To think the US needs an equivalent of the House of Lords and the honours system?

[KarlosKKrinkelbeim]

In this country, when pompous egomaniacal businessmen get bored of business and feel an urge to "contribute" to public life we can just shove an ermine robe at them and let them hang out in the h of p til the novelty wears off. In the us they have to run for president.
To those calling for the abolition of the upper house - be careful what you wish for!

[0phelia]

America does have an upper house, the difference is they are elected. Our house of lords bullshit old boy's network (A hangover from Freemasons) needs to go.
We need an elected second chamber as a matter of urgency.

[KarlosKKrinkelbeim]

Clearly not the day for being flippant.
The House of Lords does not originate with freemasonry.

[Bluebolt]

Would rather have the senate than the HOL. The HOL is a beast that constantly needs feeding, changes in government leads to honours to stack in a party's favour in a continuous cycle.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

YY. Having two elected houses is a much better system than ours. US system generally works quite well as long as people bother voting (v low turnout in this election as both options were shit) and as long as the population as a whole has some modicum of common sense.

[KarlosKKrinkelbeim]

But imagine if the head of the Republican Party could have tapped trump on the shoulder and said look old chap, no need to worry about all this getting elected business, we can get you in the legislature and you can have a dead cat to wear on your body to match the one on your head.
It's conceivable that none of this mess would ever have come about.

[ajandjjmum]

Maybe today isn't the day for discussing the benefits of an elected House.

[ajandjjmum]

OP - I think you have a good point!

[KarlosKKrinkelbeim]

I am being flippant here but at the same time one does wonder if the h of l doesn't in fact perform a valuable function in diverting wealthy bored egomaniacs from attempts to gain genuine power .....

[DurhamDurham]

diverting wealthy bored egomaniacs from attempts to gain genuine power

That's exactly what the H of L does, it gives unelected people real power and influence.

[BicycleRider]

OMFG. do you even know why there is an elected house and senate in the US? BECAUSE OF ALL THE UNELECTED POLITICIANS IN ENGLAND. Do your fucking homework.

[newyorker74]

im with you. give them somewhere they can go and do as little damage as possible...