Merged: US Cuba policy change

[kuma]

about time this 50 year old puppy was put to bed. states has normal relations with a

wholes host of countries that have they did not get along with. was not fair to single Cuba

out. Can't wait to smoke my first Cuban cigar in the city I live and not feel like

I'm breaking the law. WOW can't wait for those cigars to start flying into JFK from Cuba.

Done Deal, thank you Comm. Dept...

[tmac77]

Much more to do yet. This was simply Obama doing what he has authority to do now. Congress will have to approve more widespread measures for things to be normalized.

[stogieluver]

Outside of the discussion of how this might help the wonderful Cuban people, all of the angst about what this will do to our cost in the

U. S. of CC's, the politics of it all, I'm going to guess that when CC's are allowed to be imported for commercial sale that the fake CC's will flood the market and will snatched up by the unknowing, thus helping to dampen demand for legitimate CC's.

At least that's how I'm going to deal with this news at the moment.

Side note: as one of the small number of Americans who have been to Cuba, no one wants the plight of the beautiful Cuban people to improve dramatically, which is what it would take for them to enjoy just a normal level of human existance.

Edited to also add that I'm not yet convinced that the regime actually wants this to work and the embargo to be lifted. Everything bad that happens in Cuba is blamed on the American embargo.

[forgop]

Nothing has stopped Obama from circumventing congress yet-even that pesky constitution.

[Wicky]

Does this mean all of my "missing" cigars will be forwarded now? lol.

[subiemech]

Lets see what Florida has to say about lifting the embargo

[MIKA27]

John Oliver - Cuban Embargo

http://youtu.be/Q7hZjNO3I-Q

[stogieluver]

This is a good first step, but politics and politicians being what they are, I will be shocked if the embargo is lifted anytime in the next few years. Dipolomacy is so closely tied to politics that it moves very slowly. The only reason this may move along more quickly than I think it will, is that the attitude of the American people, in my humble opinion, toward the embargo has shifted toward the removal of the embargo. It may take another election cycle or two for this to finally sink in with the politicians.

[mychetboy]

IMHO,

This is long overdue and will make interesting politics since our President has only 2 years left, the Senate and Congress will be controlled by his opposition party, and 2016 is an election year, meaning that 2015 no one will want to be on this issue. Lets see what JR Reynolds, etc..does to help sway our easily bought officials.

[malba2366]

I would love for this to mean open travel/trade with Cuba, but I fear that the the politics of South Florida will win over once again with a presidential election coming up. The situation in the US right now is that Florida with the second largest block of electoral college votes basically decides presidential elections, and South Florida basically decides the way the state goes. It is so sad that the criminals that Castro kicked out and their relatives have such a big effect on US politics and relations with Cuba.

[CdnLimitada]

I think that he hit the nail on the head actually. Sure this is not a huge issue for most Americans but anything the other side can point to as a failure is considered a good thing in the political world. Obama has nothing to lose really with this. He is either seen as the one president that had success starting the process or he can point to the Republicans as blocking what most Americans consider an old beef past its prime.

If I correctly understand what you're saying, this is ridiculous. You're saying that this is a move by Obama to make republicans look bad for opposing the normalization of relations? The idea tha supporting the ending of the embargo could be a net positive position for politicians is questionable. The idea that it would be overwhelmingly positive, and a major issue in 2016 for the electorate, benefitting opponents of the embargo to the point where it is the thing that gets them elected, is just laughable. Hopefully I'm misunderstanding what you were saying. But I think you overestimate the American electorate's prioritization of policy toward Cuba. Except perhaps in Florida, where the sentiment is exactly the opposite of what you're suggesting.

[kuma]

Remember the US Commerce Dept. and the business community in the US was the driving force behind this.

Visa, Master Card...Hilton Hotels, Trump Casino, Toll Brothers builders, big banks Chase and Citi bank, Verizone, at+t

Mex Telecomm Slim Alou and that is just a drop in the bucket. This will not take long to get done. This will

be fast tracked and Obama will force the Dems. who don't support this will make them an offer they can't refuse.

Good old Chicago politics. As for the Rep.'s he will offer to cut some of Obama care (which is not working very well anyway)

and the Rep.'s that are against this will fall right into line. Can't wait for the smokes to arrive and start this party.

[stogieluver]

I would love for this to mean open travel/trade with Cuba, but I fear that the the politics of South Florida will win over once again with a presidential election coming up. The situation in the US right now is that Florida with the second largest block of electoral college votes basically decides presidential elections, and South Florida basically decides the way the state goes. It is so sad that the criminals that Castro kicked out and their relatives have such a big effect on US politics and relations with Cuba.

