[The USA should be a constitutional monarchy] Do you agree?

We, the membership of the official Royalist Party of America, commit ourselves to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy for the United States of America. It is our belief that to create a true sense of trust between the governed and the government, our nation’s leader must be above the politics of the day, beholden to no special interest group, and free to do what must be done for the good of all Americans, not just the party he or she leads.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RoyalistPartyofAmerica/

In parliamentary systems around the globe, the head of state is separate from the head of government. In some countries, like Russia and France, the president (as head of state) is more powerful than the prime minister (who is head of government). In others, like Israel, the president serves simply as a symbol of the nation, while the prime minister runs the country. Europe’s constitutional monarchies limit their heads of royal houses to symbolic functions, while reserving that role to one family. Having a national, unifying position ostensibly standing outside the daily muck of politics provides a rallying point for all citizens and a safety valve to redirecting national passions in a non-partisan way. Such symbols, whether in a democracy, monarchy, or authoritarian state, must serve a purpose above politics, both at home and abroad. Yet that is impossible for a U.S. president who is head of his own government, putative head of his political party and invariably a competitive, partisan politician… We have no such safety valve in the United States. Our experiment in self-government has progressed to the point where the differences in our increasingly complex country are now the salient feature of public life. They are certainly not as fundamental as the questions of slavery or civil rights, but they are deep and growing deeper nonetheless. The role and size of government, individual rights to privacy, immigration, the definition of marriage and the like are all driving polarization, not just in Washington, but in Peoria and Albuquerque and Manchester. The result is a country that is becoming shriller, more willing to demonize opponents and less united. This deep corrosion of political life is directly responsible for Americans’ growing sense of alienation… Politicians are despised as a class, with congressional approval at an astonishingly low 6 percent, according to a year-end Economist/YouGov poll. Not the courts: The Supreme Court is now viewed unfavorably by nearly half the country, being seen as increasingly partisan after its controversial 2000 election ruling and 2012 Obamacare decision. Not religion: It’s increasingly a private affair, and has become a source of growing contention between believers and often-secular elites. Only American popular culture substitutes for a sense of community, with sports and film stars looked up to as exemplars despite their often lurid and sensational antics and unreachable wealth." And that’s why we, the membership of the Royalist Party of America, commit ourselves to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy for the United States of America. It is our belief that to create a true sense of trust between the governed and the government, our nation’s leader must be above the politics of the day, beholden to no special interest group, and free to do what must be done for the good of all Americans, not just the party he or she leads.

The difference between absolute monarchy and constitutional monarchy is that in the absolute monarchy, the monarch holds the supreme or absolute powers, whereas in the constitutional monarchy, the head of state is a hereditary or elected monarch.

Constitutional Monarchy: Anybody that bothers studying history will discover monarchism is humanity’s most successful and enduring system of governance. They’ll also realize that republics, invented in ancient Greece, are a fatally flawed system that ultimately destroys every nation stupid enough to become a republic. Look no further than the way the United States and modern Greece are both falling apart politically, economically and societally like train wrecks in slow motion for proof of that.

9/11 and how many government shutdowns? This is completely unacceptable! A constitutional monarchy is the most stable form of government because its head of state is representative of the nation and responsible to its people, not to a party. A presidency divides people because he is the head of a party and is voted by its members, meaning those whom did not vote are not fully represented.

A constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a written (i.e., codified), unwritten (i.e., uncodified) or blended constitution. It differs from absolute monarchy in that an absolute monarch serves as the sole source of political power in the state and is not legally bound by any constitution. (Kind of like the Egyptian Soicial Pyramid) So to answer your question: Yes, a constitutional monarchy is a democratic country. In fact, the top 7 most democratic countries in the world (According to the Democracy Index) are constitutional monarchies (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands).

“The American head of state grew up with a mother on food stamps. The British head of state grew up with a mother on postage stamps. Is that a contrast that fills you with pride?” - Johann Hari

Drafted by Michael W. Davis, Past Chairman of the RPUSA.
Rewritten by Emily Molloy and approved by the Royalist Party of America [RPOFA].

