OT: Strange future for down-under?

Loser · #1 July 17th, 2003, 02:11 PM

Or redicoulous, rediculous future works too.

I'm guessing the Postal Code would be OZ.

[ July 17, 2003, 14:22: Message edited by: Loser ]

Erax · #2 July 17th, 2003, 04:15 PM

It isn't that ridiculous if you think about it. Hawaii and Alaska are states and they're non-contiguous with the other 48 states. Texas was an independent, sovereign nation before joining. There is no language barrier. Cultural differences are not a barrier (see Hawaii again). The US allows plenty of latitude in its state laws, so local legislation is not much of a barrier.

It's comes down to holding a national referendum and asking everyone, 'do we or don't we' ?

Loser · #3 July 17th, 2003, 04:37 PM

Hawai'i is small and was taken from another Country (Spain I think, unless you count the Hawai'ian Monarchy). Alaska is sparsely populated and has been the territory of someone distant for a long time. Texas, as a country, was founded by Americans who really just wanted to take the land for Mexico (or was it New Spain at that time?) so that doesn't make a good parallel.

Add to this Australia's isolationist immigration laws, usage of the Metric System, Socialist government (compared to the U.S. anyway), and whole mess of other laws that differ widely from U.S. Federal Law and you have a long and awkward digestion process.

Not to say it isn't possible, but it sure would be uncomfortable.

[ July 17, 2003, 19:41: Message edited by: Loser ]

geoschmo · #4 July 17th, 2003, 04:51 PM

Right, this will happen.

If it does we should insist they set their clock at least to Hawaii time. It's bad enough that Hawii is hours behind everyone else in the country, the state of Australia being a day behind would be just wrong. You guys have your summers and winters mixed up anyway, whats the big deal if you have you days and nights mixed up too.

Geoschmo

Thermodyne · #5 July 17th, 2003, 05:10 PM

Well from what I have seen, it could happen, given the right catalyst. But it would be a long shot. I have family that are Australian citizens, and they would like me to move down under. After a few weeks down under, I was glad to be back up over. America is a mess, but Australia is well on the road to being a second tier third world nation. A free trade agreement with the UsofA would help them a lot, but distance will limit the amount of income that will be created. IMHO based on my observations, Australia is two countries joined by a common government. On one hand you have the cities and on the other hand you have the vast rural areas. And both compete for limited resources. The cities are nice, but the standard of living is not what it is in the US. And in the country, the gap is even wider. If it were not for the low cost of living, people would be complaining very loudly. And if they were voted into the US, it would be as four or five states prolly, not one. That would give them 8 to 10 senators and 25 to 75 congressmen depending on population. Washington will think long and hard about bringing that many new votes into the game that is national politics here in DC. In the climate as it is today, I don�t see Australia being allowed in. It would take a shake up along the lines of a world war or planet wide disaster/event to alter this.

Loser · #6 July 17th, 2003, 05:45 PM

Well, I don't remember the exact rule for House of Representatives. California has a population around thirty-five million, and has around fifty-three Congressional Districts. Australia has, as a whole, a population under twenty million, so if the proportion is simply the same Australia would end up with thirty representatives. Not exactly a powerful bloc, but a bloc nonetheless.

And would the Australian political parties join an already established American political party, or would they just support a U.S. party on national issues (like presidential campaigns, Federal Bills, or Federal Court Justices) as it suited them?