The "criminals that Castro kicked out" for the most part were people whose businesses, homes, property, and all belongings were confiscated by the Castro regime with no compensation whatsoever. How would you feel if that happened to you and all your family and all the people you know? Granted, the previous regime was not without great fault, but most of these people were innocent business owners and just private citizens who had everything they owned taken from them overnight.

[cooper669]

Remember the US Commerce Dept. and the business community in the US was the driving force behind this.

Visa, Master Card...Hilton Hotels, Trump Casino, Toll Brothers builders, big banks Chase and Citi bank, Verizone, at+t

Mex Telecomm Slim Alou and that is just a drop in the bucket. This will not take long to get done. This will

be fast tracked and Obama will force the Dems. who don't support this will make them an offer they can't refuse.

Good old Chicago politics. As for the Rep.'s he will offer to cut some of Obama care (which is not working very well anyway)

and the Rep.'s that are against this will fall right into line. Can't wait for the smokes to arrive and start this party.

This may be true but don't hold your breath. The ball may be rolling but nothing is done yet!

[SofaKing]

On a lighter note.. first RE for Los Estados Unidos? Undoubtedly will be a 6 x 60 nightmare from Quintero :-)

[kuma]

Remember the only reason the states have Dom.'s and Nic.'s, etc, ec, is because they could not get CC's.

Prices should not be to bad, just bought a Opux X Robusto at my local smoke shop less than 13.00 dollars for one.

so what that tells me is that prices will be in line with Nic's. / Dom.'s . Can't wait for the Cunans to make a

Conn wrapper with cuban filler. quality should be like the mid and early 90's which I heard was great.

Maybe Hiroshi Robiana knew something was in the works why else move an operation to Cent. America!

[Overproof]

John Oliver - Cuban Embargo

http://youtu.be/Q7hZjNO3I-Q

Interesting....SO, he signed off on a 'Trading with the enemy act" this year however it was only broadcast on the island!?

[CaptainQuintero]

On a lighter note.. first RE for Los Estados Unidos? Undoubtedly will be a 6 x 60 nightmare from Quintero :-)

There's only so many thanks one person can give that their gf doesn't read this forum!!

[rock]

This really doesn't change a thing. Knowing the politicians in the USA, the taxes on all cigars will be at 38-40% as a sin tax. I will still be getting my smokes from abroad. There will soon be a tax on cigars going into Obama care. Be careful what you wish for.

[shlomo]

There's only so many thanks one person can give that their gf doesn't read this forum!!

BAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[shlomo]

On a lighter note.. first RE for Los Estados Unidos? Undoubtedly will be a 6 x 60 nightmare from Quintero :-)

I'd guess they would want to make it super special and break the rules for a Cohiba RE

[CaptainQuintero]

I wouldn't be surprised if everything fell with a bang. The Berlin wall seemed to be something nothing would removed then poof it was gone.

It's all incredibly exciting

[Fosgate]

The first couple years will be high demand on Cubans as people here will want to try out what was once taboo. Then in short order they will go back to smoking their Ghurka's and ACID infused and cheap $1 grab bag of cigars. But let see what the govt will increase our costs by.

Federal Non-cigarette excise tax on large cigars is. 52.75% of sales price but not to exceed $0.4026 per cigar (or $402.60 per 1,000)

Then my state takes their cut of 35% of the wholesale purchase price. So a $15 cigar priced here (which I have found cigars double locally from online availability) using $15 for wholesale to start could potentially be

($15(1.35)+.40)+$15 Markup=$35.65 that is before any price increase that may happen due to supply and demand curves.

Which if there is an increase in demand and supply we will see....

But if production already maxed we only see and increase in demand you see what price does.

Hopefully there will not be much of an increase in demand from the Cubans.

[CanuckSARTech]

Never heard of cbc before, from the comments seems to be a pretty heavy anti-USA hangout.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Publically funded broadcaster - similar to BBC in England, or ABC in Oz.

The comments???? Trust me, they're anti-everything on there. Great generally non-slanted news, but horrible toxic waste dump with the posters that are on there. No controls.

[CanuckSARTech]

It is probably some ham fisted attempt at poking Putin's eye. It seems very rushed.

Great point.

Everyone's stretched on the world stage. Countries are on the verge of further economic bankrupcy with continuing world crises.

Putin does the Crimea and Ukraine dance. Obama's going south, but without guns. Hmmmmm.

Good thought, CQ. Could definitely prove interesting.