Cuba-American Political Extremists

Moderates Unwelcome

         This AP photo shows Senator Ted Cruz campaigning for President at the Iowa State Fair. The photo was used by The Huffington Post to illustrate an article that was entited: "TED CRUZ CRITICIZES JIMMY CARTER ONE DAY AFTER CANCER ANNOUNCEMENT." Out of respect for a great man, Jimmy Carter, I will not repeat what Ted Cruz, a cruel wimp when compared to Mr. Carter, said. But it is a reminder that Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio -- the two Cuban-American first-term U. S. Senators and Republican presidential contenders -- are convinced they can say or do anything and get away with it because, after all, they are Cuban-Americans and the infamous Helms-Burton Act mandates that Cuban-Americans in the U. S. have special rights and privileges others do not have. I think Cruz, Rubio, and Helms-Burton are insults to America and to democracy. Moreover, I believe Cruz, Rubio, and Helms-Burton are insults to the vast majority of Cuban-Americans who are, by their nature and culture, particularly decent, skilled, and talented.

         As first-term U. S. Senators, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio have made a lot of volatile noise but no substantive contributions to the U. S. Senate, except to feather their own political nests. Mostly they have fluttered around the nation courting billionaire donors to pad their ever-bulging PACs; of the 100 Senators, Rubio is #100 when it comes to actually being on hand to vote. And mostly they have railed about shutting down the government, assailed any and all the major accomplishments of President Barack Obama, and bragged about ending all of the positive advancements Obama has made regarding U.S.-Cuban relations. Cruz and Rubio reached the U. S. Congress by latching onto the coattails of the Bush dynasty -- Cruz in Texas and Rubio in Florida. They are also darlings of right-wing outfits such as The Tea Party and Fox News. In addition, USA Today reports the astounding amount of campaign contributions Cruz and Rubio have gotten from right-wing and Jewish billionaires. In fact, Letters-to-the-Editor in the Miami Herald have complained about Rubio and Cruz being such well-paid lobbyists for Israel they are ignoring Latinos.

         This photo is courtesy of Flint Magazine. The Versailles Restaurant in the heart of Miami's Little Havana neighborhood is the hub of politics and other things dear to Cuban-Americans, such as Fidel Castro. Polls show the majority of Cuban-Americans even in Little Havana disagree with Cuban-American hard-line extremists vowing to maintain a Cuban policy that has harmed everyday Cubans on the island for going on six decades. There are several million Cuban-Americans, including two million in Florida, and most of them are moderates who oppose such things as the archaic, cruel embargo against Cuba. So, one may legitimately ask, why are only Cuban-American anti-Castro extremists such as Rubio, Cruz, Menendez, Ros-Lehtinen, the Diaz-Balarts, etc., etc., members of the U. S. Congress and why are extremists like Cruz and Rubio the two Cuban-American presidential candidates, especially in an era when conservative Republicans like me would love to be able to support a non-extremist Cuban-American for President???

        I believe Americans should have the patriotism, guts, and decency to criticize Senator Ted Cruz for shamefully criticizing Jimmy Carter, of all people, the day after Mr. Carter announced that he was undergoing radiation treatment for melanoma that had spread from his liver to four spots on his brain. Of all the American presidents from George Washington to Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter is the most decent human being. As a lifelong conservative Republican, I didn't vote for Mr. Carter, a Democrat. But since his 1977 to 1981 presidency right-wingers have usurped the Republican Party. Additionally, I have studied the true greatness of Mr. Carter, including his 28 books. A shameless and tactless Ted Cruz assailing Mr. Carter is reprehensible. If he survives his struggles with cancer, Mr. Carter will turn 91-years-old on October 1st. A lot of lesser men, with Ted Cruz being the latest, have opposed Mr. Carter's sheer decency. 

Jimmy Carter

{Unless otherwise noted, photos are courtesy of AP/Getty Images}

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