The Real El Jefe:I have never understood the Left's fascination with Castro and Cuba. Now unlike some rabid conservatives, I do think we should lift this silly embargo against Cuba. Free trade will lead to free ideas and utimately will bring down his regime. Even many dissidents in Cuba believe that the embargo needs to be lifted to allow for more freedoms. With that said, I still don't understand the Left's love of Castro. They marvel at a land where the poor are treated fairly and where there is free health care. All that is good, but what about the loss of the civil liberties that they are saying we are losing here? Canadian columnist Margaret Wente talks about what has happened in the Socialist Paradise as of late. About ten years ago, I participated in writing letters to governments about the treatment of people for Amnesty International. I remember hearing the story of a Cuban poet whose house was broken into by Castro supporters and forced to her poems. Thankfully she has immigrated to the US. I wonder if the Left shows pity for this artist.

The Left seems to get mad and steamed at dictators like Pinochet, but have a big blind eye with the likes of Castro because he is a leftist. Nevermind that he locks up dissidents or executes people, just as Pinochet did, he's helping the poor. Please, give me a break.