Pope Francis will not meet with Cuba's dissidents

(My new American Thinker post)

According to news reports, Pope Francis will visit Cuba and not meet with the nation's dissidents:

Pope Francis plans to meet with Cuba's president and its priests, its young and its sick, its churchgoers and its seminarians as he travels around the island starting Saturday. But not its dissidents.
The absence on Francis' agenda of any meeting with the political opposition has sparked bitter critiques from dissidents who say they feel let down by an institution they believe should help push for greater freedom in Cuba.
"He should exert more pressure," said Antonio Rodiles, head of the hardline group Estado de SATS. "In many cases political systems have come under international pressure that has resulted in change, and that's what needs to be happen with Cuba."

We understand that Pope Francis will talk to Dictator Raul Castro about freedom in Cuba.  

Are you kidding me?   Pope Francis plans to remind Raul Castro that his country is not friendly to dissidents, freedom or even religious liberty?   

As I hear from Cubans in the island, there were many who put a lot of faith on Pope Francis.   They thought that the intervention of The Pope would put pressure on the Castro regime to make changes, from freedom of the press to more tolerance of the Catholic Church.  

In the meantime, the regime has arrested 50 of "Las Damas de blanco", or the ladies who dress in white and march every Sunday after mass for the release of political prisoners.  

It's hard to believe that Pope Francis will not meet with these ladies.  They are not violent.   They are devout Catholics.  They are the wives and mothers of political prisoners.   

As a Catholic, let me say that I'm very disappointed with Pope Francis.    Maybe Pope Francis should read about Pope John Paul II's trip to Poland in 1979.  

We understand that the Pope can not get involved in domestic politics.    At the same time, is it too much to ask the head of the Catholic Church to say something about Cuban Catholic women arrested and harassed after mass?

P. S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

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National security stories of the week with Barry Jacobsen

Guest:   Barry Jacobsen, military historian and blogger, joins me for a look at the military alliance between Russia and Syria & its implications for the US and the Iran nuclear deal in light of the announcement of uranium reserves......we will look back at the GOP debate and how the candidates answered questions about foreign policy........and other stories of the week....

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Tags: Iran nuclear deal, Syria-Russia, foreign policy in the GOP debate  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

Dear Pope Francis: Have you seen Obama's guest list?

Thanks to our friend Jorge Ponce for bringing this to our attention:

According to the Wall Street Journal — “Vatican disputes White House guest list for papal visit,” by Francis X. Rocca: “On the eve of Pope Francis’s arrival in the U.S., the Vatican has taken offense at the Obama administration’s decision to invite to the pope’s welcome ceremony transgender activists, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop and an activist nun who leads a group criticized by the Vatican for its silence on abortion and euthanasia…According to a senior Vatican official, the Holy See worries that any photos of the pope with these guests at the White House welcoming ceremony next Wednesday could be interpreted as an endorsement of their activities.”
Where was the Vatican rage when Bolivian President Evo Morales gave him an image of the crucified Christ featuring the Communist hammer and sickle?
Now that Pope Francis has become a buddy of President Obama, he’s finding out that worst thing anyone can do is become a friend of the President. Obama is kinder and gentler with his enemies than with his friends.

Yes, Obama has a few surprises for Pope Francis.   Is he ready for a little shock?

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Tags: Obama and Pope Francis  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

Brasil o que aconteceu? What happened, Brazil?

(My new American Thinker post)

We've correctly focused on our weak economy and the impact of a China slowdown.

Let's not lose sight of another huge GDP in trouble down in South America -- Brazil:

Brazil eked out just 0.1 percent growth in 2014. 

For 2016, economists are forecasting no growth at all or yet another recession.The economy is expected to shrink almost 3 percent this year. 

A Brazilian slowdown would have a huge impact on Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and much of Latin America. Brazil is the engine that drives most of that region.   

Furthermore, Brazil is a huge trading partner with the European Union:

• The EU is Brazil's first trading partner, accounting for 19.5% of its total trade, and Brazil is the EU’s tenth trading partner, accounting for 2.0% of total EU trade (2014). This shows the strength of our bilateral trade relationship.
• EU imports from Brazil are dominated by primary products, in particular agricultural products (48.0%) and fuels and mining products (24.8%). But manufactured products such as machinery, transport equipment and miscellaneous manufactured products are also important: they represent around one fourth of EU imports from Brazil.
• Brazil is the single biggest exporter of agricultural products to the EU worldwide.
• EU's exports to Brazil consist mainly of manufactured products, such as machinery, transport equipment and chemicals. In terms of trade in goods, the EU historically runs an overall trade deficit with Brazil but in 2014 the EU recorded a trade surplus in goods. The EU also has a surplus in services trade.
• The EU is the biggest foreign investor in Brazil with investments in many sectors of the Brazilian economy. Around 50% of the FDI flows received by Brazil between 2008 and 2012 originated in the EU.

