Accorging to the Associated Press, Legislation sponsored by Senator Bill Nelson (R-FL), fellow Floridian Mel Martinez, Majority Leader Bill Frist and others would authorize as much as $80 million over two years to "dissidents" and non-governmental organizations on the island of Cuba to promote democracy.
The legislation says "dissidents" eligible for the money would include political prisoners, workers' rights organizations, independent libraries, journalists, doctors and economists.
Cuba has a population of about 11.4 million according to the CIA World Fact Book. The US has a population of about 300 million.
Imagine Fox News' reaction if Cuba announced a campaing to fund US "dissidents" at the same rate per capita that the US is proposing. That is, imagine if Cuba announced a $2.1 Billion-with-a-"B" campaign to promote democracy in the US.
We don't have a democracy, or republic, in this Great U-S-of-A. We have a Plutocracy; that is, we're governed by a wealthy, politically-connected aristocracy. Even our electoral process is seriously in question these days*. $2.1 Billion could be well spent to promote democracy in the US.
So, if Cuba comes up with $2.1 Billion in grant funding, I want a grant application form.
* It's not just electronic voting machines without paper verification, manufactured by Repulican-owned corporations funded by Congress; it's the purging of voter roles, placement of too few voting booths in certain precincts leading to hours-long lines, and many other tactics to supress votes.
AP, August 1, 2006, AP Article Link
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