THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

But that will not stop a clump of old reactionary Mustache Petes from doing everything they can to prevent a sensible course of action.

There is longstanding congressional support, particularly among Republicans, for maintaining a tough stance against Cuba.

And the new Republican leadership is less than enthusiastic. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said he disagreed with Obama’s decision to open relations with Cuba.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a recent interview with “60 Minutes” that he expects the embargo to stay in place, calling Obama’s move to normalize relations a “bad decision.”

With the odds stacked against them, GOP advocates of trade with Cuba decided to start with the less controversial travel bill, which will be filed Thursday by Flake. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas is a co-sponsor, along with fellow Republicans Mike Enzi of Wyoming and John Boozman of Arkansas, and Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois, Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Tom Udall of New Mexico.

It’s also simpler to change the laws in relation to travel than it is to lift the embargo, because the embargo was created by several overlapping laws, Moran said.

“While there’s no desire for a delay, there’s also a desire to do this right and do it in a way that allows us to have the broadest support from members of Congress,” he said.

Additional legislation to lift the embargo will follow the travel bill, Flake and Moran said in interviews. Both senators have long championed an end to the embargo. Flake flew to Havana for the recent release of contractor Alan Gross from a Cuban jail, a critical element in Obama’s decision to restore ties with the country.

Their bill would eliminate the restrictions on travel to Cuba that remain after the Obama administration expanded the leeway for travelers earlier this month. For now, general tourism still isn’t allowed.

Under new rules that took effect Jan. 16, U.S. travelers must fall into 12 categories of authorized travel, but they now can buy their tickets and make travel arrangements through any travel agency or airline that provides service to Cuba. Previously such providers needed to get a license from Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

The reasons for traveling include professional research, religious activities, athletic competitions and humanitarian projects.

Flake said he expects his colleagues’ support for making it easier for Americans to travel to Cuba.

“The thought has been that there are just a couple of Republicans in favor. There are more than that,” Flake said of his travel bill’s chances of passing the Senate. “I feel good about that. . . . The country’s there.”

But the senator admits that lifting the embargo on trade will be “a tougher sell.”

The party of the "free market" will do everything it can to prevent free market trading with Cuba. If only their business owners would talk a little sense into them.