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Considering the US is a former English colony could they petition to join the Commonwealth and would they be accepted?

There would be some some obvious advantages to the US including such things as technology transfer to enable them to brew proper beer, they could drive on the correct side of the road and of course they would be able to have pictures of real live people on their currency. The Trumps vs The Royals which family really does have the class? (Andrew could be posted as Viceroy.)

All their embarrassing imbroglios of the last few decades could be swept under the carpets while putting the blame on 'Those other Americans'.

Let's run down the usual checklist

Desperately interested in the Royal Family soap opera but like to pretend they aren't? - check
Dodgy banking operations? - check
Generally god-awful food and hygiene, but we have nicked a few of their spicier dishes? - check
Nice for a holiday in the sun, but most think it too dangerous or unsophisticated to live there? - check
A few ex-pats who go there for work, then go native and stay? - check
Only respect you if you treat them like sh!t? - check

Seems like a shoo-in!

John Hill wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 03, 2019 7:34 pm

Considering the US is a former English colony could they petition to join the Commonwealth and would they be accepted?

There would be some some obvious advantages to the US including such things as technology transfer to enable them to brew proper beer, they could drive on the correct side of the road and of course they would be able to have pictures of real live people on their currency. The Trumps vs The Royals which family really does have the class? (Andrew could be posted as Viceroy.)

All their embarrassing imbroglios of the last few decades could be swept under the carpets while putting the blame on 'Those other Americans'.

Err the USA is not a former colony. Some bits of it were colonies.

But don't worry, being a colony or a collection of former colonies, is not a pre-requisite.
How did Namibia and Mozambique qualify? Though they do drive on the correct side of the road.

America also has Victorian era buildings, why? She was never Queen of America.

ian16th wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 03, 2019 9:36 pm

Err the USA is not a former colony. Some bits of it were colonies.

OK, thirteen former colonies, but we would not give them 13 seats in the Commonwealth.

But don't worry, being a colony or a collection of former colonies, is not a pre-requisite.
How did Namibia and Mozambique qualify? Though they do drive on the correct side of the road.

Namibia gets in as it has history, after the end of World War I the League of Nations mandated the administration of Namibia to South Africa. I don't know about Mozambique.

Pakistan has been in and out so many times I have lost count but at least they do play cricket.

Much more likely is that Commonwealth members apply to become US States.

Not that I anticipate that happening until UK becomes Muslim majority and that's probably a generation or more away.

I’ve got hard money that says it will become The Islamic Republic of England in 20-25 years (assuming I live that long to collect my winnings).

The US is part of the Commonwealth, it just thinks it is independent after Lord North had a couple of bad days back during the reign of mad King George...

TheGreenGoblin wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 04, 2019 5:45 am

The US is part of the Commonwealth, it just thinks it is independent after Lord North had a couple of bad days back during the reign of mad King George...

I bet they have not paid their dues for a while!

John Hill wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 04, 2019 5:54 am

TheGreenGoblin wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 04, 2019 5:45 am

The US is part of the Commonwealth, it just thinks it is independent after Lord North had a couple of bad days back during the reign of mad King George...

I bet they have not paid their dues for a while!

Not to mention all those Congestion Charge non payment fines in London!

US owes £12 million

We owe the Brits a lot. Our culture, language, literature, rule of law, and so much more, excepting cuisine and dental care.

As to the balance sheet, I think the US has given UK more than it has received. The Marshall plan was huge and stories about UK coming to the aid of Americans are few and far between.

I've yet to come to terms with why the US generates such animosity from throughout Europe, except for Eastern Europe, in the generations after WWII. What bugs me the most is the subgroup that despises us the most. My thoughts are that we sent our young men to Europe and fought your war at great cost in blood and treasure. After we won we established a framework for peace and cooperation and built a defensive bulwark against Communist aggression. Now, as you Islamasize yourselves, I'm thinking "Why care about Europe anymore?'"

BenThere wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 04, 2019 8:26 pm

My thoughts are that we sent our young men to Europe and fought your war at great cost in blood and treasure.

Ben, you must remember, as we do, that the US did not send young men to Europe until after you yourselves were attacked and war declared against you. Your men were nowhere to be seen during 'England's darkest hour'.

Read about the developing strategy of the allies after Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt agreed that the Europe theatre was the priority even though the Pacific was in flames.

I do accord acknowledgment of US reluctance to jump into the conflagration until Pearl Harbor. Maybe we were too late to read the writing on the wall. But when we did jump in, the industrial might and prolific output of our factories, and the total mobilization of our population has not been matched, before or since.

Whilst I agree with most of your points...
Your war? Hitler declared war on the US on December 11th, 1941.
Certain actions of the US during the Cold War were most definitely not in the interests of anyone but the US, including initial non-co-operation in nuclear weapon development despite receiving UK help both with that and the jet engine. Suez was another point of contention, as was the assorted strong-arming that led to the purchasing of US weaponry and the collapse of indigenous industries. More recently, Dubya making up stuff to justify invading Iraq is not forgotten, nor are any of the CIA-organized coups around the World which have contributed to the current level of destabilization and associated terrorism. The attitude of the US to the laws of other countries in more mundane matters such as FATCA and security screening*, nevermind parking charges, is also both arrogant and expensive. The US too often considers itself above the laws of other countries whilst insisting on subjecting people abroad to theirs.
Are European countries blameless? No
Didn't they do this kind of thing themselves when they had empires? Yes
But you ask why there is animosity to the US, and there is a long list.

Your final point, '"Why care about Europe any more?", is perfectly valid and has always been so. Given the UK, for instance, has now completed the WW2 war loan repayments, the same question may now be asked of US by European countries. Personally, I hope both groups find the existing reasons for co-operation still sufficient, but the question is always valid, in both directions.

*e.g. Canada requiring e-clearances to travel to Canada is wholly unnecessary and everyone knows it's only being done because the US has secretly insisted on it.