A Majority Of Americans Want Normalcy With Cuba

For more than half a century now, the United States has treated Cuba differently than it treats any other country -- with an embargo on trade, a restriction on travel, and the refusal to have any diplomatic relations with the island nation. The intention of theses actions was to force the Cubans to change their government to one approved of by the United States. But it has been an abysmal failure -- and a substantial majority of Americans think it is now time to change that failed policy.

The Gallup Poll recently surveyed 1,016 adults on February 14th and 15th about U.S. policy toward Cuba (and the survey had a margin of error of 4 points). The poll shows that 59% of Americans (well beyond the margin of error) now think the U.S. should re-establish normal diplomatic relations with Cuba, end the travel restrictions, and end the trade embargo.

This policy has never made any sense, and was abandoned long ago by all our allies. The U.S. has had normal trade, travel, and diplomatic relations with other countries whose governments we oppose (even communist countries), and it simply makes no sense that we treat Cuba differently. It is time to discard this ridiculous policy.