LATELY, THERE IS MUCH ADO BECAUSE FIDEL CASTRO ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT AS DICTATOR OF CUBA, WHILE TURNING OVER CONTROL TO HIS 76 YEAR OLD BROTHER, RAUL CASTRO.

            THE U.S. HAS BEEN AT ODDS WITH CUBA SINCE THE ILLFATED BAY OF PIGS INVASION OF 1960, BY CUBAN NATIONALS WHO WERE TRAINED IN THE U.S. BY THE CIA AND THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION AND RELUCTANTLY CARRIED OUT BY THE INCOMING KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION IN EARLY 1961.

            THIS PLANNED "LIBERATION OF THE PEOPLE OF CUBA" THEN FAILED BECAUSE KENNEDY DECIDED NOT TO OPENLY SUPPORT THE INVASION WITH THE NECESSARY U.S. AIR COVER.  CASTRO REPULSED THIS INVASION IN SHORT ORDER AND MOST OF THE TRAITORS WERE QUICKLY EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUADS.

            CASTRO THEN SOUGHT THE HELP OF COMMUNIST RUSSIA, WHO BRAZENLY AND SECRETLY ERECTED SILOS IN CUBA AND WERE ABOUT TO DELIVER BOATLOADS OF MISSILES, CAPABLE TO LAND IN MAJOR CITIES IN THE U.S.

            THE U.S. QUICKLY RESPONDED WITH A BLOCKADE OF CUBA, WHILE PRESIDENT KENNEDY ANNOUNCED AN INVASION OF CUBA, UNLESS THE MISSILES AND THE SILOS AND RUSSIANS WERE REMOVED AND THE SHIPS TURNED BACK, CLAIMING A VIOLATION OF THE SO CALLED "MONROE DOCTRINE" AGAINST FOREIGN POWERS THREATENING THE SAFETY OF COUNTRIES IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

            RUSSIA, FLINCHED AND BACKED OFF WHEN IN SIGHT OF CUBA AND THE SHIPS TURNED AROUND AND RETREATED BACK TO RUSSIA, AS A RESULT OF A SECRET AGREEMENT FOR THE U.S. TO WITHDRAW THEIR MISSILES POINTED AT RUSSIA FROM SITES IN TURKEY.

            FOR THE NEXT FORTY-SEVEN YEARS A STALEMATE HAS RESULTED WITH A TRADE EMBARGO AND THE BREAKING OFF OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH CUBA, BY THE U.S.

            CASTRO'S CRUELTY HAS CAUSED MANY THOUSANDS OF CUBANS TO FLEE CUBA FOR THE U.S. SEEKING THE FREEDOM DENIED THEM IN THEIR HOMELAND.

            THE TWO PERSONS THAT STOOD UP TO THE CUBAN AND RUSSIAN COMMUNISTS IN THESE CRISES WERE PRESIENT KENNEDY AND HIS CLOSEST ADVISOR AND BROTHER, ATTORNEY GENERAL ROBERT F. KENNEDY.

            PRESIDENT KENNEDY WAS ASSASINATED IN TEXAS ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963 BY LEE HARVY OSWALD, A CUBAN SYMPATHIZER, WHO ALSO DEFECTED TO RUSSIA IN HOPES TO BECOME A RUSSIAN CITIZEN.

            ONE MIGHT QUESTION THE "LONE GUNMAN" THEORY OF THE WARREN COMMISION APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT, TO SEEK THE FACTS AND TRUTH BEHIND THE PRESIDENT'S DEATH.  PRESIDENT JOHNSON, WHO SUCCEEDED KENNEDY, WAS ANXIOUS TO CALM THE FEARS AND ANGER OF THE COUNTRY AND BRING CLOSURE TO THE KILLING, PARTLY BECAUSE HE AND OTHERS WANTED TO AVOID WORLD WAR THREE IF A LINK WAS FOUND TO CUBA OR RUSSIA AT THE TIME, AS WAS SUSPECTED.

            THEN, SENATOR ROBERT KENNEDY, WAS HIMSELF ASSASINATED IN 1967 IN LOS ANGELIS CALIFORNIA JUST ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS ABOUT TO WIN THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR THE PRESIDENCY, BY SIRAN SIRAN A NON DESCRIPT ARAB EMPLOYEE AT THE HOTEL, WHO WAS LATER CONVICTED AND IS STILL SERVING HIS LIFE SENTENCE IN PRISON.

