Jeff Flake is the junior senator from Arizona and a strong supporter of President Obama's efforts to re-establish normal diplomatic and commercial relations with Cuba.  Speaking from the White House on December 17, 2014, the President outlined his plan for changing America's relationship with Cuba, which has been in a deep freeze for more than 50 years. 

On December 23, Senator Flake published and op-ed in The Daily Caller with the title "The Conservative Case For A New Cuba Policy."  That article, which was the source for today's quote, opens with the on-the-money observation that American policies toward Cuba do not fit neatly into a partisan box.  There are supporters and critics of the President's plan on both sides of the aisle. Senator Flake points out that:

He also suggested another reason for conservatives to support the opening and to allow Americans to travel freely to Cuba.  "We have a veritable museum of the failures of socialism just 90 miles from our shores," he wrote.

It is likely that these pages will have a fair amount to say about Cuba in the days and weeks ahead.  Our focus, as always, will be trade.  In this case, that means the effort to re-establish a normal, MFN, trading relationship between the United States and Cuba.   For the moment, our only comment about Senator Flake's op-ed is that we are glad he wrote it, and we are glad he will be with us to discuss the U.S.-Cuba relationship at the GBD event on September 10. 

On September 10, 2015.  Senator Flake will lead off the discussion at the GBD event next week, 9 a.m. at the National Press Club, on:

This session will also include a panel with representatives from U.S. business.  Click the title link above for full details, including registration options. 

The Conservative Case for a New Cuba Policy takes you to the article by Senator Flake, which was the source for today's quote.

Moving Forward is the August 20 TTALK Quote, which highlighted comments from Rep. Charles Rangel (D NY) on the new policy toward Cuba.

When the U.S. doesn't sell is a link to the TTALK Quote of July 16, when the focus was on remarks by Senator Jerry Moran (R KS) on the consequences of the current Cuba sanctions for American agriculture and manufacturing.