Tuesday, August 01, 2006

The end of Miami politics as we know it?

The relinquishing of power by Fidel Castro to his 75-year old younger brother Raul hints at what could be the end of Florida politics as we know it. And it couldn't come too soon.

I am one of millions of Americans who is tired of sane Cuba policy and Florida electoral politics being hijacked by this very strong single issue that only a relative handful of Americans care about.

We don't know what kind of reforms would be on the way if Castro dies soon, but there will be reforms. And there will be change in the kind of in jingoistic, LCD demagoguery that American politicians -- especially flag-draped variety -- can get away with.

Sure, Evo Morales in Bolivia and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela are convenient targets, but their emigrants to the US do not live overwhelmingly in a single city in a single state, and they were not displaced by a communist coup d'etat in the name of either of their current presidents.

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