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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories City ready to rein in bad dog owners Josephine County scrambles to house juvenile offenders Travel funds would help disabled woman reconnect with her father Get Up & Go: Dec. 22 Shady Cove residents recall the devastation of 1964 flood Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Josephine County scrambles to house juvenile offenders Emergency Services Emergency services Emergency services Police search for pursuit suspect near Hyatt Lake Politics and Elections State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change GMO labeling votes recounted under careful watch in Jackson County Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means Education Ruch school class focuses on the natural environment Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU St. Mary's plays host to youth robotics tournament A lesson in giving Environment Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure Bird flu discovered in Winston backyard flock Jackson County holds back on enforcing GMO ban for now No fish, no funding for problem dams Most residents speak against gas pipeline State News Questions remain in death of Oklahoma teen Impostor makes off with Salvation Army donations in Corvallis, Albany Faith-healing couple sentenced to 10 years for death of diabetic daughter Uber suspends operations in Portland for 3 months Group challenges timber producer's 'green' label Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Eva Mae Clement Gerald Steve Stebbins Nellie Fay Luther Ernaldo (Al) Gerald Wesley Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable ACCESS receives $50,000 donation from Wells Fargo Sports Latest Stories Schireman, Tornado shoot past Pacers On the rise Gutches, Johnson lead Raiders to eighth at Reno TOC Rally falls short for Oregon Cavs tame Grizzlies as Waiters steps up late Varsity 541 College Sports Gutches, Johnson lead Raiders to eighth at Reno TOC Rally falls short for Oregon OSU’s Andersen details ‘very, very busy’ first week Winston cleared in conduct hearing Quinnipiac holds off Oregon State, 60-52 Pro Sports On the rise Cavs tame Grizzlies as Waiters steps up late Mavs victorious in Rondo debut Chargers rally big to beat 49ers No slowing Blazers in win over Pelicans Community Sports Keeping Fit: Runners need to do more than run to stay in shape RESULTS/STANDINGS LOCAL EVENTS Business Latest Stories Blog: The Holidays Have Arrived Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Employment in Oregon surpasses pre-recession levels Free lunchtime presentation covers business planning Ride & Drive: 2015 Nissan Juke Nismo Real Estate News Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate More sales, but no change in residential housing median price People In Business People in Business, Dec. 3 Transportation Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Allegiant Air will resume Medford-Phoenix service May 22 Agriculture K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Southern Oregon wine industry had a robust 2013 Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, Dec. 22 Kathleen Parker: Talk about a wildfire: Is the movie next? Other Views: Kingsley Field jobs are welcome Our View: Be careful when you donate Letters to the Editor, Dec. 21 Editorials Other Views: Kingsley Field jobs are welcome Our View: Be careful when you donate Other Views: Detective's sentence violates public trust Our View: Cheers and jeers Our View: Vaccines benefit everyone, save lives Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Dec. 22 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 21 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 19 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 18 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 17 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Guest Opinion: Forest thinning means water for the future Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Guest Opinion: SOU pool decision short-sighted Guest Opinion: It's time for biologists to let OR-7 go dark Lifestyle Latest stories Health Watch: Small diet changes can make a big difference Family Time: What parents feed baby can have long-term impact Home Help: Home safety tips for a safe and happy winter season Marketta Gregory: What’s in the Bible Community blog: Removing Barriers Is Good Insurance Food Community blog: 'Cookbook Book' digests genre's past 300 years Community blog: Liver pat� an easy nosh for Hanukkah and beyond Local bubbly can ring in the New Year Food for Thought: How to keep your kitchen organized during the holidays Kitchen Call: Shopping for the cook Home and Garden Home Help: Home safety tips for a safe and happy winter season How NOT to install drywall Dear Monty: Siblings dispute inherited real estate Home Help: Create a happy homemade holiday Rogue Valley Christmas light displays Health Health Watch: Small diet changes can make a big difference Community blog: Removing Barriers Is Good Insurance Health Watch: Change up your treadmill workout Community blog: A Dark Night of Healing and Hope Community blog: The Promise of Hope � and Health - Fulfilled Hiking Biking Faith Churches, synagogs host seasonal events Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Milestones and Achievements Fans, friends and family welcome home victorious SOU team at airport Wedding: Boldt-Mahon Order of Elks national office revokes Medford lodge's charter Jackson County's new health building complete, will serve clients in February Ashland celebrates 'Wild' screening with Cheryl Strayed Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Live Music in Local Clubs Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Southern Oregon Repertory Singers present 'The Holly and the Ivy' Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Stefan Baumann and Eugene Bennett highlight Third Fridays Theater ACT presents reading of 'The Quality of Life' Meet the real Jacob Marley