Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

By the time these words are read by Dispatch readers, “Balloon-Gate” will still be with us because some Republicans in Washington will try to milk the issue as much as they possibly can. It was the balloon seen ‘round America either in person or through round-the-clock news coverage, as a Chinese balloon somehow found its way into American airspace. How it got here, the Chinese blamed the balloon’s presence on Mother Nature, saying that wind currents pushed it thousands of miles across the globe until it just happened to show up over Alaska, Canada, and finally over Montana. Why would it traverse over Alaska and Montana? Usually, if something as light as a balloon gets caught in the strong plunging jet currents, the balloon should have been seen around somewhere, like maybe Monroe. Why not? When was the last time anything from space paid us a visit? Seriously folks, many are convinced by now that the balloon was on a mission passing over Alaska and Montana because that is where the U.S. has military assets that are critical just in case a major war should erupt between nuclear-powered nations. The Chinese disavowed any ill intentions after they got their hands caught in the cookie jar by saying that relations, strained as they are, have sunk even lower. Then there were the “words of strongest condemnation” or diplomatic saber-rattling by the Chinese, saying that a “possible” retaliation by them is not out of the question in the future. In other words, people know the drill since there won’t be any “Pearl Harbor” attacks going on anytime soon. If one balloon and reports say that this is not the first time China has done this, was spotted, then there is no chance for hundreds not to be seen around the nation/globe, yes even here in Monroe. While the talk in Washington has been about the balloon and possibly more, Republicans have been quick to point out that President Joe Biden should have had the balloon shot down while it was over Montana. They complain that Biden was “weak” in the face of Chinese “aggression” and that had Donald Trump been in office, his reaction would have been “swift and strong” in his response to the Chinese government. Just like he was “swift and strong” when he met Kim Jung Un and gave the dictator legitimacy on the world stage and even bragged about the “love” letters that he received from the leader. Once reports surfaced that balloons from China were spotted over America during Trump’s time in office, Republicans lost a great opportunity to distance themselves from Trump. Trump denied that balloons from the Chinese ever entered the U.S. while he was in office, saying that China “had too much respect” for him, according to media reports. Former Trump officials who were in the White House acted as if that was news to them, but the Biden administration is ready to brief them on that intelligence if they need it. That is an interesting development because one would assume the military/intelligence agencies would have briefed Trump and Pence over the alleged first incident and certainly the other two alleged incidents. The question is, why weren’t the American people told? What options were offered to Trump by the military(or did they do that?) and what were his final decisions regarding the balloons? Was there a coverup by Trump administration officials ordered by Trump; it does make Trump look ineffectual as a leader, now that the public/world knows that he should be the last person to criticize President Biden when the exact thing happened on his watch. Don’t be surprised if Trump puts up a fight to suppress any details about when the balloon gate occurred under his watch first and what his role was. Perhaps the ex-president can explain how a Chinese balloon was spotted over Florida which is the home of you-know-who. Now the emphasis is on President Biden, as any investigations that may occur will center on his actions/inactions until he made the decision to have the balloon shot down. The president was in constant contact with the military, as they said the risk on the ground was too great for civilians and property, but that the balloon was under constant surveillance. The president did what any competent leader would do, that is consult with those who can give him sound advice before making an important decision. If Republicans want to make balloon-gate a campaign issue in 2024 challenging Biden’s fitness to be president, Democrats have the perfect pushback against Trump or any Republican presidential candidate who will not question Trump’s handling of balloons while he was in office. We know what Biden did, as he is standing by his actions. The American people should demand to know what Trump does when faced with a similar situation. However, Republicans who control the House are in no hurry to open an investigation into someone that they are still loyal to, knowing that if Trump somehow makes it back into the White House, all bets are off. What they are doing in the House will seem like a picnic, as whoever jumped off the Trump wagon, will be knocking others off just to find space once again on the MAGA express. Remember, the world is watching. So is God.