            STILL, IT IS PERFECTLY PLAUSIBLE THAT EITHER OR BOTH, CUBA OR RUSSIA, HAD PLOTTED ONE OR BOTH OF THESE UNFORTUNATE ASSASINATIONS AS PAYBACK FOR THE HUMILIATION AND EMBARRASMENT OVER THE CUBAN MISSLE CRISES.  IT IS EQUALLY PLAUSABLE THAT THERE WAS A GOVERNMENT COVERUP FOR THE SAKE OF SO CALLED NATIONAL SECURITY.  IT IS SAID THAT WHEN ALL THE PLAYERS ARE DECEASED, THE REAL STORY WILL BE REVEALED TO THE PUBLIC, SINCE THE TIME FOR RETRIBUTION WILL HAVE PASSED.

            PRESIDENT REGAN'S COSTLY BUT EFFECTIVE ARMS RACE WITH RUSSIA DID SUCCEED IN 1989 TO FINANCIALLY BREAK THE YOKE OF COMMUNISM, WHERE EVERY ONE IS EQUAL IN EVERY RESPECT AND LACK THE INCENTIVE TO IMPROVE ONE'S LOT.

            EVEN THEN WITH CUBA DEVOID OF RUSSIAN SUPPORT BOTH MILITARILY AND FINANCIALLY, CUBA ENDURED WITH ITS COMMUNISTIC GOVERMNMENT AT THE ECONOMIC EXPENSE AND WELL-BEING OF ITS CITIZENS.

            SINCE THEN, THE U.S. HAS NOT RELENTED OR MOVED TOWARD RECONCILIATION, AWARE, AS WE ALL WERE, OF THE ADDED SUFFERING AND DEPRIVATION FORCED UPON THE CUBAN PEOPLE.  MANY CUBAN REFUGEES NOW LIVING HERE AS U.S. CITIZEN HAVE BEEN APPREHENSIVE FOR THE PLIGHT OF THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES THEY LEFT BEHIND AND CRY OUT FOR THE UNITED STATES TO LESSEN THEIR SUFFERING.

            I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP OUR DISPLACED CUBANS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN CUBA AND TO FIND A WAY TO END THEIR SUFFERING AND INJUSTICE, SO THEY MAY BE REUNITED AFTER FORTY-SEVEN YEARS.

            IT IS ALSO TO OUR ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE AT THIS TIME TO RESTORE TRADE AND NORMAL RELATIONS WITH CUBA, EVEN IF THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT DESIRES TO REMAIN COMMUNISTIC.

            TIME AND TIME AGAIN, OVER THE YEARS, EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT US, THAT WISH, OR TRY AS WE WILL, TO DEMOCRASIZE A NATION IN OUR IMAGE, IN REALITY, WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO ENFORCE OUR BELIEFS ON OTHER NATIONS.  THEIR PEOPLE OR THEIR GOVERNMENT MUST ULTIMATELY MAKE THAT DECISION AND CHOICE.

            SOME PEOPLE WORRY THAT RESTORING RELATIONS WITH CUBA WILL CAUSE AN INFLUX OF CUBAN REFUGEES TO OUR SHORES, THIS CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IF WE CONTINUE TO TURN AWAY THESE CUBANS FROM OUR SHORES AS WE HAVE DONE CONSISTANTLY.  IN ADDITION, ALL WE NEED AND SHOULD DO IS TO SECURE OUR BORDERS TO PREVENT THIS ILLEGAL TYPE OF ENTRANCE TO OUR COUNTRY, BY EVERYONE AND ANYONE.  AT THE SAME TIME OUR VISA LAWS MUST BE CHANGED TO ALLOW US TO KNOW WHEN THESE PEOPLE OVERSTAY THEIR VISA TIME LIMITS, ARE FOUND AND DEPORTED.

            WE CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT PUNISH A NATION OF PEOPLE FOR THE MISDEEDS OF THEIR LEADERS, ESPECIALLY THIS GENERATION OF CUBANS, MANY OF WHICH, WERE NOT EVEN BORN WHEN THESE PROBLEMS AND DEEDS WERE COMMITTED.

            IF WE EVER HOPE TO SUCCEED IN IMPROVING OUR DEMOCRATIC IMAGE IN THE WORLD, IT SHOULD BEGIN WITH OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS, THE CUBAN PEOPLE, ONLY 90 MILES AWAY.

