[WilliamJenningsBryan]

As I see it, Angela Merkel accomplished what Hitler tried to do in WWII but without Panzers, the Luftwaffe, and Blitzkrieg - all she had to do was shave her mustache off. Of course you had to have your array of Vichy's and Quislings to lend a hand.

Meanwhile the British have become so distracted by homerism, wallowing in hedonism, and listening to Beatle's and ABBA music that they can't muster another Winston Churchhill to lead them out of their morass. It's no wonder they're trying to keep Trump out of the country.

After we whipped King George's butt, it's no wonder that the Brits don't have a Second Amendment - the average British citizen can't own guns. Trump should start up those Liberty Ships again and ship muskets to all the voters.

One the other hand I think I speak for all Americans, I don't particularly care to have my tax money do this for the third time. Trump should withdraw from NATO and let Putin have the whole thing - much like Roosevelt did at Yalta with Stalin.

[MitzaLizalor]

Perhaps Britain could set out guidelines for former European states wishing to join the Commonwealth? There are a number of secessionist entities (sorry Frank, not your papal enclaves) anxious to throw off the yoke of tyranny.

[Dr. Anthony J. Toole]

Originally Posted by MitzaLizalor

Perhaps Britain could set out guidelines for former European states wishing to join the Commonwealth? There are a number of secessionist entities (sorry Frank, not your papal enclaves) anxious to throw off the yoke of tyranny.

That is actually a promising idea, I'm surprized that Boris or Nigel haven't thought of it already. All Britain needs to do is announce they are creating a new trading bloc with the primary purpose of furthering the goals of Brexit. I'm convinced other countries will be so keen to sign up that they'll forfeit their existing obligations. This could possibly even threaten the integrity of the United States - some States (Alabama, Washington DC, Pennsylvania) might find they support Brexit so much that they'll secede from the Union in order to trade on Britain's terms. We are witnessing Greatness, people.

[Joanna Lytton-Vasey]

Originally Posted by Dr. Anthony J. Toole

That is actually a promising idea, I'm surprized that Boris or Nigel haven't thought of it already.

Sadly, Boris is very much occupied with negotiating his divorce settlement. I am not as enthusiastic about him as I used to be, since the man was blessed with Godly US citizenship and yet saw fit to renounce it. I have been told (by Someone Who Knows) that Nigel, having failed to get the country accepted as the 51st state, is still too busy trying to get it accepted as an organized but unincorporated dependent territory along the lines of the Northern Mariana Islands. The stalling-point on this is the word "organized", which the US rightly says cannot be applied to Britain at this time.

I think the only requirement for a country to be in the British Commonwealth is for it to have been conquered by Britain (with or without outside assistance) at some point in its history. Whether or not the country subsequently whooped Britain's ass is utterly irrelevant, as the British famously do not bear grudges. This would cover much of the Known World.

So, Sister Mitza, you may have found the solution! Such a shame you are not a man: with lateral thinking like yours, you would have done well in politics.

[WilliamJenningsBryan]

Originally Posted by MitzaLizalor

Perhaps Britain could set out guidelines for former European states wishing to join the Commonwealth? There are a number of secessionist entities (sorry Frank, not your papal enclaves) anxious to throw off the yoke of tyranny.

That sounds easy enough - just send some bloke over there and plant a Union Jack in all the EU capitols and they would all cave - starting with the flag waving French.

What I don't understand is all this "commonwealth" stuff - just sounds like more socialism to me.

[Joanna Lytton-Vasey]

Originally Posted by WilliamJenningsBryan

What I don't understand is all this "commonwealth" stuff - just sounds like more socialism to me.

Brother, in the context of the British commonwealth, it has always been taken literally: the wealth is common, in the sense of "What's yours is ours, what's ours is our own". So it's very much like, for example, my marriage settlement funds. These are entirely under the control of my husband, as is his own not-inconsiderable wealth. I see nothing controversial about that - it's simply common sense.

My husband tells me that the US uses the same term for its insular "organized but unincorporated territories". Assuming the term is used in the same way as in Britain, then if Puerto Rico turns out to be full of diamonds or oil, those assets belong to the USA. If the USA has a windfall, Puerto Rico can go whistle.

[MitzaLizalor]

At least Puerto Rico is an island. But can you imagine having a land border with them? It seems strange that having the English Channel and North Sea (and Sealand of course) to repulse mercenaries who don't know what they're doing a sovereign nation would get in cahoots with the papists after fighting them off for 500 years.

How is that blond haired gentleman going? He seems so nicely spoken and with that twinkle in his eye would be just the ticket to stand up to idolators and heathens. I'd always noticed they intensify after Calais – never got much farther south than Zurich, which was very tidy.