When I heard from the Baron today that our current president is planning to go to Britain to make a case to the public for staying in the European Union, I was momentarily stunned. What happened to ‘leading from behind’ and letting other countries handle their own affairs?
By now we’re all jaded by this president. He does nothing for free, nothing in which there is not some eventual pay-off to him. So sticking his nose into Britain’s affairs should come as no surprise, given his track record of the last interminable years of his time in office.
Or maybe he doesn’t know how deeply disliked he is by anyone who didn’t sign onto his pathetic “Peace Prize” back in the beginning of his reign? Maybe he believes what the sycophantic press tells him? Or… or… wait! Is he using a kind of reverse psychology on the British — i.e., knowing how much he is held in contempt, anything he suggests, they would oppose? Nah…he’s far too removed from reality to grasp that concept.
So here we have London Mayor Boris Johnson’s take on the subject. He’s far more interesting to follow on this than any national government figures would be.
These excerpts are from The Telegraph. The only thing Mr J got wrong is the extent to which Obama has undermined America’s sovereignty, particularly at our southern border and on the subject of changing our culture and monolingual character. One could say that Mr. Obama’s decision to drop in and lecture the Brits on this particular subject is not contradictory at all; it is congruent with his own behavior and sentiments regarding America’s sovereignty.
Obviously, Mr. Johnson hasn’t been paying attention to the American presidential campaign. But they why would he? Had he done so, though, he’d have seen an unprecedented populist following for Donald Trump, based on that theme: sovereignty.
We want ours back in one piece.
From The Telegraph:
I love America. I believe in the American dream. Indeed, I hold that the story of the past 100 years has been very largely about how America rose to global greatness — and how America has helped to preserve and expand democracy around the world. In two global conflicts, and throughout the Cold War, the United States has fought for the founding ideals of the republic: that government of the people, by the people, for the people should not perish from the earth.
So it is on the face of it a bit peculiar that U.S. government officials should believe that Britain must remain within the EU — a system in which democracy is increasingly undermined.
Some time in the next couple of months we are told that President Obama himself is going to arrive in this country, like some deus ex machina, to pronounce on the matter. Air Force One will touch down; a lectern with the presidential seal will be erected. The British people will be told to be good to themselves, to do the right thing. We will be informed by our most important ally that it is in our interests to stay in the EU, no matter how flawed we may feel that organisation to be. Never mind the loss of sovereignty; never mind the expense and the bureaucracy and the uncontrolled immigration.
The American view is very clear. Whether in code or en clair, the President will tell us all that UK membership of the EU is right for Britain, right for Europe, and right for America. And why? Because that — or so we will be told — is the only way we can have “influence” in the counsels of the nations.
It is an important argument, and deserves to be taken seriously. I also think it is wholly fallacious — and coming from Uncle Sam, it is a piece of outrageous and exorbitant hypocrisy.
There is no country in the world that defends its own sovereignty with such hysterical vigilance as the United States of America. This is a nation born from its glorious refusal to accept overseas control. Almost two and a half centuries ago the American colonists rose up and violently asserted the principle that they — and they alone — should determine the government of America, and not George III or his ministers. To this day the Americans refuse to kneel to almost any kind of international jurisdiction. Alone of Western nations, the US declines to accept that its citizens can be subject to the rulings of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. They have not even signed up to the Convention on the Law of the Sea. Can you imagine the Americans submitting their democracy to the kind of regime that we have in the EU?
So why is it essential for Britain to comply with a system that the Americans would themselves reject out of hand? Is it not a blatant case of “Do as I say, but not as I do”?
[…]
…As for this precious “influence”, so dearly bought, I am not sure that it is all it is cracked up to be — or that Britain’s EU membership is really so valuable to Washington.
[…]
The Americans see the EU as a way of tidying up a continent whose conflicts have claimed huge numbers of American lives; as a bulwark against Russia, and they have always conceived it to be in American interests for the UK — their number one henchperson, their fidus Achates — to be deeply engaged. Symmetrically, it has been a Foreign Office superstition that we are more important to Washington if we can plausibly claim to have “influence” in Brussels. But with every year that passes that influence diminishes.
It is not just that we are being ever more frequently outvoted in the council of ministers, and our officials ever more heavily outnumbered in the Commission. The whole concept of “pooling sovereignty” is a fraud and a cheat. We are not really sharing control with other EU governments: the problem is rather that all governments have lost control to the unelected federal machine. We don’t know who they are, or what language they speak, and we certainly don’t know what we can do to remove them at an election.
When Americans look at the process of European integration, they make a fundamental category error. With a forgivable narcissism, they assume that we Europeans are evolving — rather haltingly — so as to become just like them: a United States of Europe, a single federal polity. That is indeed what the eurozone countries are trying to build; but it is not right for many EU countries, and it certainly isn’t right for Britain.
