That was definitely a memorable speech. I feel like my eyes are being opened the more I see him give these speeches about the latest thing he has done on his own without Congressional approval. At a certain point, when he keeps insisting that he has the authority to do these things, one realizes that a person who truly has the authority doesn't need to keep reminding you of it.

But the omission of the Cuban Missile Crisis as he recounts the history with Cuba is really ignoring the elephant in the room. Yes, it was over 50 years ago, but it was one of the greatest threats ever presented to the United States--and potentially to the world, given the circumstances. To not even acknowledge it is to really assume we're all delusional fools.

I'm still new at politics, but I've been trying to read the Constitution lately. I did notice that it refers to Congress as the entity that has power to regulate commerce between the U.S. and other nations. Am I missing something there? Because the President has at least suggested that commerce is going to happen already, before having worked anything out with Congress. Not to mention having to appoint ambassadors, which requires the approval of the Senate. These are things that should have been discussed with Congress first, and then discussed with Cuba. Not discussed with Cuba for 18 months, presented to the American people as if a done deal, then Congress as an afterthought. It seems that this is becoming the President's approach to the decisions he makes, the "if you don't like it, pass a bill" rule. The problem is that it translates to "do as I say, or I'll just circumvent you and then paint you as the villain in front of everyone". But there is a reason for the checks and balances, so that no one entity is capable of becoming too powerful.

And the mention of how America's to blame for Cubans' lack of access to information--it calls to mind a radio show I was listening to last week, I think. The host was talking about how we really need to stop this notion that everything America is or has become is the result of theft and that we have to feel guilty about everything about our country. I know bad things have been done by the people and the government, nobody's debating that or trying to minimize it. Nothing America does will be able to compensate the people who were impacted by its moral failures, past, present or future. But when we are assuming national guilt for other nations that have governments of their own? We've ventured into insanity. By that same logic, we are to blame for every dictatorship on Earth, every repression of freedom. I just don't buy the idea that this decision is being made based on some sort of compassion towards the Cuban people.

One thing that I thought was also curious was that the Pope played a key role in making all this happen. I couldn't help wondering what that was all about. I also have to wonder if the Pope knows more than Congress has known about all these secret talks. Wouldn't that be awkward?

In theory, free trade could benefit the Cuban people, and many people will be able to see their family members again. All of that could be good. But it would seem naive in the face of a man having just been imprisoned for 5 years for the simple act of trying to help people get Internet access in Cuba. I've heard there has been a lack of private investment there and it has resulted in serious economic problems for Cuba. It certainly called Atlas Shrugged to mind. After all, only Francisco d'Anconia would invest in a country where he knows it's all going to end up nationalized anyway...