On Thursday, President Obama held a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. The purpose of the conference was to discuss the future under President-elect Donald Trump. Both Obama and Merkel, as expected, painted a dismal picture.
A Bleak Future
Source Credit: cnn.com
Obama’s first order of business was to paint a picture of a horrible world that will be harsh and cold. He noted that “There are going to be forces that argue for cynicism. For looking the other way with somebody else’s problems. That are not going to champion people who are vulnerable because sometimes that’s politically convenient.”
While he could have been talking about Democrats, he most certainly was referring to Trump’s plan for immigration reform. What he failed to acknowledge is the threat posed to Americans from illegal immigrants and untraceable Syrian refugees. A threat to Germany that Chancellor Merkel has chosen to ignore as well.
Oberhausen, a German city in the western region of North-Rhine Westphalia, took in 21% of the total refugees that entered the country last year. More than any other city in Germany. Since then, there have been reports of increasingly hostile and aggressive behavior. Unemployment has risen to 11%.
Merkel’s “open-door” policy has received harsh criticism as 1.1 million refugees poured into the country in 2015. A massive sexual assault in Cologne, during a music festival, involved twenty-six women. The majority of perpetrators arrested were illegal immigrants from Morocco and Algeria. Many of them posed as asylum seekers to gain entry into Germany.
It would seem that the German Chancellor is as “out of touch” with her citizens as President Obama is.
Encouraging Divisiveness
Source Credit: nbcnews.com
President Obama also had an opportunity to condemn the anti-Trump protests during the press conference. Ironic, considering the liberals demanded the same from Donald Trump. Except it is not Trump supporters that are creating the chaos.
Responding to questions about the protests he said “I would not advise people who feel strongly, or who are concerned about some of the issues that have been raised during the course of the campaign, I wouldn’t advise them to be silent.”
His answer is not surprising. He has, after all, been spreading his divisive message for eight years. Obama did, albeit reluctantly, reassure Angela Merkel that Trump would be an ally to Germany. But, he once again admonished Trump’s alleged relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Essentially, the joint press conference proved nothing more than a dog and pony show. A European “farewell tour” for Obama. And another opportunity to warn the world about big, bad Donald Trump. (It’s a shame he doesn’t demonstrate the same vigilance with big, bad terrorists.) Obama concluded with a statement of caution for the world “I think our politics everywhere are going to be going through a bumpy phase.”
No, we have been there and done that already — over the past eight years. President Trump is offering America smoother roads to travel, and he will have no problem filling in the potholes.