There is a profound difference between the US and the EU, and one that will never disappear. The US has a single culture, a single language, a single and powerful global brand, and a single government that commands national allegiance. It has a national history, a national myth, a demos that is the foundation of their democracy. The EU has nothing of the kind. In urging us to embed ourselves more deeply in the EU’s federalising structures, the Americans are urging us down a course they would never dream of going themselves. That is because they are a nation conceived in liberty. They sometimes seem to forget that we are quite fond of liberty, too.
Boris Johnson and Donald Trump — separated at birth?
http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/10/151007_POL_Donald-Trump-Free_Media.jpg.CROP.promo-xlarge2.jpg
Is this the same Barak Hussein Obama who accused David Cameron of causing the mess that is Libya while he, himself, has been responsible for the mess that used to be the world as we once knew it?
Words cannot describe adequately the contempt I have for this man. He is the worst president since Warren Gamaliel Harding. My advice to him is to stay out of the UK and, if he must babble at us, he should do it by way of a telecast.
Roll on November.
Completely agree with your comment. He has abandoned Israel to the wolves and one of his first actions as president was to remove a bust of Churchill from the Whitehouse.
He has blatantly championed the Muslim cause at the expense of all other faiths in the middle East and run up the most expenses EVER by any American President in history.
Frankly he is no friend of American people or the West and has been a sick joke much same as Merkel, the de facto Queen, of Europe has been too. The sooner they are both consigned to the dustbin of history, where rather than being jailed for their political excessesses, they can fill their troughs with loot on lecture tours or some handy little sinecures handed to them by their NWO friends.
Ya see what happens when you–as our nation has–ignore that there “Constitution” thingy of ours? I specifically refer to that CONSTITUTIONAL requirement for a “natural born” citizen as POTUS.
“Constitutional requirement ” as in NO COURT can chose to ignore it–iffen ya want to change anything , ya gotta change the Constitution.
Period.
Yeah, I’m a birther. (How that ever became a pejorative term I cannot understand.)
The Constitutional goal in 1783 was/ and /is / and REMAINS as to eliminate the possibility for any DIVIDED LOYALTY on the part of the head of state.
We ignored the Constitution with OUR BARRY.
Now look at the result.
Father a Muslim Communist from Kenya. (Ignore his dubious place of birth for now.) Mommy an underage (as in too young to confer ANY citizenship) commie from the Midwest. Raised and ADOPTED BY an Indonesian father (thus conferring FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP) also some kind of leftist/commie type.
As an aside–to REGAIN American citizenship one would need to APPLY for it (thru Mommy, natch) thus becoming a NATURALIZED (not natural-born) citizen.
Again.
As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.
By the time OUR BARRY got here to the USA (to ever-more leftist indoctrination) it was Waaaaaay too late.
We see the result in our economy, foreign policy, outlook, employment possibility, national security………………………………………………..
Not good for us.
Not good for the rest of the world, either.
Better ‘luck’ next time.
So, what’s your take on Ted Cruz?
He was born in Canada to a father who was a Cuban citizen and went directly from being a Cuban citizen to being a Canadian citizen. Cruz mother was a US citizen.
The constitution requires a president to be a “natural born citizen”. The question is, at the time of his birth, was Cruz subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, or to that of Canada. My understanding is that Canada at the time did not allow dual citizenship.
I’m not saying I’m against Cruz. I like him and would gladly support him for President (in the unlikely case Trump doesn’t get the nomination). But, the Constitution is the constitution. If we want adherence to the letter of the Constitution from the Supreme Court, we can’t pick and choose.
Remember how he ranted and raved because Netanyahu accepted an invitation from the Senate to speak on what became the unspeakable, treachery that is the Iran nuclear deal? He complained bitterly that Netanyahu was interfering n US matters …..even though he’d been invited by the Senate?
I don’t know whether the works of Unberto Eco, or the masterpiece by John Kennedy Toole, apply best to the current roster clogging the … systems, but, we’re pretty much doomed to either SNAFU or FUBAR. I’m sorry to repeat an earlier comment, but none of us are in any association that can benefit from diversity of allegiance. GoV remains my most-often quoted or forwarded source, including the ‘comments’ threads. Keep up the noble efforts!
Its a fantastic thing, Barack Hussein Obama coming to Britain to patronise us. It gives you, our dear cousins in the US at least a small amount of time for him to be away from the land of the free, doing what he does best – pushing you around too.
Obama does not believe in democracy, sovereignty, the rule of law or in individual rights and responsibilities. That axe he has to grind against “The British Empire”, that racist anti-white chip on his shoulder and love of all things not stemming from European civilisation, particularly his bias in favour of Islam – all this means he is immeasurably unqualified and ill suited to hold any form of authority; anywhere, doing anything.
More Obama ‘leadership from behind” is needed like a hole in the head.
