Something I just don't get about the British goverment

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Mcupobob

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Jun 29, 2009
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Why do you guys still have a queen, I would be fine with that if she did anything but it just seems she gets to live in a life of luxury for no reason what so ever at tax payer expense.

Just something I was thinking about your thoughts?

United-statesian by the way.

EDIT: Just asking a question about the british goverment thank you for explaining just was curious about it.
 

Azure-Supernova

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Aug 5, 2009
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It's part of our heritage. Also she's a big tourist attraction! Tax payers money yes, but doting tourists will pay stupid amounts for little trinkets, visits to buckingham and just about anything to do with the Royal Family.
 

Earthbound Engineer

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Jun 9, 2008
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[small]Your ignorance is showing...[/small]
You could say the exact same thing about the President. Like the Queen, the President barely has any power whatsoever in the Government, because that's left up to Congress. The President is more of a spokesman for the country. He relays information from Congress without actually having any say in it. Yet, our taxes pay for his well being. But, none of that matters because: [HEADING=2]America is the best country in the world and everybody who contradicts that statement is a terrorist![/HEADING]
Damn nationalists....
 

Charli

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Nov 23, 2008
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Azure-Supernova said:
It's part of our heritage. Also she's a big tourist attraction! Tax payers money yes, but doting tourists will pay stupid amounts for little trinkets, visits to buckingham and just about anything to do with the Royal Family.
Dingdingding
We have a winner.
 

Azure-Supernova

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Aug 5, 2009
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punkhead58 said:
[small]Your ignorance is showing...[/small]
You could say the exact same thing about the President. Like the Queen, the President barely has any power whatsoever in the Government, because that's left up to Congress. The President is more of a spokesman for the country. He relays information from Congress without actually having any say in it. Yet, our taxes pay for his well being. But, none of that matters because: [HEADING=2]America is the best country in the world and everybody who contradicts that statement is a terrorist![/HEADING]
Damn nationalists....
Yes, but place the President on the same level as the Prime Minister, the argument still doesn't change. If anything, the Queen does more for this country than our Prime Minister and she doesn't even have to do anything but exist.
 

Superbeast

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Jan 7, 2009
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She's the ambassador of the UK. She has far more influence around the world than any PM will ever have, and does wonders for international relations (though usually within the commonwealth). She can get away with visiting countries that the PM couldn't, thus spreading British interest/influence and potentially strengthening bonds of alliance between the UK and other nations.

Plus the Royal Family is a massive tourist attraction and draws many people to the UK every year, far offsetting any cost to the taxpayer in terms of revenue gained by the country as a whole.

Additionally if we did end up in a state of dictatorship or a really crappy government that's seriously jeopardising the state of the UK, the Queen still possesses the power to dissolve Parliament, and the army is still the Queen's army. So theoretically (whether it would work in practice I don't know) she's a check against a potential rise of extremism and people who are really, really awful at running the country.

But please think before you make a post sounding so...critical. If you don't have the slightest clue about the interaction of the Monarch/Parliament then maybe ask about the role *without* stating that she's just a drain on resources?

[sub]Besides, we all know you're just jealous because we actually have history - it'd be pretty weird if the US had a monarch when you don't even have castles (made of stone - Disneyworld is plastic and doesn't count)[/sub[ ;)
 

Mcupobob

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punkhead58 said:
[small]Your ignorance is showing...[/small]
You could say the exact same thing about the President. Like the Queen, the President barely has any power whatsoever in the Government, because that's left up to Congress. The President is more of a spokesman for the country. He relays information from Congress without actually having any say in it. Yet, our taxes pay for his well being. But, none of that matters because: [HEADING=2]America is the best country in the world and everybody who contradicts that statement is a terrorist![/HEADING]
Damn nationalists....
Ok, I never said America was the best contry in the world and do not belive so, now your ignorance is show by immediately taking ever thing I said out of contex and writing me off as a streotype. All I was asking was why have a queen when parliment makes all the laws? Atleast the president can veto stuff and propose new bills while the queen lives in a palace. Anyways I don't belive that leaders should have to live so luxuryly on at the tax payer expense anyways.
 

NotHisRealName

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Jul 15, 2009
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You must remember that Great Brittan isn't the only country to have a monarchy. Denmark is another, and I know there are a whole host of other countries with the same.
 

ygetoff

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punkhead58 said:
[small]Your ignorance is showing...[/small]
You could say the exact same thing about the President. Like the Queen, the President barely has any power whatsoever in the Government, because that's left up to Congress. The President is more of a spokesman for the country. He relays information from Congress without actually having any say in it. Yet, our taxes pay for his well being. But, none of that matters because: [HEADING=2]America is the best country in the world and everybody who contradicts that statement is a terrorist![/HEADING]
Damn nationalists....
Actually the President has just as much power as Congress. A president can block a congressional proposal, just as Congress can block a presidential proposal.
 

