What are Brits missing?

No. There IS a government here. Tony Blair? Parliament?

http://www.britannia.com/gov/gov2.html = the British law making system. Might be something useful to read.

England is a constitutional monarchy - the queen is a titular head. She doesn't wield political power. People elect members of parliament to represent the district in which they live - just like you elect a Congressman.

And trust me, no one is going to come after you if you say you're not wild about Tony Blair. Or the Queen for that matter. And the media is quite free to say what they think too. There are a variety of newspapers that reflect lots of different opinions and political stances and they're all legally published.  

As for prices, I have 100% stopped converting in my head. I think that's just a way to make yourself insane. Besides, for me that was a big part of assimilating - I'm in the UK, these are UK prices reflective of living here. If I was still living off of my American money that would be different, but I'm not.

Exactly what I wanted to say......you have to stop thinking of it in terms of conversion. If you pay £1 for a bottle of pop here you are gonna pay a $1 there........You will get more for you money going from £ to $ at the moment cause of the exchage rate. If I sold my house here and paid everything off........I would be able to buy my dream home in the states........

We toy with the idea of moving all the time.......but things like pensions...health insurance..and things like make us pause a moment. I watch FOX news alot and there was a guy on there the other day that said Americans are living on average 23 years after they retire......and that you needed to starting some kind of retirement plan in your 20's to be able to save enuf money for retirement. He figured that each American "EACH" needed to have any where between  $500,000 to 850,000 saved up by the time they retired to live in almost the same comfort they were use to. This isn't counting any pensions or 401K's.

David has a great government pension here. I know that life in the US would be good. I do miss alot of the conveniences. But I have adapted..well almost.

I can do without Walmarts...I can do without 18 different kinds of cola..and I can do without the things that America entices you with. What I can't do without is when I feel at my lowest...which is alot lately.......the feeling I get when David holds me and I feel like I'm in my haven and nothing or nobody can get at me....it doesn't matter whatever happens he loves me..and after my life to have someone that loves ME unconditionally is worth any kinds of sacrifice I may have to give. Doesn't keep me from yearning and missing the hell out of things but it is worth it.

Hmmm - but don't the monarchy control the people ?

Hope these questions aren't strange - just working through things....

Thanx for everyone's replies - great forum 

The Monarchy controlling people - they can't even control themselves Sorry, not laughing AT you, but this is funny- someone has given you a very strange idea of how political power is yielded over here.  Have you ever read any of our famous "red tops"? Here is one:http://www.thesun.co.uk/section/0,,2,00.html

Can I just ask you if the info you have is from your English partner here?

The Monarchy is really only a figurehead,  a tradition of sorts.  Whilst they might be able to sway some people's opinion on matters of the state, my guess is that their level of influence is fairly low.  Most of the British people I know, joke that I as an American care more about what the Monarchy do that they would.  

The houses of Parliament and the Prime minister are the bodies of government which control what laws are enacted and subsequently repealed.  The members of parliament are elected, in a similar manner to the members of congress in the US.  Just like back home in the US, valid citizens of the UK have a voice in electing their government representatives.  

As for speaking out against the government, the same freedom's of speech apply in the UK.  There is an area in London called Speakers Corner which is famous for the free speech it has encouraged throughout the years.  Quick search came up with this on a travel website.  http://www.travellondon.com/templates/attractions/gallery_Speakerscorner.html
I have found the brits very open to political debates and not once did we have to talk through a hushed whisper in a back alley, afraid that the police would come and drag us away.  

Can you be a bit more specific about what area youre in what differences your partner might be concerned about?

Hi New-Dawn

I think our discussions started over when he was here and saying US wasn't so internationally minded - which I agreed with then. I think he said it because of the lack of news he could get while here - hotel gave USA Today, CNN not the same here etc etc. And we met up with some friends of mine and they had an English friend staying over who commented on how many flags we have here which started a discussion too. After visiting State Capitol where the spectators stood to recite the pledge he also asked about that and I had to explain that normal Americans don't "have" to pledge to the flag every day, and that it's not a form of brainwashing from school days!!!

Anyhoo we're working through all these things - I don't understand his point of view so much because I haven't been to UK yet - it's just what I have picked up about UK. And because we're both patriotic it can seem he's saying stuff against me personally, but I know he's not - just my personality too!

But I appreciate everyone's input to my questions - it helps a lot. Thx

I think maybe MI Friend is referring to the Royal Assent which must be given to all Bills before they become law. That is just a formality however & the Queen has no real power to change the law.

MI Friend- You need to remember that you are probably posting in the wrong place for this question, these answers are from people that have made a very happy move to the U.K, but weren't actually born here.

I'm just asking here having a UK bf because I find it helps best to have a non-biased view from Americans who have experienced life in UK and so can answer "intelligently". I couldn't do that on a Brit forum or from just friends who don't know life there, or even my bf who doesn't understand US life....

I've looked at the forum from time to time for a while now and enjoyed it. Thx

Don't they change the law?    I think the difference in freedom is that in US we can be outspoken (speak in public/media) against government and (if we had one) the monarchy, and not just in privacy of our home or worried about action against us.

As many have already said, it would be helpful for you to educate yourself a little more about the government/political system here in the UK.  It's changed considerably since about 1689.  The monarchs are indeed little more than publicly-subsidized figure-heads.

