Fark.com sez: Twenty percent chance that Australia will become a U.S. state.

Great Debates
1

http://www.news.com.au/common/printpage/0,6093,6760977,00.html

So cool.

Maaaaybe?

2

I can’t see it ever happening. A coalition like the EU is a possibility. However, I can’t imagine the Aussies much like having their governmental HQ a Hemisphere away and unable to properly represent their needs.

3

No, not even maybe. It will NEVER happen.

I don’t find the idea objectionable, mind you- just unrealistic.

4

I’d dispute a few of those points:

Austrailia already has a great higher education system, hough obviously the top US universities are better than the top Austrailian unis thta is only really a function of the fact that US higher education system is larger rather than anything instrincally good about it.

Austrailia already has a constituion including a section simlair to the US bill of rights

Everybody outside of the US hates American football and baseball, though I think they do play some basketball out in Oz but they’re absolutely mad about Rugby Union, Cricket, Swimming, Aussie Rules football

5

I think the US is tapped out expansion wise. I seriously doubt we’ll ever all ANYONE as a new state…just doesn’t seem to be in the cards. Just looking at the posts on this board, who out there WANTS to join us?? We are evil incarnate after all…

I think Austrailia would be one of the last countries to want to join with the US anyway (the LAST country being France…in line just after Iraq :)). The OPs list aside (seemed more like a joke to me) what would be in it for them? I don’t even see Canada or Mexico either joing or forming a closer tie to us, let alone a country thats so far away…

-XT

6

Australia would be nice to have on board, though. We could just make it a huge military base. It’s like a huge aircraft carrier that can’t be sunk. :slight_smile:

7

I can’t see it ever happening unless there is a complete global realignment.

However, were it to happen, it would be very interesting to see how many people would move from the current US to Australia. I think quite a few. Many more than the other way around. Hopefully people would start moving there instead of moving to CA.:slight_smile:

8

Actually, wouldn’t it be more like 8 or 10 additional states, which is what Australia is divided into now?

Uh, how 'bout if the US joins the Commonwealth, instead? Former colonies, and all that.

runs off to find the words to “God Save the Queen”

9

Heh Heh Heh… this is a seriously funny thread.

Yep, we Australians have a lot in common with our American cousins - as we also do with our Canadian, and British cousins as well.

But you know, like most extended families - we like to catch up occasionally but we’d prefer to live in privacy thanks. :smiley:

10

It won’t happen. As it is, a large percentage of Australians are trying to get rid of Great Britain’s hold (or what’s left of it) over Australia. Why would we get rid of that, just to have some other country take over? Especially one so far away.

To answer a couple of points:

  • I see very little wrong with our higher education system as it is. Its cheap and the level is high enough that we get students coming from overseas to study (especially the uni I went to has a very good reputation amongst Asian countries).

  • We already ARE part of the world’s largest defence system (as long as we remain friendly with America)

  • Who cares about those American sports? I don’t see Australians wanting to give up Aussie rules, rugby, cricket and netball.

11

Not going to happen. Never. Australian’s can’t even agree to dump the monchary, let alone join the US.

Besides, why would we want to?

I would disagree about the higher education system, not only are our universities world class, but you could argue our education is better than US education at all levels from high school right on through (an argument for another day), including higher education. To top it off, under the HECS scheme, university education is affordable to a huge range of school leavers.

It sounds to me like another arrogant american (not saying American’s are all arrogant, but you get them every now and then) assuming that everyone wants to be like them. We don’t. Deal with it.

12

Don’t tell that (Baseball, anyway) to Japan, Most of central america, Korea, Taiwan, the Caribbean, and yes, Austrailia. ( http://www.users.bigpond.com/goreds/AMLBHIST.htm )

Of course, the whole “statehood for Australia” thing will NEVER happen, and even if it did, travel would make US domestic league competition impossible, but Australia has quite a few major leaguers, and a somewhat active pro baseball league.

13

Italy also has a nice little baseball culture. Doesn’t come close to soccer, of course, but Italians certainly don’t hate the game.

14

Yes But Cricket is alot bigger in Austrailia (also noticed that the ABL is now defunct and only boasted 9 teams at the most) and the Carribean, I know baseball was big in Japan for a while but it’s popularity is on the wane as football (soccer) begins to assert itself for it’s rightful postion as the most popular sport.

Austarilains are very big on all sports, I’d think you’d find baseball is probably something like 15th or so most popular sport, languishing way behind even sports like soccer which has failed to make as big as impact in Austraila as it has done the rest of the world.

15

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

16

One thing, does anyone actually BELIEVE anything on Drew Curtis’s FARK.com? I mean, c’mon. It’s FARK. That’s like giving creedence to the daily updates on somethingawful.com. It’s just comedy, and with FARK, rather lame comedy at the same time.

BTW, can I get a hoo-ah from anyone with ANZAC pride?

17

From the talk that prompted the OP’s story:

I suspect that

  • Mosler does not yet really understand Australian society
  • Mosler has been away from the States long enough that he no longer understands U.S. society
  • and Mosler needs to say something to get attention for some upcoming book or funding-short-project he is about to announce.
18

AMERICAN BEER:D

19

Aren’t some of our patriotic American songs actually old British nationalist songs, with new lyrics pasted over them?

Anyways, I like the idea of reshaping our alliances at least, and putting the emphasis on close ties to the UK and Australia, as the nations most similiar to us in language, culture, and legal tradition.

20

I think Australia and Canada should merge and form the Commonwealth of Canalia.

We’d have the world’s hot babe supply cornered, I tell you. And our excellent beer cartel would make OPEC look like a bunch of amateurs.