The move was acceptable in the 60s after the missile crisis.

Nowadays it is counterproductive, the ban is actually propping up the Castro regime by giving them the "big bad US bogeyman" excuse for all the problems the Country goes through.

Drop the ban right now and open up to Cuba as much as possible....see the people throw that regime down in a matter of years.

I think the ban is maintained in place mostly to score electoral brownie points with the expatriated anti-Fidel crowd.