Hi everyone. One of the US freedoms I'm talking about is to speak out publicly against the government / freedom of speech and freedom to have what is said in the news.

I feel freer HERE to speak out about almost anything.  The current political and highly charged right-wing conservative religious environment in the US made me (as a very liberal, non-religious person) feel increasingly marginalized over the years living in the US.  And as for what is said in the US news -- I'd seriously take a lot of it with a big grain of salt, because a lot of it is a load of crap since US television 'journalism' has largely become yet another mouthpiece for conservative, corporate America.  I find the balance & diversity of viewpoints available over here highly refreshing, by comparison.  I'm not sure about the 'freedom to have' (have what?) you are talking about...but I definitely agree with the folks here who think that having more stuff (consumer merchandise) is not necessarily the greatest 'freedom' around (nor is it good for the planet at large).

Hi New-Dawn

I think our discussions started over when he was here and saying US wasn't so internationally minded - which I agreed with then. I think he said it because of the lack of news he could get while here - hotel gave USA Today, CNN not the same here etc etc. And we met up with some friends of mine and they had an English friend staying over who commented on how many flags we have here which started a discussion too. After visiting State Capitol where the spectators stood to recite the pledge he also asked about that and I had to explain that normal Americans don't "have" to pledge to the flag every day, and that it's not a form of brainwashing from school days!!!

Anyhoo we're working through all these things - I don't understand his point of view so much because I haven't been to UK yet - it's just what I have picked up about UK. And because we're both patriotic it can seem he's saying stuff against me personally, but I know he's not - just my personality too!

But I appreciate everyone's input to my questions - it helps a lot. Thx

Hi!

Okay, I see where he is coming from and I totally agree as this happened to me too, I was pretty shocked at the lack of international events reported on on the news channels, I used to find CNN okay, don't know if that's changed. In my experience I met a lot of Americans who really didn't seem to know(nor care) what was going on in the world beyond their back yard- my own in-laws are still like this tbh and it drives us nuts trying to have a discussion but that has changed a little since 9/11 and I know it can be the same for people in the U.K.  

To an English person, yes the flag waving and patriotism could come as quite a surprise, we are just not like that here for the most part (unless it involves an England football match and then suddenly you can actually get the flags from anywhere!).

I think over the last decade this country has gone downhill in many respects and a lot of Brits have lost their pride for this country and I think that is because internationally we are mostly reported as a country full of football hooligans and ever growing violence, we don't seem to be known for anything else anymore. We are also seen as somewhat as a soft touch in this country and a nanny state, I think the figures for people emigrating now are the highest they have ever been in the last 2/3 years and expected to stay that way.

Does he think he will have problems settling over there?

I'm just asking here having a UK bf because I find it helps best to have a non-biased view from Americans who have experienced life in UK and so can answer "intelligently". I couldn't do that on a Brit forum or from just friends who don't know life there, or even my bf who doesn't understand US life....

I've looked at the forum from time to time for a while now and enjoyed it. Thx

Don't be scared of us, MI_Friend! I'm sure we're all happy to answer your questions. Just bear in mind that many of us are a little biased.

Hi New-Dawn

I think our discussions started over when he was here and saying US wasn't so internationally minded - which I agreed with then. I think he said it because of the lack of news he could get while here - hotel gave USA Today, CNN not the same here etc etc.

He's seriously right about that.  The news in the UK is much more global - and isn't always shown just from the viewpoint of how - if at all - it affects the UK.  News is news is news wherever it's happening and for whatever reason.

I could never give up Jeremy Paxman (BBC programmes) or John Snow (Channel 4 news) at this point - no matter how much I used to love Tom Brokaw.  Just not the same.

How much freer could a political system be that recognises and allows this party to actually run for seats?:

http://www.omrlp.com/



 

I feel freer HERE to speak out about almost anything.  The current political and highly charged right-wing conservative religious environment in the US made me (as a very liberal, non-religious person) feel increasingly marginalized over the years living in the US.  And as for what is said in the US news -- I'd seriously take a lot of it with a big grain of salt, because a lot of it is a load of crap since US television 'journalism' has largely become yet another mouthpiece for conservative, corporate America.

Well put, Carolyn. I agree 100%.

I'm just asking here having a UK bf because I find it helps best to have a non-biased view from Americans who have experienced life in UK and so can answer "intelligently". I couldn't do that on a Brit forum or from just friends who don't know life there, or even my bf who doesn't understand US life....

I've looked at the forum from time to time for a while now and enjoyed it. Thx

No no no, don't get me wrong - you are obviously welcome to post wherever/whatever you see fit, sorry I didn't mean to make it sound that way. What I mean't was that you cannot actually get an unbiased answer from people who have made a move here and are happy here and in a lot of cases have no intention of moving back and who were not born here, the people here will only be able to see their perspective from being born and mostly raised in America, so they won't have a perspective on why a British born person might want to move to the US.

How much freer could a political system be that recognises and allows this party to actually run for seats?:

http://www.omrlp.com/

Peedal -- Are you divulging your political affiliations here?

...so they won't have a perspective on why a British born person might want to move to the US.

Good point, New-Dawn.  I think you are looking forward to your move(?).  On the other hand, my British husband has no desire to ever move to the USA - absolutely none.