U.S. companies are also sensitive to a slowdown in Brazil. In other words, we export a lot to Brazil:

U.S. goods and services exports to Brazil in 2010 are estimated to be more than $50 billion, which will support more than 250,000 jobs. 

As any Brazilian will tell you, the economic slowdown and charges of corruption against President Dilma Rouseff have turned into a perfect storm of discontent and misery.   

The unemployment rate is rising. We've posted recently of mass marches, primarily of middle-class Brazilians fed up with taxes and a government that works for everybody but them.

There is a pension crisis around the corner. And the nation's debt rating just took another hit. My guess is that the currency will have to be devalued, adding more frustration to an already very frustated middle class.

A few years ago, Brazil was the darling of the experts. So what happened? The experts forgot to consider the impact of corruption. Crony capitalism hurts the economy, the nation's honest entrepreneurs who are not dining with government officials and the rule of law.

Brazil will survive, but I hope that its citizens demand a government that is more transparent. In the meantime, expect a lot more marches from the middle class.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

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The debate & politics with Leslie Eastman & Aleister of Legal Insurrection

Guest:   Leslie Eastman, contributor to Legal Insurrection, joins me for a look at the CNN debate..........winners and losers?   best moments of the night?   how did CNN do?  We will hear about politics in California, the drought and other stories of the week....we will be joined by Aleister, a contributor to LI........

click to listen:

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Tags: The CNN debate  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

The wrong signals about Illegal Immigration

(My new American Thinker post)

God only knows what will happen in the GOP debate. Nevertheless, we are in year 7 of Obama and illegal immigration has hit the fan, as we see in this new poll:  

A recent survey shows a majority of Americans think illegal immigration is a “very serious” problem and would support measures to deport illegal immigrants currently living within the country -- such as creating a hotline to report “activity connected to illegal immigration.”  The survey also found that:  Half of Americans would report an employer they suspected of hiring illegal immigrants to the government,  Nearly half of Americans would support the government “actively searching for illegal immigrants who have not committed any other crimes to deport them from the United States,” and 39% of respondents would report their neighbors for being illegal immigrants.  YouGov asked 1,000 American adults between Sept. 1-2 for their opinions on various issues related to illegal immigration.   Asked, “How serious a problem is ILLEGAL immigration in the US?” 51% of respondents replied it is “very serious,” while 26% responded illegal immigration is “somewhat serious,” and 15% described illegal immigration as a “minor problem.”  

Polls are polls and we can't believe all of them. However, this one shows that there is a a sizable majority that believes that illegal immigration is very or somewhat serious.

How did we get here? How did the public get so turned off by illegal immigration?   

First, President Obama sees illegal immigration as a way of building up his base.    

In the past, from President Eisenhower's bracero program to President Reagan's amnesty to President  Bush's work visas, illegal immigration was viewed as a violation of law. Again, President Obama uses illegal immigration to divide voters.

Second, the hypocrisy of the Obama administration is striking. Obama & Holder sent the legal marines down to Arizona because immigration was a federal issue. On the other hand, they have done nothing about cities violating federal law or states issuing driver's licenses to people in the country illegally.

Third, the Obama administration is looking the other way, as Hector Garza, president of the Laredo, Texas, chapter of the National Border Patrol Council points out: 

“Every single illegal alien that comes into the country goes through the hands of a drug cartel,”

Yes, the cartels are using immigrants to carry stuff.  

How did we get here?   

We have a president who refuses to enforce immigration law and writes executive orders to get what majorities of his own party would not pass.    

We have an administration that embraces the city council of San Francisco but goes to war with the state of Arizona.    

We have a president who tell us that the border is secure when facts don't add up.

Donald Trump is not my choice for president but he has hit a nerve.   I just  hope that both sides take note. Again, 77% in this poll say that illegal immigration is very or somewhat serious. You can't get to 77% without Democrats!    

Finally, people are fed up with being called "racist" because they want their immigration laws enforced. Add me to that list!.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

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Tags: Ilegal immigration  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

US-Latin America stories of the week with Fausta Rodriguez Wertz

Guest:   Fausta Rodriguez Wertz, editor of Fausta's Blog...........we will look at the growing rift between Venezuela and Colombia.....Mexican tourists killed in Egypt by mistake......Syrians in Uruguay.......Pope Francis going to Cuba.......the killing of Mr Niesman creates more interest in Argentina.......more problems in Brazil, from corruption charges to debt ratings......the latest from El Chapo in Mexico......the case of Leopoldo Fernandez in Venezuela......and other stories of the week.........we will hear from Jacobo Luna, Mexican author, who wrote "En el pais que no pasa nada", a book about his native country of Mexico....Click to listen:

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Tags: US-Latin America stories  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

Koch Brothers 1, LA Times 0

(My new American Thinker post)

A couple of years ago, there was talk about the Koch brothers buying the LA Times. It created the kind of selective outrage that we've come to love from liberals. There were comments about half of the staff quitting if the Koch brothers bought the newspaper.

