John Block Reports from Washington

Hello everybody out there in farm country.

Fidel Castro, Cuban dictator for 50 years, steps down. Brother Raul Castro takes the helm.

What does this mean to us? Why should we care? What are we going to do? What does this change mean for Cuba?

It means that we should take a new look at our relationship with Cuba. We hardly trade with them -some farm products is about the size of it. We restrict travel and tourism to Cuba. Even Florida Cuban families are not allowed to visit their homeland and relatives.

Cuba is only 90 miles from the Florida coast, receiving support money from Russia and Venezuela. Hugo Chavez has been pouring money into the Cuban Communist country to gain influence. They are jointly going to drill for oil in the ocean next to Florida. I don't think we should isolate Cuba -- effectively pushing that country into the lap of other unfriendly countries.

President Nixon went to China 30 years ago and opened that Communist country up to the U.S. It is still a Communist dictatorship but, economically, the country has become capitalistic. We trade with them. Do we ever!! Full diplomatic relations. We supported their entrance into the World Trade Organization. Same is true with Viet Nam, and we fought a war with them. What's wrong with Cuba right next door to us?

I'll tell you what it is. It's all politics. Neither of our political parties will touch the normalization of Cuban relations. They don't want to lose the next election. Their evaluation is that Florida Cubans are so hostile to Castro that any candidate that supports improved relations is certain to lose the Florida vote. So, under these conditions, don't expect President Bush to invite Raul to his Texas ranch any time soon.

With a new President next year, anything can happen, but the candidates campaigning now are not going to reach out to that Communist country until after the election, if ever. The word on the street is that Raul Castro would like to open the Cuban economy some, but with Fidel still in the background looking over his shoulder, don't hold your breath.

Until next week, I am John Block from Washington.