            IT IS FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT THAT WE END THIS SAD SITUATION, WITHOUT DELAY.  ALL WE NEED TO DO IS TO EXTEND OUR HAND AND OLIVE BRANCH OF PEACE CLUTCHED BY OUR NATIONAL SYMBOL, OUR BALD EAGLE AND THAT AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE BIG ENOUGH TO FORGIVE AND FORGET THE PAST SO WE CAN ONCE AGAIN LIVE IN HARMONY WITH EACH OTHER IN THE FUTURE.

ANDY LOONY

            THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE FEELING THE PAIN AT THE PUMP AND HEATING OIL PRICES ARE SO HIGH, WE SLEEP IN OUR CLOTHES TO STAY WARM ALL NIGHT.

            SINCE 1973, WHEN OPEC BROUGHT US TO OUR KNEES WITH ARBITRARY OIL PRICE INCREASES AND SHORTAGES, WE REMAIN AT THEIR WHIM AND MERCY.  ALONG WITH LOCAL, OTHER OIL PRODUCERS WHO JUST JOINED IN TO REAP THE PROFITS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE AMERICAN CONSUMER.

            YET, SINCE THEN, THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS FAILED TO GET CONGRESS AND SUCESSIVE ADMINISTRATIONS TO BRING SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY.  THE SOLUTIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE, BUT SO ARE THE FRINGE BENEFITS THE PAY OFF MONEY FROM LOBBYISTS. 

            IT HAS ALSO BEEN RECENTLY EXPOSED THAT SENATORS McCAIN, OBAMA AND CLINTON, NOT ONLY TAKE MONEY FROM LOBBYIST SOURCES BUT ALSO, EACH HAVE LOBBYISTS FUNRAISERS AND ADVISORS IN THEIR CAMPAIGNS.  MAYBE WE SHOULD REJECT ALL THESE CANDIDATES AS PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDORS AND LOOK FOR A CANDIDATE WHO IS REALLY FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE PEDDLING LOBBYISTS WHO HAVE CORRUPTED OUR CONGRESSMEN FOR YEARS.

            NO MATTER WHOM WE ELECT AS THE NEXT PRESIDENT, NOTHING CAN BE DONE WITHOUT THE VOTE OF CONGRESS TO ESTABLISH LAWS TO HELP US CONVERT TO ALTERNATIVE ENERGY AND FREE US FROM THE DEPENDANCY ON GASOLINE AND FUEL OIL.

            THE FACT IS THAT, IF CONGRESS HAS FAILED TO ACT FOR THIRTY-FIVE YEARS, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THEY WILL ACT NOW?  THE ONLY SURE WAY IS TO CLEAR OUT OUR CONGRESSMEN FROM OFFICE AND DEMAND THE NEW CONGRESS TAKE ACTION, OR THEY WILL BE PUT OUT WITH THE POWER OF OUR VOTE.

            WE NEED A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM TO, ONCE AND FOR ALL RID US OF THIS DEPENDANCY BY ESTABLISHING OR BACKING EMERGENCY, CRASH PROGRAMS TO GENERATE ELECTRICAL POWER FROM FREE SOURCES, SUCH AS WIND, WATER, SUN, THERMO AND OTHER POLUTION FREE SOURCES.  AT THE SAME TIME WE WILL BE PUTTING THE MOST OF OUR UNEMPLOYED TO WORK AGAIN, IN NEW EVERLASTING FIELDS OF ENERGY PRODUCTION.  THIS PROGRAM WILL RID US OF OIL DEPENDANCE IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS, WITH GOVERNMENT BACKING AND ASSISTANCE.

     I WAS PLEASED TO LEARN OF SENATOR CLINTON’S APPROPRIATE COMMENTS ON OBAMA’S FLIPFLOP ON HIS PROMISE TO LIMIT HIS CAMPAIGN TO PUBLIC FUNDING.  WHO IS THE POLITICIAN?

     IT IS OBVIOUS TO MOST AMERICANS THAT, OPRAH WINFREY IS NOT ONLY OPENLY ENDORSING OBAMA AND CAMPAIGNING FOR HIM BUT ALSO HAS ARRANGED TO POUR MILLIONS OF HER MONEY AND POWER INTO HIS CAMPAIGN COFFERS.  WITH HIS SUPPORT FROM THE RICHEST AND MOST POPULAR BLACK WOMAN IN AMERICA, IT IS NO SMALL WONDER OBAMA PLANS TO BUY THE ELECTION BY NOVEMBER.  I SUPPOSE THIS IS LEGAL, BUT NOT WHAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC EXPECTS AND THE VERY REASON CONGRESS PASSED THE PUBLIC FUNDING LAW.  PEOPLE SHOULD NOT USE MONEY AND THE RESULTING POWER TO BUY ELECTIONS.  THIS IS THE VERY REASON MITT ROMNEY WAS DENIED THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION, BECAUSE, EVEN WITH THE 50 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT OF HIS MONEY IN THE CAMPAIGN, SENATOR McCAIN EXPOSED THIS PLOY PUBLICLY. 

