Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy (Jim McLean)

Subject: Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy
From: Jim McLean
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 06:29 AM

Fool Britannia. Tune: Cruising round Yarmouth.

69 pennies per person, we're told,
Is all that it costs for the Royal Household,
That's all that we pay for the Queen and her clan
For Charles, Camilla and Andrew and Anne.
       So stiff upper lip chaps, it's rude to complain,
       Just sing Rule Britannia and pay up again.

There's William and Catherine and kids one, two, three,
No rape clause applies, they get everything free!
Prince Harry and Meghan are ready to breed,
Austerity, taxes, we've more mouths to feed.
       So stiff upper lip chaps, it's rude to complain,
       Just sing Rule Britannia and pay up again.

But what's the real cost to keep Lizzie and Phil?
It's just a few grand over seventy mil.
Prince Charles pays taxes, he says, without fuss
But the money he uses it all comes from us.
       So stiff upper lip chaps, it's rude to complain,
       Just sing Rule Britannia and pay up again.

The poor folk are starving, the homeless sleep rough,
But Andrew and Fergie they can't get enough.
Their daughter got married and we had to pay,
We forked out two million for her wedding day.
       So stiff upper lip chaps, it's rude to complain,
    Just sing Rule Britannia and pay up again.

They're getting a rise costing millions they say,
While teachers and nurses exist on low pay.
It's time for a change in the way that we're ruled,
Too long we've been sponged on, too long we've been fooled
       So up the Republic, it's time to complain
       And no British monarch shall over us reign.
       Yes! up the Republic, it's time to complain
       And no British monarch shall over us reign.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 06:41 AM

Roll on the revolution.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy
From: Jack Campin
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 09:39 AM

The monarchy is a bargain compared with this:

Nuclear weapons

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy
From: Jim McLean
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 10:13 AM

Quite agree, Jack, although two wrongs don't make a right. Our campaign against nuclear subs began in 1960 with the Ding Dong Dollar songs but maybe it's time to up the anti.....

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 11:40 AM

Many countries have "ceremonial" heads of state, whose duties include the following: if there is a stalemate in the legislative process, with parties deeply entrenched by their public propaganda, the head of state summons the protagonists and proposes some barely face-saving compromise, to which the propagandists can then add "Out of respect for the institution of head of state, ...". This function has proved successful in many cases and was then worth every million, but failed miserably in the current crisis in Britain, with trillions at stake. In Tory language, "respect" no longer rhymes with "monarchy", not even pro-forma, but with "The Referendum" as decreed by His Majesty The Cameron and interpreted differently by each faction of courtiers. Truly foolish.

(I wonder whether a more agile monarch than the Queen may have saved the situation; quite possible. A ceremonial president may or may not have more moral authority; that depends on the political culture of the country.)

Make two more verses out of this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy
From: Jim McLean
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 11:56 AM

I think, Grishka, that would be a different song. I don't think an unelected head of state whose position was determined purely by being born into it has the moral or political right to interfere with the affairs of state.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 12:28 PM

Jim, I am certainly not a monarchist, and I do not want anyone unelected to interfere by overriding the democratic procedures. My point is about building ladders to get the protagonists down their trees when they already know that they need to compromise but do not want to be caught breaking their promises or removing their "red lines".

In rare cases, a person of undisputed personal authority, typically a religious leader or a retired statesman, can do the job. A ceremonial head of state will have added authority from that office, however obtained. The disadvantage of a president elected directly by the people is that his "purely ceremonial" character may be questioned, causing similar conflicts as The Referendum counteracting the actual majorities in Parliament. Countries like Germany and Italy elect their presidents "half-democratically", and in these two countries the effect I described is known to have worked to the satisfaction of most parties - though probably not as often as one would ideally hope for.

The song verses I am thinking of could have the gist "Where were they when we needed them?". Before regretting the millions of pounds, think of the trillions and the future of legislation.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cost of the monarchy
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 12:51 PM

My poem "AFTER PSALM 118:9 AND MATTHEW 4:8-10"