America's reputation | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: Jim Bispo's weekly column appears in the Beaufort Observer.

    Both the Chinese and Russians stuck their finger in our eye when they, out of hand, either ignored (in the case of the Chinese) or outright rejected (in the case of the Russians) our request for the return of an alleged traitor. And suddenly, somehow, the greatest nation in the universe can accept that kind of treatment. Worrying about global warming is much more important than worrying about our security. What we do seem to have trouble doing is accepting a Supreme Court decision concerning voting rights. Both the Prez and the Attorney General expressed great disappointment over what they claim the Supremes have done to Voting Rights. Had either of them lived in Beaufort County, NC and been treated to the great equity conferred by the Voting Rights Act on the election of County Commissioners, they may have felt relief rather than disappointment with the SCOTUS decision.

    The Prez indicated that bringing the traitor home was simply not important enough for him to be bothered talking to either the Chinese or Russians about their refusals. It would seem to be below the Prez' dignity to intercede on the behalf of the U.S. to effect the transfer. And besides, he is too busy working on important things like global warming. Do you suppose Al Gore forgot to tell him that all his globe trotting in AF-1 (not to mention all the support aircraft) is certainly contributing mightily to carbon in the atmosphere?? Isn't that the very thing the Prez insists we do something about.

    As an aside, speaking of Al Gore, I heard somewhere that the estate he has accumulated (I almost said "earned" - but that would likely not be true) as he has been touting Global Warming surpasses that of Mitt Romney. Interesting...

    If the Prez and his Attorney General were sincere in their claimed disappointment, that would suggest that they finally are able to empathize with the great middle class (or would that be the "great unwashed masses" who cling to their Bibles and guns??). A whole lot of those folks have been feeling disappointed for some time now. That would be disappointment over the last election results. So, if the Prez and his Attorney General are truly sincere, and are truly disappointed, they surely can relate to the way many of us have been feeling for some time. Wouldn't it be nice if they would try to do something about that beyond trying to further subjugate us??

    Back to what is important. In the overall scheme of things Benghazi is not important. The NSA domestic spying revelations are not important. The IRS behavior violating the rights of conservative groups seeking tax exempt status is not important. The pursuit of Edward J. Snowden is not important. The Attorney General's witch hunt focusing on AP reporters is not important. Neither is the AG's harassment of Fox reporter James Rosen. Energy sufficiency is not important (Think Keystone pipeline and all the "games" being played over it's approval - or more precisely its non-approval. Think removing a whole lot of federal land from possible energy exploration). What is important is global warming. Of course it is. All those other things should rightly take a back seat to global warming. All the while India and China merrily pursue their own economic development - without even a second thought about global warming. Clearly the U.S. should single handedly take on Mother Nature and resolve the Global warming Issue.

    We are left to wonder just how anyone could possibly have the hubris to believe they can control nature. The actions and proposals we get from the Anointed one and his minions, give new meaning to the term "hubris". Wow!!

    Let us for a moment accept the "global warming" crowd's thesis that if we don't control global warming pretty soon, the seas will rise by a foot or two (or ten) over the next fifty years or so. At the same time, let us also think about the monsoon season which sometimes is a welcome relief to drought conditions experienced in certain areas of the globe, and sometimes results in widespread famine due to biblical amounts of rainfall and the resultant flooding which frequently results in the death of thousands. And let us also think about Hurricanes and Typhoons which kill untold hundreds of people almost every year. If we truly can control the environment, why is it that we aren't taking on those more near term issues first. Why are we worrying about fifty years out when in the near term we are being faced with things far worse than having the beachfront homes of all those rotten rich folks who don't pay their fair share of taxes inundated??

    And now, thanks to Mr. Snowden, a lot of previously friendly foreign countries are insisting that we bring our spying to a screeching halt. It is certainly possible they will succeed in doing so. What else would you expect when you have an apologist in charge, as we seem to?? In the meantime their spying on us will continue unabated. (I have a bridge to sell to anyone who does not believe that we all spy on each other and have been doing so for years and years - under both Rep and Dem Administrations.)

    Why do you suppose respect for our global leadership has been eroding under the Anointed One?? Could it be the result of demonstrating an unwillingness to stand up for America?? Perhaps a "legalistic" approach to every situation. Perhaps a willingness to "draw a red line in the sand and then take only a token action when it is crossed (think Syria's use of poison gas against its own people and the US promising only small arms to the rebels). Frankly, I was surprised the line was red. But then that was the color that Benjamin Netanyahu specified for his "do not cross" line. (We surely would not want to be outdone by an Israeli.)

    Could the erosion of America's stature have anything to do with bowing to Arab Kings, apologizing for our country's wretched treatment of other countries, and otherwise prostrating ourselves before satrap dictators, many of whom line their pockets with the borrowed money we hand them.What I find truly mysterious is how the Anointed One could ignore the Israelis for most of his first term and then show their Prime Minister the profound disrespect he showed and still manage to keep the American Jewish vote (which I understand he has pretty much done).

    D'ya Think??