Should the United States of America join the Commonwealth of Nations? Its one of the few Anglophonic nations not to be in the Commonwealth.
So what? What benefit would we derive from being in the Commonwealth?
ETA: I am however okay with America building some sort of science-fictiony superweapon like the Weather Dominator from GI Joe and CONQUERING the Commonwealth. Well, Canada, India, and Australia, anyway. Assuming those three nations still are CW nations. The point is that such a development is only slightly less likely than us joining.
We would have more symbolic significance as one of the leaders of the Anglophonic World by actually being in the Commonwealth. Also as a former colony of Britain it is only logical we should be in the Commonwealth.
I can’t see any benefit the USA would derive from being a member of the British Commonwealth.
In fact it might be construed as a sign of weakness by your nation’s rivals and enemies.
Really? Based on what?
Commonwealth? Sounds too socialist.
Didn’t we fight a war a few hundred years ago to tell Britain that we didn’t want to be part of their little club?
Besides, between the UN, NATO, NAFTA and whatever other treaties and organizations we are a part of, I think we belong to enough clubs.
Why should the United States have a queen?
Totally lame and unnecessary.
The current Australian Prime Minister has said that the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign would be an appropriate time for Australia to become a Republic, and I agree with her. As I’m not an American this poll wasn’t really meant for me but as an outsider I see no benefit for the US and think it would be a very strange move indeed, especially when another part of the Commonwealth is slowly edging their way out.
You fought a war to get out…what makes you think we’ll let you back in?
What makes you think you could stop us? 
Seriously, terrible idea. Now, I could see the US, Canada, UK, and Australia forming a new club that will eventually take over for the Commonwealth, but even that’s kind of an unnecessary thing in this day and age.
Why would the Commonwealth even think of inviting you?
What are you looking for, an opportunity to beat up on the Falklands Islands lawn bowls team?
Or the opportunity to sit in a grass skirt at a hui, sozzed on kava and debating democracy with Fiji’s Great Council of Chiefs?
You think that nuclear non-proliferation negotiations with India and Pakistan would be more cordial and productive if the US promoted a claim of affinity and kindred spirit due to a shared colonial history of British oppression?
Apart from mangling it’s language, what other connection do you want with the remnant British Empire? A cultural interchange of badminton, (field) hockey, rugby, netball, squash, lawn bowls and cricket. A preferential tarrif deal? I thought you were still wobbly on NAFTA.
If you really want in, the only reason the Commonwealth exists is to hold it’s games periodically. And just as Great Britain competes as England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the US would need to participate on a colonial basis, being represented separately by Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.
Which, actually wouldn’t be that bad an idea at all.
What’s the matter, you guys getting a bit nervy about the number of people who actually want to play ball with you?
You can be part of the Commonwealth without having the Queen as your monarch. Most members don’t, in fact. India, for example, has been a Republic for a long time, but is still a member.
That said, I don’t really see any advantage to the US joining, other then I imagine it would drive the LaRocheans totally insane.
So did quite a few other current members of the Commonwealth.
Bah we wouldn’t win as many gold medals at the comm games.
Yeah, but you know who else wanted to join the Commonwealth?
[quote=“Zakalwe, post:11, topic:552712”]
I’d vote yes for that.
I don’t want to be in any club that would have me as a member.
Sorry, bub, but the Brits have done more to maliciously destroy the English language than any other nationality on Earth.
Why? What possible benefit could we get from joining?
We fought TWO wars over being a colony of Britain - one to become former (revolution in 1776) and one to remain a FORMER colony of Britian (1812). Why in the hell would we want to backpedal on that?
And I doubt very much that the US would be any more or less a “leader” of the “anglophonic world” by joining the Commonwealth - it’s not like any of those nations refuse to talk to us or snub us diplomatically. BRITAIN is the leader of the Commonwealth.
Mangle. We’ve preserved the English language while the Brits adopted foriegn words instead of their own.
These words have been driven to the verge of extinction in Great Britian: Diaper. Lawyer. Faucet. Fall (the season). Candy. Crib. The list goes on…
Over the past millenia the British have conducted a systematic genecide of many of their own words, while we’ve taken them in, nurtured and sheltered them, and kept them alive in the world.
