RLC of Texas Welcomes Normal Relations with Cuba

The RLC of Texas Welcomes Normal Relations With Cuba

It is unfortunate that it has taken so long and another executive action by President Obama to normalize US relations with Cuba, but the Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas encourages fellow Republicans to embrace this long overdue policy change.

In the Texas Republican Party Platform it says: “We support free trade as a necessary component of American capitalism and of the United States’ influence in the world.” An embargo which has lasted for more than fifty years is an affront to the principle of free trade. Free trade engenders capitalism and capitalism leads to liberty.

As Rep. Justin Amash said, “The power of free expression, free movement, and free markets is much more likely to advance Cuba toward freedom than the failed policy of isolation. An isolationist foreign policy that blocks trade and restricts travel between our country and Cuba hasn’t made our neighbor free or democratic…We can more readily help Cubans establish liberty through policies that open dialogue, travel, and trade.”

Jeffrey Larson, Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas pointed out the opportunities presented by the changing world situation:

“The Cold War is over, and Cuba no longer poses a threat to the security of the US. American interests are better advanced by flooding Cuba with Weapons of Cultural Mass Destruction such as Levis and McDonalds than they are by trying to starve what’s left of Castro’s regime into nonexistance. China moved toward capitalism when we normalized relations with China…let’s spread the gospel of free trade and free markets right here on our doorstep as well.”

The measures against Cuba were a mistake made by a Democratic administration and it is appropriate that Barack Obama, another Democrat, finally admits the fallacy of a coercive foreign policy and begins to set things right.