Pixar's "Cars" is just like NASCAR

[Felch]

It's the monarch's flag. Embrace republicanism, and get a real flag.

[ricketyclik]

It's the monarch's flag. Embrace republicanism, and get a real flag.

I'm with you there Felch, as are a majority of Australians. The problem is, we're split about what form the Republic should take - directly elected head of state, or keeping something like what we've got and having a figurehead appointed by a bipartisan committee or some such.

Personally I'm in favour of just eliminating both, and having the majority party in parliament rule, with their leader our head of state. It's pretty much what we effectively have now, and it generally works pretty well. It's just the symbolic tie to England and the monarchy I'd like to get rid of.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's the monarch's flag. Embrace republicanism, and get a real flag.

Why? It's a part of our heritage. I live in British Columbia for God's sake.

[Zevico]

Viva la constitutional monarchy; viva la G-G!

[ricketyclik]

Viva la constitutional monarchy; viva la G-G!

Oh yeah, we've got a few of those throwbacks as well.

[Zevico]

Oh yeah, we've got a few of those throwbacks as well.

'Throwback' implies conservatism or tradition as a basis for support for constitutional monarchy. That, of course, is not a good reason to support it.

The sheer senselessness of the republic/constitutional monarchy debate is demonstrated by the pointless division between advocates for varying forms of government among the republican movement. The republican/constitutional monarchy issue is entirely separate to (and practically irrelevant to) the question of how our government should be set up. We could, for example, just as easily have the same system as we do now under a republican model. Given that the PM currently appoints the GG, we may simple replace the words "GG" with "President," and retain a fully functional system.

The real consequence of our announcement of "independence" is that we will spend a lot of time and money redesigning logos and name tags. The Royal Australian Navy will become the Australian Navy, and so on, with all the attendant costs of replacement. Nothing else will come of it, so I see no reason to support it.

[ricketyclik]

How about the facts that there is a Union Jack dominating our flag, an Englander is our head of state, and other countries perceive us to be an English colony?

[Zevico]

How about the facts that there is a Union Jack dominating our flag

Why does this matter to you enough to have the government design a new flag and then order thousands of copies of the new flag at great expense?

If it were a simple choice, with no pointless financial spending, I wouldn't mind a republic. But it irks me that we should spend money for nothing. What are we pointing out to someone else by this? Our ability to spend pointlessly? Is that the hallmark of independence? What a step forward for Australian democracy.

an Englander is our head of state

Only in the notional sense. The G-G exercises all of her powers, and the G-G is appointed by the PM. So apart from the fact that her image features on our coins, she's irrelevant.

and other countries perceive us to be an English colony?

I've always heard this from Australian republicans but I've never met or heard of any foreigners ignorant enough to believe this. Who, exactly, are these "other countries"? This is the most trivial argument in favour of "republicanism" I have ever heard.

Again I ask: why is a "republic" worth spending a fortune over, other than some bizarre Australian nationalistic insecurity? And--far more importantly--why would anyone make a movie that features talking cars having romances with one another?

[Zevico]

In fact, here's a solution--insert the following clauses into the constitution:

1. The Queen may not exercise any of the powers of the Governor-General.
2. The Governor-General is appointed at the discretion of the Prime Minister for a term of (x--say 6) years.
3. The Governor-General may exercise all of the powers that were vested in the Queen prior to this referendum without her consent or advice.

There you have it: a codification of the current system, de facto independence, all at no other cost than an additional ballot paper at the next election. Personally, I see no reason to codify it, but at least it will be cheaper than the pointlessness of the independence movement.

[Dauphin]

It will happen when the Queen dies.

[Cort Haus]

And here in Australia most of us are trying to get the UJ out of our flag.

It's very simple. Just get rid of the ****ing Queen. I wish we could.

[Cort Haus]

On topic. I thought Cars was better than I'd been expecting.

They're tin-top racing cars. In the US these race round ovals and the series is called NASCAR. Elsewhere they race round road-courses (as the US calls them) and are called Touring Cars.

How someone can complain about a US, child-oriented animated film about a racing car resembling the prominent US racing series is beyond me.

[MrFun]

Like Toy Story, I thought it would be a character-based morality tale. Toy Story was good, this featured NASCAResque races and commentary. For the first 2 minutes. After which I switched it off.

You don't know what you're talking about. Back when Cars was in the theater (how far behind are you in movies, anyway?) I watched the entire movie.

It most certainly IS a character-based morality story. You made a judgment about an entire movie without watching it.

[Elok]

On topic. I thought Cars was better than I'd been expecting.

They're tin-top racing cars. In the US these race round ovals and the series is called NASCAR. Elsewhere they race round road-courses (as the US calls them) and are called Touring Cars.

How someone can complain about a US, child-oriented animated film about a racing car resembling the prominent US racing series is beyond me.

NASCAR is...well, it's different. For one thing, it's hella boring unless something goes very wrong and a car crashes, in which case people get their jollies watching a guy burn to death. Otherwise, they just go around in circles forever, which sucks. NASCAR is also the favored sport of redne--er, red-staters, who in their NASCAR-going incarnation are somehow even more embarrassing than your soccer/football hooligans. Those Budweiser-swilling fatties out to stick to punkin-chunkin'. Most other Americans really don't care for the sport.

WRT Australia, I never even knew they still had the Queen on their currency (do Aussies know whose face is on our $20 bill, without Google?), and I was fully cognizant that they are an independent country. A former colony, sure, and specifically a prison colony. I'm aware that they still have some problems with dingos eating babies, and I heard from an Australian student at my college that some of the aborigines still wallow in drunken squalor like many of our natives do. That's about it.

[ricketyclik]

I've always heard this from Australian republicans but I've never met or heard of any foreigners ignorant enough to believe this. Who, exactly, are these "other countries"? This is the most trivial argument in favour of "republicanism" I have ever heard.

Ever travelled in Asia? I'm frequently asked "Why haven't you gained your independence yet?".

It's funny to be accused of being a nationalist. In other areas I'm really not. It's just that I can't stand being identified as English when I have never even been there.