To think the USA and UK should become 1 country

[FortyDoorsToNowhere]

As the title says.

I think it should happen, not sure why exactly other than to pool out resources.

[TucsonGirl]

I don;t even think the US will be a country in 50 years time, no way should we join. We should be an independent country, not part of any superstate whether USA or USE.

[Rainbunny]

Hell no. I live in the USA and the more years I spend here the bigger the cultural differences I notice between Americans and Brits, particularly in the past five years. We may appear to be similar countries but the USA is quite different. I have zero trust in the American government, the entire country is ran by corporate interests. There are virtually no members of congress who aren't millionaires in their own right and there are no effective limits on lobbying by Corporations. Then there's the "individualist" character that Americans' are proud of. What that really means in my experience is that people should expect to take care of themselves, anything approaching a community based solution (which means administered by government) for example healthcare, well that's practically communism in the minds of many Americans. When the Affordable Healthcare Act was debated there were Republican rallies where people would cheer at the mention of a young man dying of brain cancer because he had no health insurance, yes actually cheer! Then's there maternity leave, or lack thereof. The USA is the last country in the developed world to not have any paid maternity leave, you can only get up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave if your company is large enough to fall under the federal statute covering this. I'd take Britain anyday (I'd be back in the UK in a heartbeat if I didn't love my American Husband so much.)

I have some amazing friends here, and I have enjoyed many aspects of my time here but the longer I stay here the more I miss Europe and European values.

[lljkk]

ZOMBIE THREAD only awoken by spammers.

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

We have basic health care in the US. It is by no means non-existent. Our system is flawed certainly, but the Affordable Care Act will remedy some of the flaws if the Obama-haters give it a chance to work.

[Lanabelle]

Hell no

[cosmicstardust]

I am American. I love the UK, but no way in hell would I want to become one country. The UK would end up being a state within the US anyway with some of its own laws and some controlled by Washington, which, as I understand it, is what many in the UK want to get away from in leaving the EU. Canada and the US are actually bordering one another and don't have enough in common to become one country, merging the US with the UK would be ridiculous.

[Mya2403]

Hell NO!. Lax gun controls high crime rate.Non existence of basic health care. We have enough problems of our own to deal with. Don't even get.me started on the tea party and abortion laws etc.

[Brabra]

The biggest difference I have noticed is that Americans take life far too seriously, they don't have half as much fun as we Brits do. I miss the sense of humour in the UK, and the sense of fun!

[Brabra]

MinnesotaNice, your amazing US healthcare gave you a
"Single, ensuite room post-delivery
Lovely food
Cable TV
Epidural within 30 minutes of requesting it (which still let me be mobile)
Extensive support to assist with breastfeeding
DH could stay overnight on a pull-out sofa"

Many people don't want a highly medicalised birth though. And as for your husband staying the night, I was allowed to go home...to my own bed, with the midwives coming out to visit me. The NHS is so much better than anything I have ever experienced in the US and I have been here far longer than I planned.

[oohdaddypig]

I will take your scenery. And wildlife. And your "can do" attitude.

Your attitude to guns terrifies me. That alone puts me off ever making a move there with the DCs.

The NHS is bust right now. There is a lot the UK gets wrong but I honestly think it offers far more opportunity than the "Land of the Free".

[CarbeDiem]

Only allowing myself to type - YABVVVVVU op
I don't want to join to America

[LithaR]

As long as we get some pumpkin pie and twinkies, not signing up without the treats lol

[PrincessBabyCat]

Americans are without question friendlier than Brits.

Eh... We're only friendly in the southern states. There's nothing like southern hospitality. Midwest is pretty friendly and polite. West coast is full of flakes. East coast isn't very friendly at all.

[PrincessBabyCat]

No. We threw your tea in the harbor and booted your ass out for a reason.

Sorry, but your health care makes me cringe. 9 weeks waiting for an MRI, no calling offices to ask doctor's opinions, needing referrals to see specialists, mh and everything else always being on file no matter where you go, having to share a room in the hospital... yuck. No thanks.

Ours may be expensive if you don't buy insurance, but it's being reformed so that everyone is able to buy insurance if they need it. It's not perfect, but we're working on it.

[SoleSource]

[mathanxiety]

I have (cross my heart) never once seen any sign asking me to report suspicious activity anywhere in a huge and very cold midwestern city that boasts a subway and extensive rail system and two airports. OTOH, London in the early 80s was almost a fortress with signs everywhere. I also had the experience of travelling through Northern Ireland to Donegal from Dublin during the 80s; being stopped in Enniskillen to allow fully armed soldiers walk through the coach and stare at all the passengers makes TSE rudeness pale into insignificance. (And good Lord, they really are incredibly brusque and rude, and there is absolutely no reason for it).

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

Keatsie

right to roam generally in UK

Scotland

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

I agree the right to roam is great. Last year we were in Scotland and went pretty far off the beaten path in various rural areas. We were on roads that looked more like private driveways, and several times had to open and close gates as we progressed (and wait until the sheep moved off the road). One of our group of four was convinced that we were trespassing and that we would be confronted by a farmer with a shotgun.

I recall that Donald Trump was a bit shocked to learn about the right to roam relative to his fancy new golf development.

[2014meh]

OP

Are you on glue ?

Enough said.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Americans are without question friendlier than Brits.

I'd question that - its down to the individuals you happen to meet. We found it really hard to get to know anyone when we lived in the US - before kids or internet, they'd have helped I'm sure - other than colleagues. Sure, you get to first names quicker and more people say hi but beyond that superficial level not significantly different.

[spamm]

Crowley - I suppose we have a different approach to things then. I figure that there are tons of morons everywhere, but they do not necessarily represent the heart of any country. There are certainly tons in the UK!

And I do not recognize the Homeland Security argument, but then I was brought up in Europe and Africa, the threat of terrorism was a big part of our lives (Brigate Rosse in Rome, IRA in London and across the UK, the civil war in Mozambique...) so the US certainly seems incredibly laid back to me on that front. Immigration and customs used to be HELL, but it is improving all the time, despite the odd hiccup, and I find general administration reasonable good: you just have to figure out how things work, as it is so very different to the UK or Switzerland.

The big thing for me was that I underestimated how culturally different the two countries are, but I am coming to appreciate it more every day.

[happytalk13]

I remember commercials on the radio about getting the general public to be aware of suspicious activity.

Bins in the UK - I've seen plenty - might be different in London - didn't take enough notice last time I was there.

Dogs - I wish the UK had similar leash laws to the USA and dog owners seem to be more considerate in the USA too though I do not miss the constant barking in both the neighbourhoods I lived in - drove me nuts.

I miss deer in my garden! We had 7 all at once on day and spookily they all looked around at me looking through the window at the exact same time!

My cat got out and I didn't notice in time - I found his head and shoulders on the field :(

People are very friendly but I never got a chance to truly settle in one place and make really good friends. Having said that I also found drivers generally more aggressive and on occasions obnoxious and intimidating - and I am not easily intimidated when behind the wheel.

All being said and done though the two countries would not mix - at all. I really don't think it would work.