     I WANT TO PRESS THE THEME, THAT HE CANNOT BUY THIS ELECTION WITH MONEY, EVEN WITH HIS SWEET TALK AND CHARISMATIC LOOKS.  HE SHOULD CONVINCE THE VOTERS HE HAS THE EXPERIENCE TO SOLVE ALL OUR PRESSING PROBLEMS QUICKLY, TO KEEP US OUT OF A RECESSION AND UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS, THE LIKES OF WHICH WE HAVE NOT SEEN OR EXPERIENCED SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION OF THE 1930’S.  WHERE ARE HIS PLANS FOR SOLUTIONS TO OUR PROBLEMS, HE DOESN’T HAVE ANY (“WHERE’S THE BEEF”).  HE SAYS THIS IS NOT A GENDER OR RACE CAMPAIGN, BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS DONE TO HIS CAMPAIGN, HE HAS TURNED IT INTO A BLACK AND WHITE AND NO WOMAN CAN DO IT RACE.  HE SAYS SENATOR CLINTON REPRESENTS THE OLD SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON AND THAT HIS GENERATION, CAN DO IT.  WHY DID HE TAKE THE ENDORSEMENT OF SENATORS KENNEDY, AND SENATOR KERRY AND OTHER OLD SCHOOL POLITICIANS?  HE IS TALKING FROM BOTH SIDES OF HIS MOUTH.  THIS IS A LOW BLOW TO WOMAN, IN GENERAL, BUT NOT MEN THAT SUPPORT HIM, THAT IS SO HYPOCRITICAL.  WHITE MEN SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR NOT GIVING A WOMAN EQUAL RIGHTS FOR THE PRESIDENCY.  THE WIVES OF THESE MEN, SHOULD COME OUT AND BE FREE AS THEY SHOULD BE AS A GOD GIVEN RIGHT THAT HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED TO WOMAN FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS TO THIS DAY.  WOMEN NEED NOT BE SUBSERVIANT TO MALE CHAUVINISM.  IF HE WINS HE WILL CHANGE THE WHITE HOUSE TO THE BLACK HOUSE.  THEY SAY, HE IS NOT AMBITIOUS, BUT WHY DO THEY SAY HE ALWAYS WANTED A WHITE CHAUFFEUR.  I’M TOLD; HE PLANS TO REPLACE ALL THE BLACK WORKERS IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH WHITE PEOPLE TO SHOW HIS NON-DISCRIMINATION.  IT IS NOT AMERICAN FOR UP TO NINETY PERCENT OF BLACKS TO SUPPORT OBAMA.  WHITE PEOPLE DO NOT SEE THIS COLOR LINE AND EVEN GAVE A MAJORITY OF THEIR VOTES TO OBAMA IN MANY STATES.  WHEN ARE THE WHITES GOING TO WAKE UP AND SEE THIS MAN FOR WHAT HE IS?

     WITH A NAME LIKE BARAK HUSSIN OBAMA, HOW DO WE KNOW HE IS NOT A PLANT OF THE TERRORISTS OR A TERRORIST SYMPATHIZER? WHY DID HIS MUSLIM PARENTS SEND HIM TO A MUSLIM SCHOOL IN INDONESIA?  WHY DID HE CHANGE HIS RELIGION FROM MUSLIM TO CHRISTIAN, IS THIS ANOTHER PLOY?  I REMEMBER MANY BLACKS CHANGED THEIR RELIGION TO THE MUSLIM FAITH AS A FORM OF PROTEST AGAINST THE WHITE DOMINATED AMERICA AND TO AVOID THE DRAFT IN THE PAST.  HOW COME OBAMA NEVER SERVED IN THE SERVICE OF HIS COUNTRY, AS MOST AMERICANS HAVE DONE, WAS HE REALLY BORN IN HAWAII AFTER IT BECAME A STATE IN 1959?

     WHY HAS HE CONSISTANTLY VOTED PRESENT ON VOTES IN THE SENATE DURING HIS TWO-YEAR TENURE THERE?  IT IS SAID HE COULDN’T MAKE UP HIS MIND TO MAKE UP HIS MIND.  IN THE MEANTIME, HE IS ONE REASON NOTHING GETS ACCOMPLISHED IN CONGRESS.  THE LEAST A SENATOR CAN DO IS VOTE, THAT’S HIS JOB! 

