News & Politics

Georgetowner • January 29, 2015

[Editor’s note: The following commentary is in response to the Jan. 14 Georgetowner cover story, “Cuban Dreams.”]

Since 1959, numerous overtures have been made by several U.S. presidents to improve relations with Cuba. The pattern has been repeated over and over: the Castro regime always finds a way to derail talks. Why?

Because if the U.S. were no longer “the empire” and the “enemy” of the Cuban people, the Castro brothers would have no reason to exist. Above all, they want to remain in control of every aspect of Cubans’ lives.
We now have the opportunity to observe whether the pattern is repeated.

Last week in Havana, Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson met with her Cuban counterpart, Josefina Vidal. Before the meeting, the Obama administration announced the new U.S. regulations for travel, remittances, telecom, small business support and credit card use. The administration also confirmed its commitment to reestablish and review Cuba’s inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terror. The goal is to remove Cuba from the list.

I criticized the deal as being lopsided in Cuba’s favor when it was announced. However, it should be recognized that President Obama has so far delivered on his end of the bargain. How about Cuba?

To the dismay of some, the Cubans upped the ante dramatically at the first meeting: they want the Cuban Adjustment Act (“Wet foot, dry foot” policy) repealed, something Jacobson said the U.S. would not do. The bombshell was when Vidal asked how diplomatic relations can be established if the embargo is still in place. She knows well that lifting the embargo needs congressional approval since it would require a change in the law. This is highly unlikely. Once again, the Cubans are making the negotiations impossible. There will be other surprises.

We now have the opportunity to observe whether there truly is political will among the Cuban government to change, starting with human rights, release of political prisoners and allowing Cubans to open small businesses and buy supplies from the U.S.

If history repeats itself, the Cubans will find a way to derail the talks. I hope the media will track these events closely. We will then understand why Cuba has remained isolated for more than 55 years: because of Cuban reluctance to reestablish relations with the U.S. Stay tuned.

Born in Havana, Carlos Miguel Gutierrez was Secretary of Commerce (2005 to 2009) under President George W. Bush. The former CEO of the Kellogg Company, Gutierrez is a co-chair of Albright Stonebridge Group.

the Georgetowner Editorial Board •

Every winter, with the prospect of imminent snow – not to mention wind, cold and ice – people who go to school, run our schools and work in our schools go a little crazy.

Gone are the days when hardy kids (according to our grandparents in Idaho) walked at least five miles to school carrying their books and homework across the tundra. Nowadays, school officials avidly watch weather forecasts for the data they need to decide whether to close schools, call a two-hour delay or stay open.

As far as we can tell, it’s a crapshoot.

The last big brouhaha came several weeks ago, when local weather folks predicted the possibility of an inch of snow (maybe) or a little more at worst. We got three inches. Some schools and parents were blindsided and buses had a heck of a bad time on slippery roads. Officials who opted for their schools to open were roundly criticized and weather forecasters had egg – or snow – on their faces.

Later, when another storm was predicted, some school districts erred on the side of caution. They closed, but very little snow showed up (down?). They, too, were roundly criticized.

Weather forecasting remains an imprecise science. And on television it is as much a show as a vital source of information. Weather people on television love a certain amount of drama. They get excited about snow. It’s like a 50-car pileup for traffic reporters.

The TV talk hypes “possible” snow accumulation and plays on our memories of blizzards past, such as 2010’s Snowmageddon (or was it Snowpocalypse?).

That little note of anxiety coming from the various “Storm Centers” can panic school officials and make them jump the gun – or wait until the last minute, which means teachers have to get up early to find out if they’re going in late.

The decision to close or not to close, to open on time, late or not at all, isn’t an easy one. There’s more to it than trusting your favorite meteorologist. It’s not just about the commute to work for teachers, but also about whether it’s safe for buses on the rarely plowed back roads to get to freezing children waiting at bus stops. There are issues of black ice and extreme cold to consider.

Plus, schools are sometimes in the middle of testing periods, which are difficult to reschedule. And a heavy accumulation of snow days can lead to a backlog at the end of the school year.

But not every storm is a crisis, or a Perfect Storm. In the end, for both weather forecasters and school officials, it’s a judgment call. Let’s not make it sound so much like the Last Judgment. [gallery ids="118277,118290,118283" nav="thumbs"]

the Georgetowner Editorial Board •

Major non-approved changes, including the stuccoing of exterior brick walls and removal of multi-paned windows, that were recently made to a historic 1898 colonial revival home once owned by Secretary of State John Dulles are quickly garnering the indignation and wrath of many in the Georgetown community for what seems to be a violation of the law, not to mention good taste. Tom Luebke, Secretary to U.S. Commission on Fine Arts and head of the Old Georgetown Board, a governmental body charged with reviewing all exterior alterations in the federal historic district, called the homeowner’s failure to obtain permits is one of the most egregious violations of process his organization has seen in a long time.

The Citizens Association of Georgetown’s president Pamla Moore echoed those concerns and expressed hope for a reversal of the changes stating, “CAG is very keen on the District government moving to enforce the laws regarding this unpermitted work in our historic district.” Councilmen Jack Evans when speaking of the house states, “Historic preservation is important to all of us in Georgetown. Frankly, I think the homeowner should take down the stucco and the additions and work through the ANC and Old Georgetown Board to make sure any changes are in keeping with the historic character of the neighborhood.” The home is located at 3107 Dumbarton St. NW.

Robert Devaney •

Some people just aren’t the retiring type. Linda Greenan is known around town for her work, before she retired, as a vice president for community relations at Georgetown University. She continues to be involved in D.C. politics and has been on boards of local groups.

“I decided to go back to work again because, after two years of retirement, I was beginning to get a little bored,” Greenan wrote to us. “I came out of retirement and began working at Cardinal Bank as vice president and client relations officer. . . . My role will be to serve as a resource for Cardinal’s clients (non-profits and associations, property management firms, medical groups, title companies and other local businesses) and to identify new business lending, deposit and investment opportunities.”

Cardinal is a regional community bank with approximately $3.5 billion in assets and 32 branches in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.