Daveman

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Jan 8, 2009
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Mcupobob said:
Why do you guys still have a queen, I would be fine with that if she did anything but it just seems she gets to live in a life of luxury for no reason what so ever at tax payer expense.
Yes, that's why so many people want to get rid of the monarchy. But to be fair she's supposedly there as a deterrent to tyranny from the actual government as the military is actually under her control... so instead of guns like you guys get to protect ourselves (something I've been told like 20 times on these forums as the main justifiable reason for everyone being allowed guns), we have a rich old woman. The real reason we keep the system is quite simple though...
fluffybacon said:
It's tradition.
All clear?
 

maddawg IAJI

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Feb 12, 2009
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She's a symbol, even I could have told you that. It's just an honor to those who came before and respect of their history.
 

Mcupobob

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Daveman said:
Mcupobob said:
Why do you guys still have a queen, I would be fine with that if she did anything but it just seems she gets to live in a life of luxury for no reason what so ever at tax payer expense.
Yes, that's why so many people want to get rid of the monarchy. But to be fair she's supposedly there as a deterrent to tyranny from the actual government as the military is actually under her control... so instead of guns like you guys get to protect ourselves (something I've been told like 20 times on these forums as the main justifiable reason for everyone being allowed guns), we have a rich old woman. The real reason we keep the system is quite simple though...
fluffybacon said:
It's tradition.
All clear?
Yeah, just was curious, and didn't know. Now know, so thats all cleared up wasn't trying to offend anyone.
 

SirDoom

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Sep 8, 2009
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An executive branch has two functions. One is ceremonial and done for public support, and one actually relates to government issues.

In America, the president does both. They handle the political stuff, and they throw the first baseball/ whatever.

In Britain, the function is split. The prime minister gets all the government jobs, and the Queen gets the "sit there and look pretty" part.
 

quiet_samurai

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Apr 24, 2009
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punkhead58 said:
Your ignorance is showing...
You could say the exact same thing about the President. Like the Queen, the President barely has any power whatsoever in the Government, because that's left up to Congress. The President is more of a spokesman for the country.
As is yours.

The president has the power to veto/approve/alter anything that congress passes. Can authorize the use of nuclear weapons. Declare martial law. Declare war. Pardon people of crimes. And many many other things if he choses to, and he can do these all on his own. It's just that in modern times a good president will go through congress and reach an agreement instead of just working towards his own personal agenda.

You should know what you are talking about before you go calling people ignorant.
 

Daveman

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Jan 8, 2009
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Mcupobob said:
Daveman said:
Mcupobob said:
Why do you guys still have a queen, I would be fine with that if she did anything but it just seems she gets to live in a life of luxury for no reason what so ever at tax payer expense.
Yes, that's why so many people want to get rid of the monarchy. But to be fair she's supposedly there as a deterrent to tyranny from the actual government as the military is actually under her control... so instead of guns like you guys get to protect ourselves (something I've been told like 20 times on these forums as the main justifiable reason for everyone being allowed guns), we have a rich old woman. The real reason we keep the system is quite simple though...
fluffybacon said:
It's tradition.
All clear?
Yeah, just was curious, and didn't know. Now know, so thats all cleared up wasn't trying to offend anyone.
Yeah, we brits have a weird system whereby only WE are allowed to complain about the shit (not that it is shit, but it's the stuff we complain about) parts of our country and if you vaguely insult them we suddenly take offense and defend it with patriotic fervor.
 

Flying Dagger

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The queen has the power to refuse to dissolve parliament as well.
Should she believe that it was in the interest of the people to not go to a re-election she can simply refuse to accept the motion put forward by a prime minister, however, this would only really affect wartime situations.
 

Flying Dagger

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Superbeast said:
Additionally if we did end up in a state of dictatorship or a really crappy government that's seriously jeopardising the state of the UK, the Queen still possesses the power to dissolve Parliament, and the army is still the Queen's army. So theoretically (whether it would work in practice I don't know) she's a check against a potential rise of extremism and people who are really, really awful at running the country.
actually, the army's chain of command ends with the minister for defence, not the queen or the prime minister.
i think.
but should there be a rise of extremism, it's worth remembering a racist democracy isn't enough of a reason to start a dictatorship, the queen would be aware of this.
i'm also fairly sure it's somewhere in our bits and pieces constitution that she is purely a figure head.
i'd be surprised if it wasn't somewhere around.