[insignificant]

I know, a completely ridiculously hypothetical question. But if/when we have a referendum on the EU and if/when the nation voted to be out of the EU, do you think people would rather we became a part of America? In terms of distance away from America, we aren't so far away from mainland America as Hawaii is away from America.

Discuss

This is only a hypothetical question, its not something I believe in, why am I being negged...

[ConnorB]

Well when you mean "part" do you mean like a state? If so, then flat out no. The irony of it all is too much.

However, I definitely think we should embrace the "Special Relationship" more.

If we were to exit the EU, I certainly think that we would strengthen ties with Australia, Canada, USA, NZ and India. Old habits die hard right?

[megan.c]

No.

The two countries are radically different. Pretty much nothing is the same - education, healthcare, laws on abortion, culture, fashion all differ more than most people admit.

It would never be feasible, and I would think the more sensible, and hopefully more sizeable, portion of the UK wouldn't stand for it.

[gladders]

America and Britain are as different from each other as Britain and Europe are.

[Snagprophet]

We ought to have a strong relationship with Canada, the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the Commonwealth. I don't see why people think we must be in the EU to have a relationship with Europe and also that we can only prioritise one relationship, being with Europe.

[internetguru]

(Original post by megan.c)
No.

The two countries are radically different. Pretty much nothing is the same - education, healthcare, laws on abortion, culture, fashion all differ more than most people admit.

It would never be feasible, and I would think the more sensible, and hopefully more sizeable, portion of the UK wouldn't stand for it.

The same is true between the states of the US. Healthcare laws are different, abortion laws are different, culture is different and fashion is different.

[megan.c]

(Original post by internetguru)
The same is true between the states of the US. Healthcare laws are different, abortion laws are different, culture is different and fashion is different.

True, but their currency, system of measurement and plug sockets are the same.

[aarora]

I hope so, just so I can enjoy some American food

[Joe911]

Absolutely no way!
If we voted ourselves out of the EU, who in their right mind would want us to become part of America?

[AspiringGenius]

(Original post by gladders)
America and Britain are as different from each other as Britain and Europe are.

I see what you did there

OP: No, just look at US politics, much further right than us, and less liberal. I know as a state we would have the license to decide laws, but I feel the people of the UK wouldn't take well to ebign part of a country where capital punishment is acceptable and abortion isnt.

[A Mysterious Lord]

I'd like to see Britain strengthen its links with the Commonwealth rather than leave one union to join another.

We would achieve a larger market for our exports that way, which is supposed to be what joining the EU was about in the first place.

[Psyk]

Well for one thing, the United Kingdom couldn't be part of the USA. I believe royal titles are against the US constitution, so Britain would have to become a republic first.

There's probably also a lot of British laws that would be unconstitutional. I think it would be hard for Britain to join the USA and have any kind of continuity with Britain as it is now.

The political opinion in Britain is also vastly different. Just look at the ****storm over in the USA about Obamacare. A lot of people there are strongly against universal health care paid by the state, but in this country most people would consider it unthinkable to not have universal health care.

Would the USA even want us? Britain is physically quite small compared to a lot of US states, but we'd be the most populous by quite a long way. And we'd have the biggest economy. We'd actually have quite a lot of influence, so Americans may not like that.

[Snagprophet]

(Original post by Psyk)
Would the USA even want us? Britain is physically quite small compared to a lot of US states, but we'd be the most populous by quite a long way. And we'd have the biggest economy. We'd actually have quite a lot of influence, so Americans may not like that.

I'd compare Great Britain to California. in terms of wealth, population and size

[@Sam]

I agree with the stance of aligning ourselves more with the Commonwealth, it is amazing to think that there are millions of people in Papua New Guinea who still willingly serve the Queen that are living in poverty and recieve less aid that non-Commonwealth countries. We should be looking after our own first especially as their problems are usually sourced from British mistakes in the past, we should not look at those mistakes of other European nations.

[rocket0612]

This thread is the most ludicrous thread I have ever read.

[Aphotic Cosmos]

(Original post by Snagprophet)
I'd compare Great Britain to California. in terms of wealth, population and size

The UK has a population about 25m people larger than California. If we joined as a single state we would be by far the largest and most influential state in the union. Even if the constituent countries joined individually, England would still rocket to number 1 and Scotland and Wales would be in the 20-30s in the rankings. This is important because the size of state electoral colleges (a system so impossibly retarded for picking a head of state that we should automatically disregard any notion of joining the US based on that alone), and the number of congressional representatives, is determined by population size. Frankly I don't think we should ever seriously consider joining the United States - things like the NHS would be under threat. The EU is a much better alternative if we want to actually keep some of our history as part of a larger union; the EU puts a lot of stock into promoting national traditions, preserving cuisine and recognising European minority languages. European nations would just be better off with a European rather than American government.

[MagicNMedicine]

(Original post by Aphotic Cosmos)
The UK has a population about 25m people larger than California. If we joined as a single state we would be by far the largest and most influential state in the union.

Yes and we would end up paying a net subsidy to subsidise the less well off states.

[Aphotic Cosmos]

(Original post by MagicNMedicine)
Yes and we would end up paying a net subsidy to subsidise the less well off states.

Right, something I forgot to mention. Seriously, there is no benefit for us whatsoever in joining the US, and it would be a disaster for our way of life. But we would be politically influential just when considering the numbers game.

[MagicNMedicine]

(Original post by Aphotic Cosmos)
Right, something I forgot to mention. Seriously, there is no benefit for us whatsoever in joining the US, and it would be a disaster for our way of life. But we would be politically influential just when considering the numbers game.

I doubt we would be politically influential because our way of life is so different to pretty much every other state in the USA, so biggest or not, we wouldn't be able to exert ourselves over them.

Also imagine how gutted our athletes would be, which ones of them would get in the US team? Although for football it would be good as we'd play in an easy qualifying group for the World Cup and Klinsmann would be our manager.

[Psyk]

(Original post by Snagprophet)
I'd compare Great Britain to California. in terms of wealth, population and size

Yes, that's the closest comparison. But in terms of population, GB has about 20 million more people. In terms of physical size, California is significantly larger. GDP is quite similar.