Obama is such an EU type it’s not even funny.
I recommend that the EU hires him to some useless job, conditional upon him starting right now.
Biden isn’t good, but is WAY better than Obama, and he’d be president for the rest of the term if Obama quit!
Air force 1 could land at Prestwick – it’s only a short drive to all the Scottish Golf Courses.
Maybe The Donald could hitch a ride, and play a round on his property?
If Boris Johnson truly believes:
The US has a single culture, a single language, a single and powerful global brand, and a single government that commands national allegiance. It has a national history, a national myth, a demos that is the foundation of their democracy.
… then Boris Johnson believes in fairy tales.
The US does not have anything that even remotely resembles a single culture.
The demographic shifts that have already taken place in the US and are continuing at an accelerating rate will guarantee the breakup of that polity within the next decade or two.
In common with all polities that call themselves democracies it is, in reality, an elective dictatorship, where the politicians can, and do, ignore the will of the people with near impunity.
A phenomenon like Trump appearing from outside the ruling alliance of dictators is unlikely to have any lasting impact in the fragmentation of the US, any more than the recent setbacks suffered by Merkel’s coalition allies, at the state level, will do much to delay the commencement of the entirely predictable civil wars in various European countries.
The most urgent need is to develop a genuine form of representative government, and no, houses of parliaments, congresses, senates, assemblies, do not represent the people. Never have, never shall.
A single (official) language is very important, it means that many things can be shared. It means mobility of labour accross the States which is difficult in the EU, and means that as state economies hot up, or cool down, a movement of labour can relieve the pressure. This cannot, does not, happen in the disparate EU cultures and communities.
Press 2 if you want English.
Here! Here! Great article. Thanks so very much. Boris Johnson is rapidly becoming a hero of mine.
There are a lot of Americans who are waiting for November to free ourselves of this beastie in the white house. Well, by law we will finally be free of him, but the interesting part is finding out who the “people” decide on as a replacement. It can’t possibly be worse, so I’m not (too) worried.
Great article, Dymphna!
My prediction is that as BAD as Obama is, Hillary will mean more death and more destruction.
She has caused death already many times. She likes the smell of blood she caused to flow from her victims. SHE LIVES for the chaos of civil war.
IF we got that killer-witch Hillary, things will get real nasty in the world. John McCain will be chosen for her Secretary of State. That will help her look bi-partisan. lol . He never met a jihadi rebel he did not like.
Al Nustra in Syria and the Albanian KLA are his idea of freedom fighters. He said so after meeting with the two groups leaders. NEVER mind that they kidnap and murder CHRISTIANS and their clergy. Also,
Muslims with whom they have a grudge.
A President Hillary will start the ball rolling to ignite a civil war in Russia… she has long professed, since the fall of the USSR , that SHE wants Russia broken into at least 8 pieces.
There would be Civil WAR on a far greater size than the OCTOBER 1918 war. Which would, of course mean that “the Russians” are really JUST FIGTING EACH other, YOU KNOW like in SYRIA and LIBYA. To have democracy. WHAT A SAD JOKE.
Of course all pieces would have an American puppet govt. set up like the present day Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Montenegro , Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo and Serbia.
There would be HUNDREDS of gulags filled with Orthodox Christians, Baptists, Roman Catholics and Russian patriots to be the slave labor. Just call it JOE STALIN, part II.
Then in her second term, CHINA hits the fan. Pieces fly in all directions.
Hillary I think is personally vicious, whereas Obama is just an idiot with illusions.
Obama could do a half-decent job of running an unimportant country with no serious enemies.
Hillary couldn’t run a dog kennel
Hillary running a kennel would be the same as the inmates running the asylum.
Boris Johnson’s description of America is the America-that-was, not the America-that-is. We used to be a monolingual monoculture, a British seed sprouted in New World soil. To the extent that America achieved greatness, domination of its continent, industrial and economic preeminence, it was all fruit of that tree.
The modern American miasma of cultures, religions, and ethnicities resembles more closely a human barnyard. For too long, too many people in power have labored under delusion that we can import vast portions of the Third World without becoming the Third World ourselves.
It’s mostly, but not entirely, a phenomenon of the Left. On the Right too you will find exponents of the “magic dirt” theory — the idea that humans are interchangeable and that the likes of Muhammad, Mbeki, and Jose can be plugged in and seamlessly replace Tom, John, and Will because ‘Murka.
The America-that-was is still closer to the America-that-is than the similar comparison in much of Western Europe.
The people may *look* different and have funny accents, but a surprisingly large percentage become Americans at heart, where it really matters. I’ve met them time and time again: people who haven’t been in the United States long enough even to get citizenship, but who have become Americans inside. Not just Americans, but proud Americans.
