Sen. Marco Rubio won't be taking Manatee chamber's 'people-to-people' trip to Cuba

Not that he was invited, but consider it a zero chance that U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio would join the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce on its "people-to-people" visit next spring to Cuba.

Rubio, R-Fla., on Thursday laid into such trips and the Obama administration policies that make them possible.

“When I look at this stuff, you know what I want to say? Come on, man. This is about promoting democracy and freedom in Cuba?" Rubio said in a speech on the Senate floor. "This is not about promoting democracy and freedom in Cuba. This is nothing more than tourism. This is tourism for Americans that, at best, are curious about Cuba and, at worst, sympathize with the Cuban regime."




Meanwhile, another Florida lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, was pleased that her colleagues removed from a spending bill a measure that would have re-instituted limits on how often Cuban Americans can visit family members on the island and how much they can send them. Castor had argued that the limits would have hurt Cuban American families and economically hurt Tampa International Airport, which recently began hosting charter flights to the island.

“Cuban-American families can breathe a sigh of relief that their ability to visit family on the island nation will not be curtailed, especially during the holiday season, by last-minute political maneuvers," Castor said in a news release. Convenient, new airline flights such as those from Tampa International Airport will continue to serve our neighbors and boost our economy. I expect to see even more demand for these flights in the coming months and years.

Castor calls for Congress to reject limits on Cuban Americans' trips to Cuba

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, on Wednesday called on Congress to reject a proposed measure that would roll back Obama Administration rules allowing Cuban Americans unlimited travel to visit family in Cuba.

The legislation, which is wrapped into a larger appropriations bill to keep the government running, would limit such trips to once every three years, as it was implemented under the George W. Bush administration.

Limiting the trips would have "harsh" humanitarian effect on Cuban Americans and their families, and would be an economic blow to the Tampa area, Castor said in a news release. Direct flights from Tampa to Havana were recently launched, in conjunction with the relaxed travel rules.

“The Republican-imposed travel restrictions would deal a devastating blow to Cuban-American families who have embraced the freedom to travel to Cuba more regularly to visit their loved ones. New jobs and charter airline flights would be eliminated under the Republican bill as well,” Castor said. “Tampa International Airport alone has added four weekly flights to Cuba and generated new economic activity in Tampa. The Republican proposal would hurt our neighbors and our economy.”

Advocates of tighter restrictions on travel to Cuba, like Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, argue that unlimited trips help finance the Castro regime in Havana. Diaz-Balarat's measure would also tighten the definition of "family" and limit to $1,200 per year how much money in remittances Cuban Americans can send to relatives on the island.

The Miami Herald reported that Diaz-Balart's measure would have no effect on "people-to-people" trips like the one the Manatee Chamber of Commerce is organizing for next spring. Those trips are covered by a different set of sanctions on Cuba.

Hillsborough commissioner to challenge Kathy Castor

 Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe, a Republican, on Monday announced his bid to unseat Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, whose 11th Congressional District currently includes part of Manatee County.

The St. Petersburg Times' Buzz blog has the story:

 

Saying times of crisis are times of opportunity, Republican Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe announced his intention to challenge Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor in the 2012 election.

"We're in a moment of peril," Sharpe said at the Buddy Brew Coffee house in South Tampa Monday. "The country is in crisis. I feel a duty and obligation to help deal with this crisis."

In announcing, Sharpe, 51, will make his fourth bid for the District 11 House seat. In 1992, 1994 and 1996, he campaigned against long-time Democrat Sam Gibbons, and then Jim Davis when the seat became open. He came up short in each race for the district, which is centered around South and West Tampa and is tilted heavily toward registered Democratic voters. But he showed himself each time to be a capable money-raiser.

While political district boundaries have historically favored Democrats in District 11, state legislators will be redrawing Congressional district lines. That could result in a further concentration of Democratic voters or a dilution. The exercise may not be complete until early next year, and Sharpe said he will stay in the race no matter how the lines are redrawn.

Sharpe said he does not intend to step down as a commissioner, and the law does not require that he do so. His current term runs into 2014.

 Sharpe joins Republican Josh Kiernan in the race.

Hillsborough commissioner considers challenging Rep. Castor

Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe, a Republican, is considering challenging Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, in the 11th Congressional District race next year. The district includes parts of Manatee County.

The Buzz reports:

Republican Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe is talking about challenging Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor for her Congressional seat in 2012. Sharpe, who pushed hard for the high speed rail line connecting Tampa to Orlando, said this week he wants to be able to participate in national discussions on deficit reduction and America's wars.

"The only question is how will I have that conversation," he said. "That's what I'll be announcing in August."

Sharpe, a retired Naval officer who worked on John McCain's presidential bid, is already floating a platform that could fly in Castor's heavily Democratic district. He said he disagrees with McCain's philosophies on U.S. action overseas.

"Before you send a man or woman overseas, you better understand wha tyou're going to do, how you're going to get in, and how you're going to get it out," Sharpe said. "I want to have that conversation about military affairs."

As for deficit reduction, Sharpe dismissed the budget plan put forward by Paul Ryan, and said he's interested in proposals put forward by President Barack Obama's debt-panel commission, chaired by former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson, a Republican, and Erskine Bowles, a former chief of staff for President Bill Clinton.

"They spent a lot of time working on it and it just kind of got dropped. It ought to be part of the conversation," Sharpe said.

Sharpe ran for Castor's District 11 seat in 1996, but lost to Democrat Jim Davis. He was elected to the Hillsborough County Commission in 2004.

So far, the only Republican who has filed for the seat is libertarian activist Josh Kiernan of Palm Harbor, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

State Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, had announced a bid but later dropped out of the race.