This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Plumbing the depths of meaning TMTO presents 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical' Music Live Music in Local Clubs Southern Oregon Repertory Singers present 'The Holly and the Ivy' Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Seattle rock band Smokey Brights plays Howiee's Eight Dollar Mountain and Fruition play Applegate Lodge Community Events Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Stefan Baumann and Eugene Bennett highlight Third Fridays Dancing People Company celebrates the solstice Dance to the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra Dining Coffee shops roll out holiday-inspired drinks Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Ooblies Artisan Waffle Sandwiches Brunch at Loft Brasserie Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Questions remain in death of Oklahoma teen ... City ready to rein in bad dog owners ... Victorious Raiders parade trophy through downtown Ashland ... Questions remain in death of Oklahoma teen ... City ready to rein in bad dog owners ... Victorious Raiders parade trophy through downtown Ashland ... ANOTHER VIEW Dana Milbank: Marco Rubio's fury over Cuba shift Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 21, 2014 @ 12:01 am Posted Dec. 21, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, the Republican Party's point man on Cuba, seemed to be struggling to contain his fury as he responded to President Obama's move Wednesday to normalize relations with the Cold War foe. The Cuban-American legislator, addressing a roomful of reporters and photographers in the Capitol, chopped the air with his right hand, fired off terse answers to questions and, frequently raising his voice, spat insults at the Obama administration: "Absurd." "Disgraceful." "Outrageous and ridiculous!" "Concession to a tyranny." "Based on an illusion, on a lie." "Conceding to the oppressors." "Willfully ignorant of the way the world truly works." Fox News' Chad Pergram asked Rubio why he was so confident the Cuba shift would be a disaster and not a success like the Camp David accords or the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland, which also had their critics. "Because I know the Cuban regime and its true nature better than this president does or anybody in his administration does," the senator replied. Another questioner pointed out that younger Cuban-Americans support normal relations with Cuba. "I don't care if the polls say that 99 percent of people believe we should normalize relations in Cuba," Rubio answered. He threatened to use his new position as a subcommittee chairman on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to block the nomination of an ambassador to Cuba and the building of an embassy there. Rubio's emotional — and at times inaccurate — response to the policy change shows why Obama's move to normalize ties to Cuba after more than half a century is both good policy and good politics. It's good policy because it jettisons a vestigial policy that has stopped serving a useful purpose, and because it is a gutsy move by Obama that demonstrates strong leadership and will help revive him from lame-duck status. It's good politics because it will reveal that the Cuban-American old guard, whose position Rubio represents, no longer speaks for most Cuban-Americans. Florida International University, which annually polls Cuban-Americans, found this year that 68 percent favor diplomatic relations with Cuba. Only 41 percent of those 65 and older favor normalization, while 88 percent between the ages of 18 and 29 do. But Rubio was responding with his gut, which has been seasoned by the unwavering dogma of Cuban exiles. He began his remarks with the phrase "As a descendant of Cuban immigrants and someone who's been raised in a community of Cuban exiles," and he observed that "Cuba is close to home for me, both because of my heritage, also because of the community I live in." This immersion has filled Rubio with faith-based logic, and an absolute certainty of outcomes that cannot be knowable. "I now know for a fundamental truth that this is going to make the day democracy comes to Cuba even further away," he proclaimed. He further asserted that "I know this regime's true nature. I interact with people that have been oppressed by it every single day. These changes will do nothing to change their behavior towards the Cuban people. [The regime] will be just as repressive a year from now as it is today." Before appearing in the Senate TV studio, Rubio granted an interview to Fox News in which he said that "Barack Obama is the worst negotiator that we've had as president since at least Jimmy Carter." That would be the Jimmy Carter who negotiated the still-successful Camp David accords. By the time the 43-year-old Rubio gave his news conference, he revised that line, calling Obama "the single worst negotiator we have had in the White House in my lifetime." But Rubio had more trouble when The Washington Post's Ed O'Keefe asked the Catholic lawmaker what he would say to Pope Francis, who intervened to encourage negotiations and to receive delegations from the two countries at the Vatican. "My understanding is that the influence that His Holiness had was on the release of [American Alan] Gross, which I've not criticized." A statement from the Vatican suggested its interest was broader than that, and the pope offered his "warm congratulations for the historic decision taken by the governments of the United States of America and Cuba to establish diplomatic relations." The senator had a different view than the Holy Father's. "In short, what these changes are going to do is they will tighten this regime's grip on power for decades to come," he said. That's the doctrine of senatorial infallibility, and it usually ends badly for its adherents. Follow Dana Milbank on Twitter, @Milbank. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 21, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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