Obama’s Cuba visit could help business

I disagree with Michael Putney’s words of opposition to the president’s possible visit to Cuba in his Jan. 6 opinion piece, This is not the time to go to Cuba, Mr. President. I’m not a fan of our president and find that his perception of what is right is misdirected.

In his almost eight years in office, other than the hunting of Osama Bin Laden and his action toward opening corresponding embassies in each other’s capitals, I don’t agree with him on much else.

It’s evident that after almost six decades the Cuban leadership has survived anything and everything we have thrown at them. Is it not about time to change from a strategy that we have followed without success? Let’s focus on helping the 11 million innocent souls versus hurting the tens of thousands who reign over them. Why not allow President Obama to speak unfettered words of freedom and opportunities to all? It may just inspire the many. It may even inspire some of the ruling class. A window has been opened and we must take advantage of it.

Why is it that our nation promotes these principles to every country in the world, except Cuba. Socialism’s greatest foe is capitalism. Let’s encourage our president to speak about free markets and free enterprise. By lifting the embargo, we introduce the birth of free enterprise in Cuba and the greatest beneficiaries will be the 11 million Cubans.

So what if their leadership gets a cut? After all, biology will very soon determine their future. Maybe the president will be there to announce that he will work toward lifting the embargo before he leaves office.

I’ve never regretted speaking to an adversary. Talking leads to understanding. Understanding leads to change. Let’s support this trip and let’s suggest a message as every Cuban citizen will be watching the first U.S. presidential visit in over 60 years.

This story was originally published January 18, 2016 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Obama’s Cuba visit could help business."