Shortly before the Brexit vote, the one that will decide if Britain remains in the European Union (EU), Obama is planning on making a little tour of Germany and Britain. While there, Obama is expected to tell the British that they are better off in the EU.
Once Boris Johnson, London mayor and Brexit supporter, heard of this he said that it was hypocritical of Obama to say such things, given that the US will protect its own sovereignty at all costs.
While it may seem that Johnson has a point, he really doesn’t. The United States is already a union of separate states/countries that gave up parts of their sovereignty to a federal government. We are what the EU aspires to be, but we are what that system looks like after 240 years.
If Obama decides to weigh in on the side of the EU, he is only showing that he believes in the American system of united states. There is nothing hypocritical about it.
With that out of the way, should Obama weigh in on the Brexit vote? Sure why not, China, Saudi Arabia, and many other countries are doing it to us by saying that Trump would be a big mistake. Since other countries don’t get a vote, let them talk, it doesn’t mean a thing.
More to the point Mr. Johnson, if Brexit voters can be swayed by a foreign leader, it doesn’t say much for your nation’s national identity, and you have bigger fish to fry. (mmm…now I want fish n’ chips)
Photo by Nicolas Raymond – CC by 2.0