The Tiahrt campaign and others, yesterday, sent out tweets and e-mails noting that Jerry Moran had earned the dubious endorsement of the Communist Party USA. The Tiahrt e-mail said:
“While our opponent’s legislation to allow travel between the United States and Cuba has picked up the endorsement of the Communist Party USA, we are pleased to remind you of the groups endorsing Todd Tiahrt for U.S. Senate.”
Also, the self-proclaimed “Executive Assistant” the Kansas Republican Party and former Executive Assistant at the KSGOP (Updated) and proprietor of the Naked Republican blog, Justin Brokar, posted a Tweet yesterday, along with a link to his blog, sarcastically admonishing Moran for the “support” of the Communist Party USA.
Justin Brokar Tweet About Moran
The problem is that the Communist Party USA appears not to have endorsed Jerry Moran. Instead, it appears that they encouraged their membership to “thank” those members of Congress that have co-sponsored H.R. 874 in the House and S. 428 in the Senate, which would freely allow travel to and from the United States to Cuba. Hardly an endorsement.
Tiahrt, in his e-mail, linked to the e-mail from the Communist Party USA that he alleged was an endorsement. The Communist Party USA e-mail said nothing of an endorsement, but instead said:
“Now is the time to spread the word and call or e-mail your Congressional representatives and tell them to support the right to travel to Cuba. [...] If your representatives are on the list, please call and thank them and thank them for their support.” (Emphasis ours.)
So, to be fair, it doesn’t appear that Moran was endorsed by the Communist Party USA, and, even if he was, it’s still out of his power to decide who can and cannot endorse him in his candidacy for the United States Senate. For the Tiahrt campaign, it looks like they’re grasping at ever-fading straws in a campaign that has not gone as well as they would have liked.
Also important to note, opening travel with Cuba is an important step to opening trade with Cuba. Trade with Cuba, under Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSRA) of 2000, already results in hundreds of millions of dollars of annual trade for U.S. farmers; however, that trade is done on a cash basis only (e.g., Cuba cannot use credit to purchase Kansas commodities). Under the House proposal, which Moran is one of the principle co-sponsors, not only will be foreign travel be opened, but international trade with Cuba would be enhanced and expanded for Kansas commodities. According to the Kansas Farmer:
“The Peterson/Moran legislation would eliminate the need to go through banks in other countries to conduct agricultural trades, along with the accompanying fees those banks charge; require agricultural exports to Cuba to meet the same payment requirements as exports to other countries by requiring payment when the title of the shipment changes hands; and allow U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba, reducing the bureaucratic red tape currently required for agricultural associations, agribusinesses, and other to make agricultural sales in the country and creating increased demand for agricultural sales in the country and creating increased demand for agricultural exports to feed the increased number of American visitors.”
So, one has to ask, is Todd Tiahrt also opposed to trade with China? Does he not see the needs of Kansas farmers for expanded international ag markets? Is this really who we want representing our state in the United States Senate?
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