Prince Charles and Putin

Rincewind

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I see that Chuckie, the Prince of Wails has likened Putin to Hitler...

You can just see Phil the Greek, can't you, "That's my boy!"

I'm sure that Putin must be really, really frightened now, and will return the Crimea very soon and apologise to everybody.

Isn't it time for the UK to become a republic?
 
Belgian thought said:
No - because we (in London generally) get millions of tourists wanting to see the continued effect of this erstwhile tradition.

As for Charles, well he talks to flowers, so he must be a nice guy ... and Putin does not.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2286883/Prince-Charles-revealed-instructs-plants.html

I know who my money is on.
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Surely what people come to see will still be there in a republic?

At least in a republic you can get rid of an incompetent head of state.

Not only does he talk to flowers, but he's a believer in homoeopathy!
 
Rincewind said:
Surely what people come to see will still be there in a republic?
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Probably not.

Yeah, things like the castles will still be there, but the royal family itself generates at least some publicity/interest. And if they were elected, the head of state would be "just another politician".
At least in a republic you can get rid of an incompetent head of state.
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True. But in a constitutional monarchy, actual real power rests with elected politicians. Yes, a head of state who's a monarch can be incompetent, but their ability to cause damage is limited.

Plus, some might see it as an advantage to have a head of state who could (in theory) rise above petty politics. (How many people in the U.S. would have preferred anyone other than George Bush to have represented America, even if just symbolically?)
Not only does he talk to flowers, but he's a believer in homoeopathy!
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Yup, and the conservative party here in Canada selected a chiropractor as minister of science. (And the liberals weren't much better, selecting a chiropractor as health critic.)

Not to mention all the creationists in various positions in the U.S.

Until the general population of a country becomes more attune to skepticism, there's no guarantee that the elected leaders won't be just as wooish than royalty.
 
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If I follow your thinking correctly, if Obama did something silly, wouldn't it follow that the US should consider becoming a constitutional monarchy?
 
(I'm assuming your reply was directed at my post)

pchams said:
If I follow your thinking correctly, if Obama did something silly, wouldn't it follow that the US should consider becoming a constitutional monarchy?
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No, not really.

I'm not saying a constitutional monarchy is better or worse than a republic... they're just different, with each system having certain strengths and weaknesses. Any calls to "get rid of the royals" will just end up replacing one flawed system with another flawed system.
 
pchams said:
If I follow your thinking correctly, if Obama did something silly, wouldn't it follow that the US should consider becoming a constitutional monarchy?
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Yes, I was thinking something similar myself.
 
Rincewind said:
Surely what people come to see will still be there in a republic?
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I was being tongue in cheek, and I agree. For example France is the most visited country in the world and they do not need a monarchy to achieve this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_France

Rincewind said:
At least in a republic you can get rid of an incompetent head of state.
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Not all republics.

Rincewind said:
Not only does he talk to flowers, but he's a believer in homoeopathy!
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.. I fully agree with you. But his belief in homoeopathy is being ignored i.e. NHS homoeopathic hospitals are being closed down. Maybe the UK will have a watered down monarchy when Lizzie goes.

OMG! - a watered down royal family may give it it more strength... :)
 
I hope Prince Charles next airs his suspicions that Russia's head of state has dubious democratic credentials.
 
Belgian thought said:
Maybe the UK will have a watered down monarchy when Lizzie goes.

OMG! - a watered down royal family may give it it more strength... :)
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Only if it is subjected to the process of "succussion", as described in wiki
a substance is diluted with alcohol or distilled water and then vigorously shaken by 10 hard strikes against an elastic body in a process homeopaths call "succussion" ... To facilitate succussion, Hahnemann had a saddle-maker construct a special wooden striking board covered in leather on one side and stuffed with horsehair.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy
 
Belgian thought said:
I was being tongue in cheek, and I agree. For example France is the most visited country in the world and they do not need a monarchy to achieve this.
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It may be true that France has a thriving tourism industry, but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't be doing even better if they had a royal family similar to the British monarchy.

There are a lot of things people will go to see in a country. If having one more item of interest (i.e. something associated with royalty) might just bring in just a few more tourist dollars (instead of people going to some other country), wouldn't that still benefit the economy?
 
Segnosaur said:
It may be true that France has a thriving tourism industry, but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't be doing even better if they had a royal family similar to the British monarchy.
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You mean it would help French tourism if the Louvre and Versailles were turned back into royal dwellings closed to the public much of the time 'cos Louis XXX or whoever was in residence?
 
Craig B said:
You mean it would help French tourism if the Louvre and Versailles were turned back into royal dwellings closed to the public much of the time 'cos Louis XXX or whoever was in residence?
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No, I'm not talking about "re-establishing" a monarchy, where buildings formerly used get "closed up".

If the french revolution never happened (or happened in a way that the monarchy remained, like Britain did after its various uprisings), it is quite likely that France would have continued to have the Louvre collection (if not in its current building, in some other location). Thus, people would visit one site to see great art, the other site to see the living place of a bunch of inbred socialites, er. I mean the royalty.

After all, Britain manages to maintain both the British Museum (maybe not quite as famous as the Louvre but still quite notable) AND Buckingham Palace. Both sites are open for tours.

Not sure why you'd think that having a monarchy would automatically preclude having museums or other tourist sites of note.
 
A homoeopathic monarchy, you say...

Now there's a thought...

Sadly, PC, due to overmuch fawning by monarchists, does have influence.

Maybe this is a case of heredity - Chuck proving he's a chip of the old block-head?
 
Rincewind said:
I see that Chuckie, the Prince of Wails has likened Putin to Hitler...
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Actually he didn't. He drew an ironic parallel between Putin's actions re Crimea and Hitler and Sudetenland.
Pointing out the despite any moral differences between Hitler and the sterling Putin, realpolitik has its own agenda. Like a Nobel Peace Prize winner using deathbirds.

And no. not time for the UK to become a republic.
 
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