I. The foremost aim of the Royalist Party of America [RPOFA] is to petition the Commonwealth of Nations to accept the United States as a member state and to restore the succession of the British Monarchy to the United States through Constitutional Convention (per Article V of the United States Constitution).

II. A restructured Executive Branch will incorporate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs as the official Head of State.

III. The Monarch’s powers and duties include:
a) the right to represent the People of the United States oversees regardless of the political party/parties in power;
b) the right to revoke any law passed by Congress;
c) consenting or withholding consent to a law within one year of it being passed by Congress;
d) the ability to dismiss a President, Cabinet Member, and/or Supreme Court Justice at the Monarch’s discretion.

II. GOVERNOR-GENERAL:

I. The Governor-General will act as a plenipotentiary and viceroy appointed by the Monarch and invested with all of the Monarch’s powers and duties as the Monarch sees fit to assign.

II. Her Majesty would be represented by a Governor-General who is an American-born citizen. The Governor-General would be appointed at Her Majesty’s discretion and the Governor-General’s term would last until:
a) their death;
b) their resignation; or
c) they are removed at Her Majesty’s discretion.

III. SOCIAL POLICY:

I. In recognizing the United Kingdom as our mother country and the Commonwealth as our brotherhood of nations, the Royalist Party of America acknowledges that cultural, linguistic, political, philosophical, religious, and historical ties to the former British Empire constitute an unbreakable bond that we are obliged and well-advised to cultivate.

IV. ECONOMIC POLICY:

I. Royalist Party of America recognizes the need for a strong national industry and will take a stance that is decisively in favour of encouraging national productivity and rapidly scaling back on dependence on foreign resources and manufacturers. Also, every state will have its own parliament, but no state can deny entry to any American citizen.

II. We will take into consideration the state of human and workers’ rights in our economic policy. Egregious human rights violators will be met with American trade sanctions (including embargo).

III. We recognize the agrarian community as the basis of every civilized economy. We also recognize the overwhelming national and local advantages of a reliable, self-sufficient, fresh, and healthy supply of meat, dairy, and produce. As such, we hope to:
a) return American agriculture to a place where local crops and livestock feed as many Americans as possible without straining of our farmers or placing the American economy at risk;
b) encourage local farmers’ markets for the mutual benefit of our farmers and consumers;
c) incentive ‘organization’ - tax incentives, tertiary education, and scaled-back imports - in order to make farming and husbandry a viable and desirable livelihood for Americans with no previous experience in agriculture.

IV. Local manufacturing is the key to revitalizing the American economy and ensuring that we can sustain ourselves as a nation in times of crisis. Therefore, the Royalist Party of America resolves to:
a) incentive local manufacturing to encourage competition with foreign markets and large corporations operating in the United States;
b) effectively combat monopoly - in terms of both market domination and hegemony over smaller corporations - to encourage local industry and entrepreneurship, as well as protect the rights of the worker;
c) allow every labourer to own what they produce and sell their product at a rate that is reasonable to them;
d) encourage a guild system, wherein employers and employees can work toward mutual benefit rather than dividing society along class lines, as is the case with modern labour unions;

V. We would see a gradual phasing out of mass private banking in favour of credit unions and stricter laws against usury. Banks which are necessary to state and public good (such as the Federal Reserve) will be nationalized and committed to public scrutiny once yearly.

V. FOREIGN POLICY:

I. In recognizing the United Kingdom as our mother country and the Commonwealth as our brotherhood of nations, the Royalist Party of America acknowledges that cultural, linguistic, political, philosophical, religious, and historical ties to the former British Empire constitute an unbreakable bond that we are obliged and well-advised to cultivate.

II. We insist that preferential trade, security, and diplomatic considerations should be given to Commonwealth nations.

III. We abhor any notion of ‘Wars of Democracy’ and would not impose a certain form of government on any other people through military or economic measures.

IV. We recognize the right for the United States to act in its best economic interests but believe that we must honourably execute all contracts made with foreign powers at least to the point of their termination.