     OPRAH WINFRY WAS A CHAMPION FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND THAT IS ONE MAIN REASON SHE WAS SO SUCCESSFUL.  WHY IS SHE ABANDONING THESE PRINCIPALS NOW TO SUPPORT OBAMA?  THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS BECAUSE HE IS BLACK AND HER BLACK COLOR COMES BEFORE HER WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN HER CHIEF SUPPORTERS FOR YEARS.  NOW I HEAR THERE IS A MOVE AFOOT TO BOYCOTT OPRAH WINFRY AS A PAYBACK FOR ABANDONING WOMAN.

     LASTLY, PLEASE LOOK AT WHAT OBAMA HAS ACCOMPLISHED SINCE AGE TWENTY-ONE.  HE WENT TO HARVARD, BUT WHEN I APPLIED IN 1955, WITH THE MONEY I SAVED TO ATTEND, THEY DENIED MY APPLICATION SAYING THEY NEEDED TO MAKE ROOM FOR BLACKS AND MINORITIES.  AS AN ITALIAN-AMERICAN, I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WAS A MINORITY, ALSO, BECAUSE I WAS TREATED AS ONE MOST OF MY LIFE.  I HAD TO PROVE I WASN’T A MAFIA PERSON WITH HARD, HONEST WORK ALL MY LIFE.  AFTER A FREE HARVARD EDUCATION, DID HE HELP MINORITIES, AS HE SHOULD HAVE, NO HE PREFERRED TO HELP THE UNION AUTO WORKES FOR PAY, HE DIDN’T WORK FOR CHARITY, HE WAS PAID HANDSOMLY FOR HIS UNION ORGANIZING WORK.  THEN, HE TURNED TO POLITICS AND AN AMBITIOUS PLAN TO BECOME PRESIDENT AGAINST THE WHITE PEOPLE THAT HELPED HIM GET ELECTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.  BEWARE OF AMBITIOUS MEN THAT WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO GET ELECTED.  WHO DOES HE REALLY WANT TO HELP, HIMSELF, BECAUSE FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS WHEN HE HAD AN OPPORTURNITY TO HELP OTHERS, HE MANAGED, ONLY TO HELP HIMSELF? WHY DOESN’T HE TALK ABOUT HIS DAD? 

THIS YEAR, THE TRADE DEFICIT WITH CHINA IS EXPECTED TO REACH 800 BILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE THEIR GOODS ARE MADE CHEAPER.  THIS MAY HAVE BEEN GOOD FOR THE CONSUMER, BUT IT IS DRIVING MORE AMERICAN WORKERS TO THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE, WHILE MORE WORKPLACES ARE SHUTTING DOWN AND GOING OVERSEAS.

WE HAVE NO STEEL-MAKING PLANTS TO BUILD SHIPS HERE, OUR AUTO INDUSTRY CANNOT COMPETE AND THE BIG THREE ARE DOOMED TO END PRODUCTION SOON.  OUR SILICON VALLEY COMPUTER REVOLUTION CAN’T COMPETE WITH CHINA AND IT IS DYING A FAST DEATH.

IN A FEW MORE YEARS CHINA WILL BE ABLE TO BEAT US ECONOMICALLY AND BRING US TO OUR KNEES MILITARILY WITHOUT FIRING A SINGLE SHOT.  IT WON’T BE LONG BEFORE THEY AND THE JAPANESE OWN THE WHOLE COUNTRY.  ALL THIS, IF THEY DON’T KILL US FIRST WITH THEIR POISONOUS FOODS, LEAD TOYS AND PRODUCTS.

WE MUST CHANGE NAFTA AND CAFTA IMMEDIATELY FROM FREE TRADE TO BALANCE TRADE.  THEY MAY SELL US ANYTHING THEY WANT AS LONG AS THEY ACCEPT PAYMENT IN AMERICAN GOODS.  NOT MONEY.  THIS WILL PUT MORE AMERICANS AT WORK WHILE THE TRADE DEFICIT IS REDUCED TO ZERO.  SIMPLE, ISN’T IT!

PLEASE READ MY COMPLETE ARTICLE ON THIS SUBJECT AT: WWW.POLITICALSOLUTIONSFORUM.BLOGSPOT.COM 
I WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS, BELOW.