According to an article in the April 11, 2025, edition of The New York Times, our current president is absolutely serious about obtaining United States control over Greenland. Even though April has now come and gone, I do believe that this is still the case. However, according to the headline that appeared on that article from last April, there might also be a "good news" aspect to the president's plans: Here's the hard-copy version of that headline: "Trump Aims to Persuade, Not Invade, Greenland." Online, as is often the case, the headline is a bit different, but it sends the same message: "Inside Trump’s Plan to ‘Get’ Greenland: Persuasion, Not Invasion."
Well, I am all for "persuasion," instead of "invasion," whatever the question. I had a thought, though, after reading that article, and here it is. When we think about "persuasion" instead of "invasion," with respect to the United States acquiring control and dominion over Greenland, WHO, exactly, needs to be persuaded? That should be Question #1 - at least the way I see it.
Our current president thinks that acquiring control over Greenland would be a good thing. Maybe he's right - and quite possibly he is not right. However, to use an expression I learned from my mother: "Who buzzed his buzzer?"
In other words, as our "Chief Executive," as the head of the "Executive Branch" of government, the president's job is not to think up and then pursue plans that he, and he alone, dreams up, and thinks would be good. The president's job is to execute policies established by our elected representatives, "in Congress assembled."
Before the president is supposed to go galivanting off to "get" Greenland, by either invasion or persuasion, the nation needs to have been persuaded that this would be a good idea. The nation needs to have made a decision about the desirability of doing that, and needs to have decided that this should be a national objective. The president, in other words, got it backwards. Who ever heard of that idea, until our current president took office? Who buzzed his buzzer?
We are coming right up on our permiere national holiday. It's tomorrow. In honor of that day, let's refresh our recollection of how our government is supposed to work. Getting elected as president does not mean that the president gets to do whatever the president thinks might be a great idea.
WE, "the people," have to decide that.
WE need to be "persuaded," first, before anyone purporting to "represent" us starts stating what ought to be done.
Let's not forget that!
And.... one day in advance, here is my wish to all those who might have an occasion to read this:
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
Foundation of Freedom
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