I'm supposed to be impressed with Queen Elizabeth's milestone?

[Atman]

Longest-serving monarch (except Victoria). Wow.

I think if I was a gazillionaire who lived off the public, yet had absolutely no responsibility other than to show up at fancy dinners, or apologize for my asshole children every now and then, then I might "serve" my people for over 60 years as well.

Oh well. She lives on while we're still stuck with Mitch McConnell. I guess there are trade-offs.

[hifiguy]

1. The Royal Family is harmless

and Liz would legally have to sign her own death warrant if the parilamentary procedure was correct.

The royals and their castles are a good tourist attraction and an interesting anachronism.

[MADem]

2. I'm impressed--and I am not a particular fan of "monarchy"--even "tourism monarchy."

She's spent a lifetime waving her country's flag, acting in a play that pleases a number of customers, and she's adapted her role and the script to suit changing times.

If the people want her out, they'll let her know.

Good on her--Auguri, Lisabetta--many more!

[Historic NY]

3. She does play an active role in the government far beyond what most actually think...

The extent of the Queen and Prince Charles's secretive power of veto over new laws has been exposed after Downing Street lost its battle to keep information about its application secret.

Whitehall papers prepared by Cabinet Office lawyers show that overall at least 39 bills have been subject to the most senior royals' little-known power to consent to or block new laws. They also reveal the power has been used to torpedo proposed legislation relating to decisions about the country going to war.

The internal Whitehall pamphlet was only released following a court order and shows ministers and civil servants are obliged to consult the Queen and Prince Charles in greater detail and over more areas of legislation than was previously understood.

The new laws that were required to receive the seal of approval from the Queen or Prince Charles cover issues from higher education and paternity pay to identity cards and child maintenance.

In one instance the Queen completely vetoed the Military Actions Against Iraq Bill in 1999, a private member's bill that sought to transfer the power to authorise military strikes against Iraq from the monarch to parliament

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jan/14/secret-papers-royals-veto-bills

[Mika]

5. A dictator for longer than Castro. lol

Ella ...

[ryan_cats]

45. Castro was a dictator?

Castro was a dictator? I thought he was a benevolent El-jefe?

[cwydro]

4. I'm very impressed with Queen Elizabeth.

She's been working an amazingly difficult job for more years than most people even live.

I'm a fan, and oh yes, I would take her over turtle face any day. Wait. Let me retract that because I love turtles.

[LittleBlue]

6. Meh. She is just a caged animal

The monarchy have no real power anymore, none that they can politically exercise anyway.

They serve no purpose beyond a spectacle for the masses, like the chimpanzees at the zoo.

[jberryhill]

7. Is someone trying to impress you with it?

It's the 60th anniversary of her father's death. I'm sure she's just whooping it up over that.

[Atman]

14. Actually, yes.

I just listened to a long-winded, glowing, fawning, drooling-over-themselves report on how awesome The Queen is and all of the "hard work" she has done. Hard work? Seriously? I'd like to see the callouses on her hands. She does NOTHING but wave at people and give speeches, while being millions of dollars by the taxpayers.

I'm not impressed. Give me that kind of gig and I promise I can also do nothing for sixty years and look swell while dining on one of my 400' yachts.

[jberryhill]

19. Ah, you would have done well by not listening to it

I had a similar experience recently when I pushed a rusty knitting needle deep into my ear. It hurt like hell.

[herding cats]

30. She is 89 years old.

I don't know many people that age with callouses on their hands.

She, nor any of the monarchy, are America's burden to bear for the past 239 years.

If she gets some press for surviving to such a major milestone in their history, it's going to be an international event. If that bother's you change the channel or close the webpage and just move on. Problem solved.

[Dont call me Shirley]

8. She is the head of "The Firm"

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. She actually was a mechanic during WW II

and her kids have not ducked military service.

They have a lot of issues, but when their nation called, they did answer. (Unlike a few of our current leaders... and that includes well, Trump...)

[Atman]

15. Her kids did not serve in the same military as everyone else's kids.

No way, shape or form. They were just more PR for the monarchy.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. I am sorry but they did

they have a lot of privileges, but they did.

And I am not a fan of the monarchy but I can recognize that.

Have a good one. And by the way, BRITISH Citizens, for the most part, do like her. I am not sure about Charles, but they do like her. And it is their ISSUE.

Have a good day, another OP to trash.

[Byronic]

34. You are quite right.

Both Prince William and Prince Harry served in the military. As did Prince Andrew, Prince Charles, and, of course, Prince Philip is a decorated WWII veteran. There is no avoiding that fact.

There are fewer republicans in the UK today, percentage wise, than when Queen Victoria was on the throne. That has to be a testament to the job done by Elizabeth II.

The monarchy is there until the people no longer want it. That is understood by all. There is no tyranny there. The approval rating is through the roof.

