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When it comes to Cuba, some think 50 years of failed policy is not enough.

Take Jeb Bush, who is now exploring a run for the presidency. Or Senator Marco Rubio, who probably also harbors presidential ambitions. Like a surprising number of their fellow Republicans, they simply cannot abide the idea that the United States should try a different relationship with the island 90 miles off the Florida coast.

After President Obama announced Wednesday that he was restoring full diplomatic relations with Cuba and opening an embassy in Havana — the first in more than half a century — the naysayers erupted in outrage.



“It’s part of a long record of coddling dictators and tyrants that this administration has established,” Mr. Rubio of Florida, the son of Cuban immigrants, said on Fox News. He insisted that the White House’s plans won’t result in more economic freedom or democracy in Cuba.

Mr. Bush, a former governor of Florida who announced his exploratory presidential bid on Tuesday, argued two weeks ago in a foreign policy speech that “instead of lifting the embargo, we should consider strengthening it.”

On Wednesday, Mr. Bush was quoted by USA Today as saying: “I don’t think we should be negotiating with a repressive regime to make changes in our relationship [until Cuba changes).” There are many repressive regimes in the world including Egypt. Does he think Washington should stop talking to Cairo?

How he and other critics can say that with a straight face is baffling. The embargo never produced the kind of political and economic change that its backers advocated, and toughening it won’t help, either.

They appear trapped by an aging population of Cuban exiles, many in Florida, who could never tolerate rapprochement with the Castro brothers who run Cuba. (The younger generation is much more open to restoring diplomatic ties.)

Along with Mr. Rubio, other Republicans from Florida and elsewhere vowed to do whatever they can to thwart Mr. Obama’s decision, including refusing to formally lift the embargo when the new Republican-led Congress takes over in January.

Of course the critics tried to have it both ways – condemning Mr. Obama’s secret negotiations (Canada and Pope Francis were facilitators) and policy changes, but welcoming the fact that the initiative also secured freedom for Alan Gross, an American held by Cuba for five years.

They didn’t even try to come up with a creative alternative approach. Just more sanctions, more isolation in an effort to contain and topple a Cuban government not to Washington’s liking.

We’ve seen how well that works. Mr. Obama’s history-making overture is the only sensible way to go. Mr. Bush and Mr. Rubio, one suspects, are just angry that Mr. Obama had the courage – and the political freedom of a lame duck – to act first.