Open up the doors

Just having returned from Cuba, I came away with some rather strong opinions and feelings about our foreign policy toward the Cuban government and country.

For many, many years, we have denied trade with Cuba, in an effort to show that we are not in sync with Fidel Castro's dictatorial communism.

I understand that.

Yet that policy has run its course, indeed it is now a failure.

The only thing it is achieving, at this point, is the continuation of poverty and hardship in this country of 11 million people.

Villages in the countryside have sewer water running through their streets, beef is forbidden, except if you are eating a meal with a foreigner - there are all kinds of goofy policies, created and given at the whim of the Castro brothers.

Professional people are making 30 dollars a month.

What's the cure? Open up trade. Begin to allow American tourists in the country. Within a few short years, it would not only give the country an economic boost, but would dampen any kind of "enthusiasm" for the pragmatic communism that they are experiencing.

I can't tell you how many people there I met who have family in the United States.

So what's the hangup? A few Cuban leaders in Miami who control the political landscape.

Here's the sequence:

Hard line Cuban leaders in Dade County (Miami) control the political vote of over 1 million Cubans. As Dade County goes, politically, so goes the state of Florida, which is a swing state in any national election for president.

So...in order to be elected president, the one running has to pander to these Cuban leaders. While I know that his is a gross oversimplification of what is going on - I believe its time that our leaders in government, open up trade and "let our people" go into this country.

At the same time, I am grateful that God is moving in a powerful way. There are over 500,000 Pentecostal believers. Signs and wonders are taking place.

Let's all continue to pray that God's Spirit will continue to move there.