Does Barack Obama care that thousands
of decent Canadians—as well as Republican House Speaker John Boehner—get up
these mornings wondering what he’s planning to do about them? It’s impossible
to know.
Canadians don’t cry in public
like Republican Congressmen or have an American television network to flesh out
their feelings. They don’t also fear that Obama wants to "annihilate" them by
springtime. Actually, they can’t frighten like Republicans because they suspect
he has other more exciting concerns on his mind.
Intelligent life up here in
Canada is cold and unfair; Canadians are infatuated by an utterly inscrutable
President. In his inaugural address, Obama could speak of the love Oscar Wilde
could not name. Yet he couldn’t offer a wink, even a whisper, of solidarity for
his starstruck northern friends. (These are friends, incidentally,
who’ve more than simply offered themselves up in lopsided opinion polls that
count for nothing in US elections. Canada’s government has echoed Obama’s every
move as a world leader. Does he think the Government of Canada has been playing
the field? Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, Libya today, North Africa tomorrow? Anyone
in the Royal Family, anytime? Does he really think Stephen Harper wants to fly
his F-35s or co-own his auto companies?)
Sure, Canadian politicians—like
forward-thinking American business leaders ever since Richard Nixon was President—constantly
talk about globalization and quarterly trade statistics that report that Canada
is a little “less dependent” on the US market.
But, they don’t ever say they want to be free, with no way home.
Seriously. In that speech,
Obama made a significant statement about America’s more realistic place in the
world:
“America
will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe.”
After the lobby against the
Keystone Pipeline fails to persuade Obama’s officials that there’s an
intolerable American environmental
objection to going ahead, and after all those American states directly affected endorse the line, what is the American anchor to do?
The anchor of our North
American alliance—the author of that fine statement—can’t blithely decide
that he doesn’t like northern Alberta oil and that he owes it to the World and
Hollywood to determine how Canadians develop their economy—all while meeting their
international greenhouse gas obligations.
As a writer, a lawyer, and as
a secure second-term President, Barack Obama will have no choice but to say yes. They’d be no mystery around this question if loyal Canada weren’t
politically impotent.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! We will be linking to this particularly great
ReplyDeletearticle on our website. Keep up the good writing.
My weblog; http://savingsab.com/__media__/js/trademark.php?d=cha0vu19vi.bravejournal.com&type=ns
Ρrettу! This hаs been аn extremely ωonԁеrful artiсle.
ReplyDeleteThank уοu for ρroviԁing thіs info.
mу ωebsite: cattleegret.offersbookmarks.com
Also see my page > http://www.blogseo.ws/
Нey! Тhіs ρost couldn't be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this page to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteReview my site: augenlasern
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a great blog. I have been looking for something like this for myself. alberta pipeline contractors
ReplyDelete