- Bush’s Latin American policy and what can be expected now that the Democrats control both Houses of Congress
- Up to now, the Democrats have either ignored or lacked much wisdom on regional issues
Is there, or will there be, a revitalized Democratic Latin American policy as distinct from the farrago of ineptitude witnessed under the Bush administration? To begin, in Bush’s eye, the Cold War remains. The head of his personal list of enemies is Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, and, of course, Fidel Castro. While this may be a faithful characterization of the Bush hemispheric strategy, it does not differ that much from the opportunism and occasional meretricious initiatives of the Clinton administration and its all-encompassing pursuit of free trade. Clinton’s controversial trade agenda predictably developed a sharp cleavage over policy both within the Democratic and Republican parties as well as between them.
~ With due respect for your integrity, I wish to ask you the following:
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BEGIN TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT U.S. COLONIALISM IN PUERTO RICO AND BEGIN TO REQUIRE THE US'S OBEDIENCE TO THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE UNO'S COMMITTEE ON DE-COLONIZATION TO GET OUT OF PUERTO RICO, GRANT AND GUARANTEE ITS INDEPENDENCE THROUGH THE PAUMENT OF THE ASSIGNED DUES FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY OF EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE?
Colonialism has acquired its greatest seccesses in Puero Rico, causing it's people to lean on dependency, lack of self-esteem, and self demeaning to the point of making our people believe that they are "Americans" as the colonial term applies to USians. We cannot go through life claiming defendeses of peoples' rights without encompassing each and every place where those rights are being trampled.
Yours truly,
Ramón E. Dapena, ex-Puerto Rican legislator and US citizen though not by choice but because of invasion and colonialism ~
Dear Ramon,
The people here mainly select the themes they wish to write and go ahead and do it. We had a young “independentista” a year or so ago and he did a couple of articles on that issue (maybe just one on that issue). We’ll see whether we can get one going on the subject. Believe me, I respect your obvious passion on the subject and we’ll try to service the issue.
My best,
Larry Birns
Director of COHA
