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daleo

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92. The different political systems may be responsible too

Thu Apr 18, 2013, 08:03 AM

Apr 2013

In Britain, deference is reserved for the queen or king, who is supposed to represent the state and the people, symbolically. The PM is a mere politician and therefore is not considered to be due any inordinate level of respect. For example, he/she can be turfed out any day that the parliament decides to do so. The monarch, on the other hand, is in that role for life.

In the U.S.presidential system, the president is both politician and head of state, and therefore is accorded a certain amount of respect due to the latter role. I think the U.S. president exists somewhere greater than a PM, but lesser than a monarch, in the collective unconscious of the nation, and therefore "unseemly" displays are less likely at presidential funerals, even among people who were very opposed politically and ideologically.

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Anti-Thatcher protest in London's Trafalgar Square [View all] steve2470 Apr 2013 OP

and i wonder where these kind of protests were in the US after Reagan's death in 2004. alp227 Apr 2013 #1

The Brits are just more honest. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #2

Or less brainwashed. eShirl Apr 2013 #4

And the British media is covering these celebrations dflprincess Apr 2013 #22

Well, American media is run primarily by corporations... CBHagman Apr 2013 #55

Know what, I don't even remember the Reaganpalooza. Beacool Apr 2013 #95

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2013 #26

Um, maybe not...According to my Brit former boyfriend, they are whathehell Apr 2013 #6

Surprising as it may seem, Reagan was probably a lot less polarizing. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2013 #3

He was trained as an actor and had the California cowboy/great communicator shit down. Hissyspit Apr 2013 #5

Yeah..He at least, had a "likeable" personality to many whathehell Apr 2013 #7

She had one thing! sevenseas Apr 2013 #14

There you go.. whathehell Apr 2013 #17

They were in New York at the RNC: NYC Liberal Apr 2013 #8

I've never seen that - looks like they're carrying coffins, too. freshwest Apr 2013 #34

Wait until Cheney dies. olddad56 Apr 2013 #32

That's what I've been asking myself. Beacool Apr 2013 #38

There were protests. They were more subdued because Reagan had been "punished" already, MADem Apr 2013 #56

I didn't know that story. Beacool Apr 2013 #58

He spoke about it on TV (justifiably angrily) and later(more calmly) in a NYT interview.... MADem Apr 2013 #60

I read the article, thanks. Beacool Apr 2013 #64

You should have seen Ron, Jr. on television. He was spitting mad. MADem Apr 2013 #68

As anyone would if they saw their mom being mistreated. Beacool Apr 2013 #69

Agreed. But didn't know that happened to Nancy. A bad day, made worse by Cheney. freshwest Apr 2013 #72

We're classier marshall Apr 2013 #41

Britan is older and wiser than America olddots Apr 2013 #9

Oh Please -- .Older" doesn't necessarily conflate with "wiser" whathehell Apr 2013 #13

I AGREE. sevenseas Apr 2013 #15

Thank you... whathehell Apr 2013 #16

Good of you to re-write the history of WW2. dipsydoodle Apr 2013 #18

Yeeeah, Americans don't get to throw stones in that particular glass house. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2013 #19

Not true. Yes, Britain appeased Hitler for too long, but this ended in September 1939 as a LeftishBrit Apr 2013 #48

You think there is no class system in the US? It's the elephant in the living raccoon Apr 2013 #29

Since I'd guess that people of every nation on earth impart different levels of "prestige" whathehell Apr 2013 #33

Social mobility is now higher in Europe than the U.S. daleo Apr 2013 #36

Yes, even the UK, I believe, squeaked by us whathehell Apr 2013 #40

Maybe it's not a myth daleo Apr 2013 #90

Maybe whathehell Apr 2013 #91

Takes great wisdom to elect Thatcher, John Major, geek tragedy Apr 2013 #20

Ahem...the US elected Raygun twice, and the Idiot Bush twice... truebrit71 Apr 2013 #44

Neither nation is particularly wise. nt geek tragedy Apr 2013 #53

...evidently not... truebrit71 Apr 2013 #54

Yeah, but UK kept Thatcher on for 12 years, with the capability to dump her at any time. MADem Apr 2013 #61