Compare American Muslims to European ones for a ready example relevant to here. Are there some problematic types? Absolutely. But compared to Europe, it’s a paradise of integration, freedom and hope. The situation in the U.S. is totally fixable with a few tweaks. “Never sell America short” – I’ll bet that things *will* get fixed in the U.S., and that ultimately we’ll see movements in Islam similar to Reform Judaism taking hold. Are those practices really Jewish? I don’t know. But I know what they really are? They’re American. And the same will probably happen to Muslims. In the United States. Indeed, I suspect that with the influence of the Obama types removed, without even making any serious efforts to direct things, this is what will be the result.
In much of Europe, the situation is likely heading towards a civil war, and is beyond fixing by means that are still quite timely in the United States. I’m worried about them. But the United States will survive, largely as it is, with all its quirks and foibles.
If Barack Hussein Obama thinks the European Union is a good thing, he must mean that it’s good for Islam.
Soetoro ought to keep on going and fly over Europe to Egypt and attempt another Mid-East ‘Apology Tour’.
Because he sure has a lot to apologise for.
Liberals & young Americans under 40 years old bought into Obama’a “Hope & Change” campaign. The rest of us instinctively knew that a Freshman Senator, Community organizer under Jeremiah Wright’s influence meant diseaster for America. Now we have the militant “Black Lives Matter” crap, continuous open borders, and unsafe streets and increased crime from unvetted, repeat offenders, illegal alien savages:
http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2016/02/02/dan-golvach-my-son-was-killed-by-an-illegal-alien-because-olicgarchs-plutocrats-donors-want-cheap-labor/
The experiment is over. I think that Americans have had enough!
One of his first acts was to send the Churchill bust back to England. When he lands, stuff him into a box and send him back to America.
He adds nothing to civilization excepting discourd and hate.
The UK is not living the American Dream, we are awake. We have been awake for the last 40 years of collectively tightening up our tolerance. So I am not allowed to say something is [redacted] feces any more.
So what has it done to enrich my social structure – it hasn’t worked, multiculturalism is a lie (mob rule works, so [redacted] shut up). Just another tool for the powers to wield against the masses.
Politicos have been leading us up a failed one world order for years, making deals, [redacted] ruining the country and covering their backs. Who does it benefit? Them – of course but it doesn’t benefit me; I am part of one of the most oppressed societies on the planet and really, I don’t like it. So what did I do to change it? I worked my guts out… did my protesting….and for what? So my government could hand their jobs to unelected politicos, jobs for our kids to migrants and so forth.
So, why has all the right wing suddenly been labelled far right? That is not right, not in a real world. We have been manipulated so that it is better to sit on the fence, tightening that tolerance than rebel against. The powers to be can already see the destruction of western society is good for business so who am I to argue?
Come Brexit time – I vote Out……the politicos are already banging their heads against the wall, oh, they are calling each other names now. I will not have anything to do with such a farce, looks the same on the other side of the pond. I vote out if nothing else. Left[ist] liberal thinking, safe space, minority led non-opposed agendas are not working people…The majority need their say…
Do you feel American, then vote Trump. Do you feel a subject of the Queen, then vote Out.
Do you feel American, then vote Trump. Do you feel a subject of the Queen, then vote Out.
That would make an excellent title for an essay on breaking out of the mold enforced on us by the political class.
Obama is merely practising for what is to come. Obama will not disappear when he leaves office. His new job will be more globalistic, more powerful than U.S. presidency, and a spearhead to one-world everything. This is why Obama refuses to acknowledge terrorism for what it is, as he will be consorting with terrorists! Obama’s strategy re: Brexit is nothing more than as a messenger for Soros and other billionaire globalist progressives. At least as U.S. president Obama is on a short leash. Pity the world once he is uncaged.
Obamas say they will stick around Washington for the finishing up of their daughter’s secondary education. What a thin excuse…
I somewhat agree, though One World Order isn’t happening: you forget the Chinese, Russians and Indians. They’re not going to go for it. There are more minor players, like Japan, Israel and Brazil that won’t either, though some might pay lip service for a while.
I predict that he’ll try to become UN Secretary General.
Not surprised at all Our ‘Dear Leader’ is a proponent of Globalism, World Socialism, or One World Government.
Mr. Johnson, Obama, our Muslim-in-Chief wants you to remain in the EU because, by doing so, you will be easier to control by the Islamic hordes invading Europe right now. Also, if you withdraw and become a Nation State, others might get the idea and the EU would be over with, a great idea for the sovereignty of nations.
Also, most thinking Americans do not consider the EU to be a similar construct to the USA. The EU was formed in a socialist mold with no sovereignty to the Nations that were coerced to form it. Not even close to the US model where the states formed a Federal Government of limited powers.
The current President, of course, is striving to break apart this federation and in its place would place a tyrannical rule. This so he can join the global mob of dictators who rule the world. What a mess.