When old guard Cuban Americans in Congress were forced to accept that Beyonce and Jay-Z had visited Cuba legally, their response was to get the House Appropriations Committee to change the law and stop everyone from going on the same kind of licensed people to people trip.
Members of the House and Senate and the President must hear from us. We need to tell them to reject the exile politics of a shrinking minority who are afraid of Americans seeing Cuba for themselves.
The President should now treat all of us the same way he did Cuban Americans, universities and religious organizations four years ago by authorizing a general (no application needed) license for all purposeful non-tourist travel. Only sun and sand holidays separated from average Cubans should be precluded.
That way we can all enjoy the same opportunity as Beyonce and Jay-Z, but at a lower cost, staying in privately owned bed and breakfasts and self-selected hotels, using public transportation and rental cars, organizing our own programs or joining meaningful group trips.
Also important is that all US travel agents and tour operators must be free to book flights, hotels and programs for legally authorized travelers instead of the near monopoly currently held by 250 licensed Travel Service Providers.
[Note: Cuban American travel and remittances will be crippled by this legislation. Text and analysis here:
http://cubapeopletopeople.blogspot.com/2013/07/legislation-aims-to-destroy-people-to.html]
Fund for Reconciliation and Development