In the end, the Koch brothers decided not to buy:

The Koch brothers will not purchase the newspapers owned by the Chicago-based Tribune Company. 

“As Koch said all along, it would only get involved if we think it will be a profitable venture,” says a source familiar with the negotiations. 

“This wouldn’t be in their estimation.” 

We learned today that there are deeper cuts coming at the LA Times, i.e. people losing jobs:

Significant newsroom cuts are being planned at the Los Angeles Times one week after the ouster of its publisher.

The company is looking to reduce editorial expenses by about $10 million and the cuts could amount to 80 positions, according to an executive from Tribune Publishing, which owns the L.A. Times and 10 other dailies.

The Tribune Publishing source said the Los Angeles paper likely would not be alone in making reductions. Other Tribune papers are expected to face cuts, too.  It was unclear how the cuts would impact other Tribune properties.

Would these job losses be happening if the Koch brothers had bought the newspaper?

It would be easy to say yes, specially given the dire state of the newspaper business in the U.S. After all, this is not the first newspaper cutting staff.

A story in May 2015 addressed circulation and advertising problems at many of the city newspapers that we grew up reading.

On the other hand, the Koch brothers would have brought something severely lacking in newsrooms, i.e. diversity! They would have forced the editors to expand their horizons and cover stories from a less liberal perspective.

It reminds me of a comment from a businessman in Dallas who said that he was sick and tired of buying ads in a newspaper that hated capitalism.   My friend admitted later that he exagerated the situation but there is something to what he is saying.   

Again, there is little diversity in these newsrooms.     

We don't know for sure. Nevertheless, I'd bet that there are liberals working at the LA Times wondering if they be facing a cut if a different owner was signing their paychecks.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

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A look at Cuba before Pope Francis visits the island

Guest:   Jorge Ponce, Cuban American writer and contributor to the Babalu Blog, joins me for a look at Cuba before Pope Francis' visit to the island.........the regime has released some prisoners but we understand that these are not political prisoners........what will Pope Francis accomplish in Cuba?   will he help the Cuban people or legitimize the Castro dictatorship?....and other stories of the week....click to listen:

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Tags: Pope Francis in Cuba  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

Another PR stunt about releasing Cuban political prisoners

(My new American Thinker post)

The word from Cuba is that the Castro regime has released many political prisoners on the eve of Pope Francis' visit.

Unfortunately, there is not a single political prisoner on this list, according to Marc Masferrer who has been tracking this for years:

Just consider this: None of the political prisoners whose names were on a list released in June by the unofficial Cuban Commission on Human Rights were on the list of soon-to-be-parolees released by the dictatorship on Friday.

Also, there was no word if the dictatorship and secret police also planned to halt or suspend its increasingly pervasive repression of the Cuban people -- especially those Ladies In White and other activists who dare challenge the regime by trying to walk to Sunday Mass, and instead end up beaten and/or jailed.

Stopping that would please Pope Francis, too, right?

The list of political prisoners is here.

The list of new parolees is here.

Reuters is reporting the same thing:

None of the 3,522 prisoners pardoned by the Cuban government on Friday appear to be political prisoners, according to a Reuters review of a list of political prisoners published by the dissident Commission of Human Rights and National Reconciliation.

Commission members said they were still reviewing a 129-page document published by the government that lists all the names of those to be released. Cuba said it would pardon the prisoners on the occasion of the Sept. 19-22 visit by Pope Francis.

The Reuters review showed only one of the 3,522 names appeared to match those on a list of 60 political prisoners published by the human rights commission in June. But the commission said that name appeared to be a coincidence as the circumstances of their cases differed.

However, the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), Cuba's largest dissident organization, said it considered one of those pardoned to be a political prisoner because he took up political activism in jail. The human rights commission said it had excluded that prisoner because of a history of violent crime.

As  my friend Carlos Eire, Professor at Yale and author, said today:    

The Castro propaganda machine has won yet another victory.

No surprise, really.  But it’s so infuriating to see propaganda victories like this one time and time again.

Try this out: do a Google search for “Cuba News” and see for yourself.  Over half of the news stories today are on the prisoner release.

Again, there was no release, just a story about a release.

This is a travesty, and I'm hoping that the Obama administration will say something.   

We understand that President Obama is very busy these days promoting his climate change agenda. Nevertheless, we hope that he takes a minute and reminds the Castro regime that this last chapter of change is more of the same.

This is not the "cambio" that we expected after the Obama administration gave the Castro regime everything that it wanted.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

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Tags: No release of Cuban political prisoners  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!