  1. President (Leader of the country).
  2. Congress (Legislative, or lawmaking, branch of America’s national government).
  3. Her Majesty (Head of State).
  4. Parliaments (Every state controls its own state).

III. The Monarch’s powers and duties include: a) the right to represent the People of the United States oversees regardless of the political party/parties in power; b) the right to revoke any law passed by Congress; c) consenting or withholding consent to a law within one year of it being passed by Congress; d) the ability to dismiss a President, Cabinet Member, and/or Supreme Court Justice at the Monarch’s discretion.

OK, I’m guessing this isn’t the only place this is posted. However, there might well be an excellent debate here.

Go forth, challenge, reason, pontificate!

Errr…nope.

And after googling “We, the membership of the official Royalist Party of America”, reported as spam.

Opposed.

Why, yes. Yes it does fill me with pride.

No.
We fought a revolution to rid ourselves of any vestiges of monarchy.
While we have had (and continue to have) some major flaws, a constitutional republic is just fine with us.

Let’s see—the premise that monarchism is humanity’s most successful form of governance. Compared to what? Defining “success” how? I, heretic that I am, consider successful governance to be that which provides for the well-being and happiness of its people–something that monarchies, historically, have been absolutely miserable at, and that pluralistic, democratic/republican societies have been pretty good at–especially by comparison to other forms of governance.

So my first reaction to that premise was to start choking. Then I read that the author of this screed considers the US to be a failed state, equating it with present-day Greece. At this point I realized that everything from that point on was going to be GIGO, and stopped reading.

Obviously, the success of a monarchal state is going to be in large part a function of the skill/wisdom/benevolence of a single person, and there are very few monarchies in history that didn’t experience the fatal flaw of one-man rule (however modulated): an evil/stupid/incompetent/indifferent monarch can bring the entire country crashing down with him/her.

Fortunately, monarchism, like communism, is pretty much in the garbage bin of history and will probably remain there until civilization ends and the most powerful man in the world is Dennis Hopper wearing an eye patch.

Repeating my message from the other threads:

emily223, you are spamming the forum, and if it continues, you’ll be banned. You are allowed one thread on this subject. I’m closing this one. If you’re interested in a real discussion, you can use this thread, but don’t start any new ones or revive any old threads.

Actually, can you please remove this one and open this one back up? View Poll Results: Should The United States Join the Commonwealth? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board Lol I actually was trying to figure out to to delete this thread we are talking on, Sorry.

I’m down. As long as I get to be the king.

A much simpler and more effective fix to our political dysfunction is term limits.

We don’t have an entrenched monarchy, we have an entrenched Congress.

nvm please delete this thread and open View Poll Results: Should The United States Join the Commonwealth? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board this one back up, please…

Yup.

It’s evenings like this that make me glad I never got the call to be a mod. “Open this; close that; no, this one; not this one, that one,” is not how you ingratiate yourself with the help, dear. Even your beloved queen knows that.

As for your stamp analogy, you don’t seem to get what being a free person means. Even in the UK Queenie is a figurehead while any kid could work toward being PM, so I add my voice to the majority who say, “Yes it does fill me with pride.”

And did you really title this thread simply with “Do you agree?” It’s my right as a human, and my duty as an American, to disagree with anything anybody says, no matter how wise or inane. Your idea is toward the inane end of that, and so I do not agree.

A medieval government and a medieval economy? No thanks. May as well go with rule by warlord, it’s even older, and ensures that only the strongest can rule.

Guess this one remains open, alrighty then lol. Let’s begin…

We too have become disgusted with the current state of affairs in American politics. We are patriots just like you. We are sick of the squabbling, backroom deals, special interest groups and the pandering thereto. It really is enough to make one’s stomach turn. To think that America’s forefathers fought, and died to prevent this sort of corruption from occurring only to see it propagated in their name is a sad fact. However, there is still hope for America, and her citizens.

