Lifting the Cuba travel ban

One thing I want to avoid in this blog is foreign policy. Every now and then, though, I think it makes sense to dip into that world, especially when it makes sense from a local perspective. With that in mind, the Miami Herald points out that language in the new budget would, "kill enforcement of regulations that restrict travel to Cuba by Cuban Americans." The Herald Editorial Board thinks that the Budget approach is the wrong way in accomplishing this. Instead, the Board argues that Obama not de-fund enforcement but re-engage in the Cuba debate, noting that they don't believe the trade embargo should be eliminated.

I think that this is a convenient way for the Herald editors to have it both ways. They highlight the Budget proposal (which, by the way, would represent a cost savings) they disagree with while pushing an approach they know will end in no change.

Meanwhile, some of the research shows (pdf) that "sanctions, including the embargo, have no relationship to some optimal policy which would lead the regime to open up the political process." Anyone have something to balance this against?

(ht SFDB)