British People: Monarch or No?

[Kirran]

60 years ago I would be taken to New Quay (Cardiganshire) for holidays. The memories are as clear as the sea water was.

Not very?

Cardiganshire doesn't exist anymore, but I think it is more or less the same area as Ceredigion is.

 

[oldbadger]

Great. A hereditary leader who is not accountable to the people has to be in close consultation with the head of government.

Believe me whgen I say that our Queen has always been accountable to the people. Public opinion has much power here, , methinks.
She has offered a moderating influence for over 7 decades now.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Monarchy! Yes!
But...... I hope that the Queen will live on, at least another ten years.
I fervently hope that Charles will stand back and let Wills take the crown.

Of course, since it's a monarchy, what you want is irrelevant.

After watching recent US (and French) politics I would not want us to be a Republic. What a mess.

Because monarchies are immune to political troubles?

Good thing you have a queen - otherwise, you could have gotten a political crisis like Brexit

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Yep.
She is just totally amazing.
Still working hard at 90.

That's the thing with undemocratic positions for life: they last for your whole life.

 

[Kirran]

Believe me whgen I say that our Queen has always been accountable to the people. Public opinion has much power here, , methinks.
She has offered a moderating influence for over 7 decades now.

You tell me to believe you, but I just don't.

She'd me much more accountable if it was a state where power was legally based on the people, not her as a monarch.

Legally, Parliament exercises power on behalf of the Queen, it's absurd.

We haven't always wanted a moderating influence, whether she exercised that or no.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Believe me whgen I say that our Queen has always been accountable to the people. Public opinion has much power here, , methinks.
She has offered a moderating influence for over 7 decades now.

Any accountability under Elizabeth has been of her of her own choosing. It would be foolish to expect that all monarchs from now until the end of the monarchy will necessarily feel the same way.

For real protection, you would need binding legal measures to ensure accountability even with a monarch who doesn't feel like being accountable.

 

[Kirran]

It would be awesome if Prince Harry or somebody came out as a republican.

 

[oldbadger]

Of course, since it's a monarchy, what you want is irrelevant.

What I hope for might be small, but when we the people want something, it is huge.

Because monarchies are immune to political troubles?

Good thing you have a queen - otherwise, you could have gotten a political crisis like Brexit

Brexit? I voted for Brexit.
And please note that our PM is NOT allowed to just take us out of the EU? Parliament will decide that.

The worlsd is a messy place. We have waste-dumps around every town, you know. But our system is not bad.

 

[oldbadger]

That's the thing with undemocratic positions for life: they last for your whole life.

Wrong!
Our Monarch can abdicate whenever she chooses.

Are you going to serve into your 90's? I'll bet not!

 

[oldbadger]

You tell me to believe you, but I just don't.

I asked you to believe that our Queen has always been accountable to the people.

You dio not believe.

Can you think of any occasion when she has not been accountable to the people?

 

[oldbadger]

Any accountability under Elizabeth has been of her of her own choosing. It would be foolish to expect that all monarchs from now until the end of the monarchy will necessarily feel the same way.

For real protection, you would need binding legal measures to ensure accountability even with a monarch who doesn't feel like being accountable.

You just cannot have studied the Monarchy then.
Kings have been scuppered, just like that (snap!), even over who they would marry.

 

[oldbadger]

It would be awesome if Prince Harry or somebody came out as a republican.

What an unfortunate term, 'republican'.
Let's justy wait and see what US folks think about it all over the next few years.

 

[Kirran]

I asked you to believe that our Queen has always been accountable to the people.

You dio not believe.

Can you think of any occasion when she has not been accountable to the people?

It is intrinsic to her position that she is not accountable in the way that an elected official would be. We can vote out an elected individual, but we can't vote her out. She stays or goes on her own prerogative. Only through an abolition of the office altogether can this be changed.

 

[Kirran]

What an unfortunate term, 'republican'.
Let's justy wait and see what US folks think about it all over the next few years.

Why would we be concerned what the Americans think about monarchies?

 

[oldbadger]

It is intrinsic to her position that she is not accountable in the way that an elected official would be. We can vote out an elected individual, but we can't vote her out. She stays or goes on her own prerogative. Only through an abolition of the office altogether can this be changed.

No.........
Edward VIII would have stayed on, if he could have.

When we abolished the office in the 17th century government at all levels had become utterly corrupt within months.

I'll vote to keep our Monarchy, but I do hope that Charles will step back for Wills to step forwatrd, when such time might come.

 

[Kirran]

No.........
Edward VIII would have stayed on, if he could have.

When we abolished the office in the 17th century government at all levels had become utterly corrupt within months.

I'll vote to keep our Monarchy, but I do hope that Charles will step back for Wills to step forwatrd, when such time might come.

You don't think we could do better now than in the 17th Century? You don't think the British are up to managing a government as well as all the dozens of successful democracies without hereditary heads of state?

 

[Rival]

No.........
Edward VIII would have stayed on, if he could have.

When we abolished the office in the 17th century government at all levels had become utterly corrupt within months.

I'll vote to keep our Monarchy, but I do hope that Charles will step back for Wills to step forwatrd, when such time might come.

Bro, that was over 400 years ago. Things have moved on!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Wrong!
Our Monarch can abdicate whenever she chooses.

I didn't mean to imply otherwise. She serves at her own pleasure.

Are you going to serve into your 90's? I'll bet not!

Sure, if I'm healthy enough.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

No.........
Edward VIII would have stayed on, if he could have.

Nobody held a gun to his head when he signed the abdication papers.

When we abolished the office in the 17th century government at all levels had become utterly corrupt within months.

... because corruption wasn't a problem under any of your country's monarchies?

 

[oldbadger]

Why would we be concerned what the Americans think about monarchies?

....concerned?
.................. just interested!