The Cuban owners of those cars can sell them, but they have been declared a national treasure and are not allowed to leave the island.

Another good move by Obama. Now can he find the balls to go against the strong lobbyist organizations that are going to fight tooth and nail. We better get back in there before the Chinese and Russians get a better foothold.

I think you'll find Raul will be more than willing to talk things over.

Sure, you'll have a million pissed off Cubans in Florida, but I'm not sure I give a fuck about them.

Our policies toward Cuba are ridiculous and outdated.

Second.

The way to lift socialism's yoke off of Cuba is to make the socialist régime completely irrelevant -- by really doing business, and prospering there not only without that régime, but altogether in spite of it. Marginalize the Commies.

Truth. We defeated the USSR with Levis and McDonalds. We can do Cuba the same way.

Well it looks like we are on our way to a change in the business as usual with Cuba. Obama should be congratulated for this policy change. It remains to be seen if Congress has the balls to carry the ball to the next step without the scum sucking lobbyists getting in on it and screwing it up.

Why would they do that? Whats in it for them?

There is a huge anti-Castro contengient in the US. Huge. They would want to prevent any form of normalizations. Of course they can't actually do that when it is done by the president, they can do it when congress takes more far reaching, long lasting action through the legislative process.

That didn't answer WHAT'S in it for them? You didn't say why or what the reason would be. I got that there are a bunch who hate Castro and have been holding a "grudge" for, well, forever - what benefit do they derive from it?

The cigar lobby is probably pretty unhappy at the prospect. :)

Who knows. Other than hate for all things Castro.

So aside from hate they have no reason?

There is no huge anti-Castro lobbying network outside of the Cuban-American community in Florida and perhaps a few extreme anti-communists groups. And the Cuban-American community is becoming much more divided, with the older, first generation immigrants becoming much less influential.

The agriculture lobby, the oil lobby, the tourism lobby and many other business advocacy organizations have been pushing for ending the trade embargo against Cuba for years.

The only reason it hasnt ended.....Florida's 25 electoral votes.