Now, whether there are, these days, more 'Queen-ists' or 'Elizabeth-ists' than monarchists, will be tested at some point.

[Logical]

25. Proof? nt

[smirkymonkey]

17. Face it, they have done a lot more military and actual public service than most of

our cowardly, self serving politicians have ever done.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. I know, I think you need to tell that to the OP

[smirkymonkey]

22. Sorry, I mean't that to be supportive, not to be snarky.

I apologize if that came off the wrong way.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Not a problem

[FrodosPet]

10. Someone is asking you to be impressed with Queen Elizabeth's longevity?

Did you get an email or phone call? How did they word it?

"Atman, you better be impressed with Queen Elizabeth's longevity, or else!"

Was the conversation something like that?

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. This^

Gosh, I cannot STAND threads that begin like that.

[WinkyDink]

11. There is no "except Victoria." EII is it. Period.

[lunamagica]

13. Well, I didn't know that every time the Queen enters a checkered-floor room

she has to walk in a straight line or diagonally. It's protocol.

I'm impressed

[jberryhill]

21. After Paul McCartney was knighted...

...he had a hard time adjusting to that sidestep every three paces.

[AngryAmish]

16. My youth

[Bluenorthwest]

24. I'm old enough to be impressed and even encouraged by a person of 88 who is active as she is

The Queen had 393 official engagements in 2014 " They included 18 engagements abroad during a day trip to see the Pope and Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano in Rome and a State visit to France that included the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings."
http://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/549762/2015-Queen-breaking-records-all-eyes-Prince-William-Princess-Middleton-next-royal-birth

Her job is actually full of duties. She does not dig ditches, and we Americans are not Monarchists but she's rather old and quite busy and I see no need to pretend otherwise.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

44. Yeah if I'm going to inherit wealth, I'd rather it not be through the monarchy

She lives in a very, very luxurious prison, and works more for her wealth than any other person who has inherited their money.

She's served her country with dignity, and a lot of Brits love her for it. So be it.

Long live the queen!

[Boudica the Lyoness]

26. When most people have long retired, she's still working.

You seem totally ignorant of her duties.

BTW She's served longer than Queen Victoria.

I love the woman and proud to say she is my Queen.

And she's still riding horses at 90 years old!

[840high]

32. I am very fond of her. Admire her.

[Jamastiene]

27. Psst! Be nice about her accomplishment and maybe we can trade McConnell

for her. It would be a good trade, for us.

[mackerel]

28. I guess for some it doesn't take much to be impressed.

[yeoman6987]

29. The Queen is awesome. Works harder the most people at her age

England gets a ton of tourism moneies from her. They probably should pay her more. If not for the Queen, England would not be near as strong a country as they are. Long live the queen!

[Snobblevitch]

31. Who is telling you that you are supposed to be impressed by Queen Elizabeth's milestone?

[DemocraticWing]

33. Elizabeth herself may be a take it or leave it monarch

But monarchy of any kind is awful and ridiculously inequitable, especially one as colonial and repressive as the British one. I feel for the people of the UK (and the former British Empire) who have suffered far too long under the boot heels of monarchist tyrants.

Thankfully the United States rid ourselves of that wretched system in 1776.

[cwydro]

37. No one is suffering under the "boot heels of monarchist tyrants."

LMAO. You obviously know nothing about the present day system of government in England.

[Byronic]

38. Help!

Help! Help! I'm being repressed!

[cwydro]

39. Lol...my entire family is in a dungeon even as I write,

and here I am thousands of miles away unable to assist!

[Atman]

42. It was quite obviously sarcasm.

Poster forgot the tag. I'd like to think no one really thought it was a serious response, but then again...this IS Democratic Underground. It's what we DU here.

[romanic]

41. I think monarchies are cool.

Not as a government of course but just the whole imagery of a royal dynasty in a castle lording over parties and jousts and stuff like that. :3

[ileus]

35. As an American you're not required to be impressed with the UK.

[Atman]

36. I didn't use the word "required"

You can always count on a certain type of DUer to get their knickers in a twist over their own perceived meaning of a single word regardless of context or usage. If I had indeed asked if I should be required to be impressed, these people might have a point. But we often use "supposed to" when saying things like "Children are supposed to have time to play!" Sorry, there is no law requiring play time. And, obviously (or it should be obvious), I do not feel statutorily obliged in any way to be impressed by the queen of England. It was just a thought which I found kind of humorous after listening to an American news anchor tell me, in no uncertain terms, that Queen Mum was perhaps the greatest thing ever to happen in the world.

Those DU language police may now return to their regularly scheduled outrage.

[Byronic]

43. The Queen Mum

Just a tiny nitpick but the Queen Mum died in 2002. It was her daughter that your news anchor implored you to worship.

Not that the Queen Mum was a bad egg either, though.

[SouthernProgressive]

40. "I'm supposed to be impressed with Queen Elizabeth's milestone?"

Not that I'm aware of.