Time and time again, men and women have rallied around banners, causes and individuals and united to save something, or accomplish something so great that they are recorded down in history. The Battle of Thermopylae. Battle of Gravelines. The Battle of Moscow in 1812. We are continually reminded that history is fraught with examples of extraordinary monarchs and autocrats that were not besieged by special interests groups, political parties or other distracting bodies and organizations. They were honourable, dutiful patriots who had a love for their country and a zeal for their people’s prosperity. This is what America needs in her darkest hour. A true person with the courage, morals and ethics to do not what is politic, or popular. We need a leader that will do what is right. One who is not afraid to do what must be done for the sake of the nation, and to rid the country of it’s corrupt two party “republic” that has failed consistently over the last 50 years.

We help fulfil the growing need for an alternative political solution in a climate where so many individuals are turning their back on politics altogether. The supreme goal of the Royalist Party of America is not the restoration of a medieval political theory, but a reinvention of a proven and successful form of governance. A form of government wherein the bickering, stagnation and consistent corruption inherent in democratic and republican forms of government is absent.

“Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ But conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’ And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

We believe the second constitutional flaw that is ultimately responsible for this foul up, is this whole business of separation of powers where the executive and legislature are totally independent of each other, in a Parliamentary democracy, the Prime Minister cannot remain in office if he cannot command the support of the lower house, in the US the President can stay in office whether he has the support of congress or not leading to a great political deficit, if the chief executive cannot even get congress to support his proposals how can he get laws passed? Especially since he himself does not even have a seat in the house (which is of itself another shortsighted move). Clearly there must eventually be some political fallout from such a system. The simple fact is that the Westminster Model with its constitutional monarchy and its parliamentary structure has been proven as the most efficient of all forms of democracy that have been tried.

Let’s make this clear, we DO NOT want the United States of America to terminate their independence. We, the official Royalist Party of America, commit ourselves to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy for the United States of America. That constitutional monarchy is called: The House of Windsor.

We hope to replace the office of Head of State with our Sovereign Queen. Her Majesty, or her representative in the United States, the Governor-General, would assume the original, Constitutional powers of the President of the United States, and would serve as a non-partisan and impartial arbiter of our Constitutional government. Legislative powers, powers of war and peace, and power of the purse - among others - would all return to the United States Congress as was set out in America’s Constitution. The Royalist Party of America would also see the United States join the Commonwealth of Nations, in the interest of forming stronger cultural, trade, and political bonds with nations who share our heritage in the English language, British liberty, and peace among nations.

We aim to accomplish this through: Repeated exposure to the American public to monarchism, and its various forms, and benefits. Leading by example, and refusing to participate in the American political system at present, either in part or in whole. This means we refuse to give weight to any political party, or organization other than our own, by voting or protest. To do so would be to legitimize their partisan political system. Appealing to like minded Americans who share a deep mistrust of the government, and other forms of republican or democratic governance. Building a grassroots community encompassing all ethnic groups, faiths, and individuals of all walks of life to help build a better alternative for tomorrow’s America.

Royalism, Loyalism, and Toryism won’t sit well with most Americans today. But if we believe the Royalist Party of America stands for what is true and good for this nation, we have no choice but to stretch out our necks and say what is right. We may not win over every American heart and mind right away, but we’ll fight for a good cause, and perhaps earn our countrymen’s respect. Once we can be respected, we can be admired; once we can be admired, we will find the support we need to bring the United States back to her roots.

I don’t know why anyone would disagree with me. Just look at Canada.

I like Canada. That doesn’t mean the U.S. should be the same.

Canada doesn’t have squabbling, backroom deals and special interest groups?

I’m generally okay with the status quo.

I’ll be charitable and just say that you may want to study history again. At the very least, I’ll have to ask for cites on these assertions.

This is pure speculation. There are many reasons for political stalemate in the American political system (e.g., gerrymandering and its effect on the political extremism).

It does. The idea that someone can rise from humble beginnings and make something of themselves–including becoming the leader of the United States–has long been part of the national ethos. Maybe I’m cynical, but I can’t help but see this as coded “dog-whistle” language.