We're stuck until the PM calls one, or five years..whichever is first... truebrit71 Apr 2013 #62

So she was "chosen" three times? How...er...Rooseveltian! nt MADem Apr 2013 #63

Am I misunderstanding the whole "motion of no confidence" proviso in the Westminster form of MADem Apr 2013 #67

Very true..and very rare.. truebrit71 Apr 2013 #73

Twenty times in the last 231 years isn't really common, but not really rare either. MADem Apr 2013 #74

+1000 smirkymonkey Apr 2013 #28

To be honest, I don't think most horrible leaders would care too much what people say about them LeftishBrit Apr 2013 #49

Unfortnately, you are probably right on this one. smirkymonkey Apr 2013 #50

Thank you; but 'wise' would have been not to elect Maggie Thatcher in the first place! LeftishBrit Apr 2013 #43

you are so right AngryAmish Apr 2013 #66

Margaret Thatcher (and Scotland) padruig Apr 2013 #10

At which point Scotland hadn't devolved. dipsydoodle Apr 2013 #11

Glascow lunasun Apr 2013 #24

Rain stopped play. dipsydoodle Apr 2013 #12

Just wait until Thatcher's funeral procession. Gumboot Apr 2013 #21

As was noted on a Facebook page dedicated to Thatcher's death: dflprincess Apr 2013 #23

Kinda silly, don't ya think? Wooden stakes are more likely to be effective. Kennah Apr 2013 #25

Thanks - I needed that excuse to clean my monitor. Posteritatis Apr 2013 #31

Lord forgive me, but that was funny. Beacool Apr 2013 #39

There are some very funny comments about it all dflprincess Apr 2013 #46

ROTFLMAO!!! Beacool Apr 2013 #47

I only wish Americans were like this when Reagan died. nt raccoon Apr 2013 #30

His death to Alzheimmer's was a long drawn out affair, so the glee was diffused. freshwest Apr 2013 #35

Sorry, but I think you may have to speak for yourself on that.. whathehell Apr 2013 #42

This message was self-deleted by its author freshwest Apr 2013 #52

"His death due to Alzheimer's was a long drawn out affair so the glee was diffused" whathehell Apr 2013 #57

This message was self-deleted by its author freshwest Apr 2013 #65

I think what freshwest said was entirely clear, and I think you are, at minimum, nitpicking, and MADem Apr 2013 #71

Really? whathehell Apr 2013 #75

How nice that you did not grave-dance, but to suggest that others did not, or that the person MADem Apr 2013 #70

Yes, I thought so, but you seem to be putting words in my mouth again, whathehell Apr 2013 #77

You put the words in your own mouth, in your two rather accusatory posts. MADem Apr 2013 #78

Um no, and your need to continually couch your accusations with qualifiers, i.e. "rather" accusatory whathehell Apr 2013 #79

By your words we certainly do know you. And I'm quite confident in my assertions. nt MADem Apr 2013 #80

By your weasel words we know you too, dear, whathehell Apr 2013 #81

Keep digging. nt MADem Apr 2013 #83

Keep failing. n/t whathehell Apr 2013 #84

You're the one with the problem. Your words betray you. nt MADem Apr 2013 #85

Keep telling yourself that dear, because your powers of persuasion seem to be failing whathehell Apr 2013 #86

You're the one who failed, with false accusations, "dear." MADem Apr 2013 #87

Keep going, dear.....At any moment, someone may give you that attention you so obviously crave whathehell Apr 2013 #88

By your words we know you. nt MADem Apr 2013 #89

They could throw dead flowers daleo Apr 2013 #37

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2013 #27

I don't get why people are happy she died. Ash_F Apr 2013 #45

When the Bushes go to join Maggie DonCoquixote Apr 2013 #51

We won't, it's not in our psyche. Beacool Apr 2013 #59

No, I don't think it is whathehell Apr 2013 #82

The different political systems may be responsible too daleo Apr 2013 #92

You're correct, but I also think that Thatcher screwed up many lives. Beacool Apr 2013 #94

No argument there daleo Apr 2013 #96

Lady Thatcher funeral arrangements under fire as Big Ben is silenced steve2470 Apr 2013 #76

I wish people would just leave her spirit being alone... snooper2 Apr 2013 #93