargo on Cuba, says the GAO, keeps agents from other important work:

[Customs and Border Protection] data and interviews with agency officials suggest that the secondary inspections of Cuba arrivals at the airport may strain CBP's ability to carry out its mission of keeping terrorists, criminals and other inadmissible aliens from entering the country.

The report notwithstanding, the US State Department says that enforcing the embargo remains a priority. President Bush actually tightened sanctions on Cuba in 2004, but presidential hopefuls Ron Paul and Chris Dodd have both said they'd work to end the embargo if elected. Until then, Americans are stuck sneaking to the island and hoping they won't get caught coming home.

Related Stories:
· GAO Report on Embargo Enforcement [Official Site]
· Report Finds US Agencies Distracted by Focus on Cuba [NYT]
· Can US Citizens Travel to Cuba? [Jaunted]

[Photo: hellosputnik]

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2008 Candidates Travel: Ron Paul Talks Cuba, Too

Where: Hawkins Dr. at Melrose Ave. [map], Iowa City, IA, United States
November 14, 2007 at 1:00 PM | by egw | 2 Comments

With all the talk about Cuba among the candidates for President, maybe CNN should consider holding a debate at Guantanamo Bay. First Obama talks travel in Miami, then Chris Dodd brought it up. Now almost-a-libertarian candidate Ron Paul, an obstetrician and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from East Texas, has made his pro-friendship Cuba policy the subject of his weekly newsletter.

While Paul is not a front runner--he recently nabbed 5% of the vote and 6th place in a CNN poll of Republican candidates--his campaign has drawn a fair share of attention due to its grassroots Internet efforts and for the $4.2 million he raised in one day last week, breaking Mitt Romney's one-day fundraising record. Paul will be in Cedar Rapids before heading to a college football tailgate in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday. Next week, he'll take a page from the Democrats and travel Nevada.

Related Stories:
· Struggling for Relevance in Cuba [Ron Paul]
· Candidates Travel: Viva Vegas [Jaunted]
· 2008 Candidates Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Candidates Travel Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: ronpaul2008]

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2008 Candidates Travel: Viva Vegas

Where: 4505 S Maryland Pkwy [map], Las Vegas, nv, United States, 89119
November 13, 2007 at 11:02 AM | by pbb | 0 Comments

CNN and the Nevada Democratic Party will host a debate in Las Vegas on Thursday, bringing a bunch of righteous candidates to Sin City. Everyone but Mike Gravel will be there, including Hillary, Chris Dodd and John Edwards. (Gravel didn't rake in enough cash to earn an invite, says CNN.)

Dennis Kucinich will be around town the day of the debate, including a lunch at Tipps Thai on Spring Mountain Road. Barack Obama is already touring southern Nevada, with stops in Boulder City and Pahrump today.

Thursday evening, candidates will duke it out at the Cox Pavilion at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, just a short drive from The Strip. Since the debate starts at 5, that should give everyone plenty of time to get over to see the late performance of KA by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand.

Related Stories:
· Tipps Thai [Yelp]
· Candidates Travel Map [Jaunted]
· Candidates Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo taken in Iowa: Barack Obama]

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Travel Trendwatching, PEZ Dispenser Style

September 14, 2007 at 4:45 PM | by pbb | 0 Comments

This quick hit list is all about pop culture travel trends in real-time. Six bits of travel pressed, dry candy pixels for you to digest weekly.


Fame
Virgin America's Getting In-Flight WiFi
50,000 Germanwings Flights For Next to Nothing
Chris Dodd Wants You To Visit Cuba. Legally.
Lame
The Saga Continues
Still Searching for Steve Fossett
German Tourists Stealing from the Tip Jar

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Travel Ban Not Stopping Cuba Tourists

Where: Cuba
September 11, 2007 at 4:20 PM | by pbb | 0 Comments

While some Democratic presidential candidates have been discussing the US ban on travel to Cuba, a bunch of tourists are ignoring the talk and visiting the island. The trip may not be legal but that doesn't seem to bother the thousands of Americans--including Michael Moore--who risk big fines to check out Fidel's country.

In fact, one tourist says that's the point:

The fact that you're not supposed to be there, that was the top for me...You just don't know what Cuba will be like after Castro's gone.

The American Society of Travel Agents--a group that admittedly has an interest in more tourists--says millions of Americans would visit Cuba if restrictions were lifted. Would that ever happen? It might: Barack Obama says he wants to relax travel rules, and Chris Dodd says he'll end the US-Cuba embargo outright.

Related Stories:
· Thousands Flout Ban to See Cuba [AP, via CNN]
· 2008 Candidates Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: malias]

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2008 Candidates Travel: Chris Dodd Points Southward

September 10, 2007 at 4:25 PM | by egw | 0 Comments

For the corazón of the Cuban exile in America, you can't get any closer than Miami, whose Pequeña Habana holds one of the highest concentrations of Cubans outside of the country in question. Maybe that's why Democratic presidential candidate Chris Dodd went there to announce his plan for re-opening diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Dodd has long been critical of the U.S. embargo on all things Cuban and would, if elected, seek to repeal sanctions and allow U.S. citizens--like Michael Moore--to travel between the two countries. As we reported earlier, Senator Barack Obama also supports repealing sanctions.

At this rate, we may soon be traveling to the island nation instead of just rewatching "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights." (Which wasn't even filmed in Cuba, btw.) All that said, Dodd is running left of the pack; the next visit to Miami may very well come from a pro-sanctions candidate.

Related Stories:
· Candidates Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Can U.S. Citizens Travel to Cuba? [Jaunted]

[Photo: You Decide 2008]