03 Jun 12 Republic or Monarchy?
OK, I’ll concede that, in theory at least, any American citizen by birth can be President, unlike a King or Queen. On the other hand, you can also become a monarch depending on your birth, but then it’s the family you’re born into that’s the key, and not the real location of your appearance into this world.
I was born in England, and not in the Royal Lineage, so I can’t be either POTUS or His Majesty. I could be Prime Minister, follow in the footsteps, of Tony Blair and David Cameron. Perhaps not. It doesn’t inspire me at all.
Still, much as I love many things American, I’m happy to have a Monarchy here in Great Britain. I really do think there’s a lot more reverence to the Queen, than to any politician, either side of the Atlantic.
Thing is you see, when the Queen goes on her world tours, she is truly representing her country. Period.
She’s not going with some political axe to grind; or some new foreign policy to sell. If she’s out to sell anything (which I don’t believe she is), than it’s just a bit of UK plc.
Anyway, in my opinion, no politician for at least two or three decades, anywhere in the world has deserved or commanded much lasting respect. They’re all in it for themselves at the end of the day.
The Queen? Well, she’s in it whether she’s liked it or not, and I think, by and large, she’s done a pretty good job over the last 60 years.
Can you think of any politician you’d like to have seen in the top job in their country for the last 60 years? I certainly can’t!
Tags: american citizen, david cameron, god save the queen, great britain, potus, reverence, royal lineage, three decades, tony blair, uk plc
07 May 10 UK Parliament Hung – What Next?
So, what does happen now?
As no one party has an overall majority (326 seats or more), some wheeling and dealing probably needs to go on.
Gordon Brown and David Cameron are both making overtures to Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats to come to an agreement for support, or even a full coalition.
However, the Liberal Democrats are not the centre party of yesterday; they are politically to the left of the Labour Party, and there may be little real common ground that they can agree on with the Conservatives.
If Gordon Brown cannot get such an agreement with the Liberal Democrats, then he will almost certainly concede to David Cameron in any case, who would be invited by the Queen to form the next Government.
The Conservatives could, in theory, go it alone, as a minority party. However, they are likely to find it very difficult to conduct much business in the House in the way they would wish to.
My own personal view, is that there is likely to be another General Election in the UK within the next twelve months.
Read more on the Hung Parliament at The Guardian
Tags: common ground, conservatives, david cameron, general election, gordon brown, guardian uk, labour party, liberal democrats, minority party, nick clegg, overtures, personal view, queen, twelve months, uk parliament
