Your congresspersons visit Cuba

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/cuba/story/989566.html

Put aside the fact that we're the democracy, and they're the dictatorship, and thus we're good and they’re bad.

Put aside the fact that there have been thousands and thousands of political prisoners incarcerated and killed in Cuba since the revolution (not according to just any crazy right wing bigot, but according to Amnesty International), hundreds of whom still languish in prison for purely political reasons.

Put aside the fact that the U.S. is expected to make pre negotiation concessions, but Cuba doesn't have to. (Cuba, not the U.S., gets to commence negotiations without preconditions, or any advance showing of good faith.)

What gets me is this quote:

[Rep. Bobby] “Rush said Raúl Castro was ''very engaging'' and ``laughed at himself.”

''He was a down-to-earth kind man, someone who I would favor as a neighbor,'' Rush said.

What exactly does Rush like about Raul? Is it the post revolution firing squads of class and economic enemies without benefit of trial (which featured the death by firing squad of the teenage sons of factory owners, because the junta didn't want the sons to grow up and seek revenge)? Is it the deviant sexual exploitation of men and women, young boys and little girls, by Raul and his cronies in some of the sickest abuses of power imaginable? Or, is it the hundreds of current political prisoners (again, according to Amnesty International)? How much evil does a sense of humor excuse?

I think Rush needs to talk to a few Cuban refugees before inviting Raul to move in next door.