The British must be laughing at us. We shake our heads and wonder why they have tolerated, if not worshiped, their royalty, while we, unofficially, do the same.
In England, the prime minister is burdened with the task of running the country. He does the heavy lifting while the royals carry nothing at all. They are coddled in luxury. The queen is one of the richest people on earth, but the state supports her lavish lifestyle and that of the entire royal family. It caters to their every whim.
Queen Elizabeth expects the “royal treatment,” much like our would-be queen, Hillary.
Most politicians are called by their surnames: Govs. Walker, Bush and Jindal; Sens. Cruz, Paul and Rubio; Dr. Carson; etc. – but not Mrs. Clinton. It is simply Hillary. It’s on her campaign posters, buttons and signs.
Some believe it’s to separate herself from her husband. She shunned his surname until it became necessary to hide her feminist leanings in order to help him regain the Arkansas governor’s mansion. Once in the White House, it was Hillary Rodham-Clinton, and now it is simply “Hillary.”
This is how it is done with the royals. A monarch only uses his or her given name, as in Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, etc.
Last year, we learned that the poor Queen Elizabeth was “strapped for cash” and had to dip into the royal reserve fund. How can a woman who owns Balmoral Castle, a 50,000-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands along with stud farms, personal art and fine jewelry worth over $500 million be strapped for cash?
The same way Hillary Clinton can claim she was “dead broke” when she left the White House while buying a multi-million dollar mansion in Chappaqua, New York, and a second multi-million dollar home on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C. Add to that $200,000 per year that goes to former presidents, another half million and change for an office, money for staff, travel funds and franking privileges, all that while traveling in private jets to luxury vacation sites.
Some say the Bush family is the closest thing we have to a would-be American dynasty. However, the Bushes would never pass for royalty. They are simple people. Instead of the Hamptons, Bush 43 vacationed at his ranch in Texas, cleared brush and drove, gasp, a pick-up truck. Still does.
Hillary hasn’t driven in 20 years. Although she gave up her private jet for a two-day road trip to Iowa to identify with the “little people,” her luxury van was outfitted in a manner that would rival a royal coach.
Meanwhile, Princess Chelsea bedecks the cover of Elle magazine, in a $1,500 Gucci dress and a $7,000 Cartier bracelet, allowing us a glimpse of the royal daughter – just enough to satisfy our thirst to know what it’s like to live in her elite world of privilege.
While the British spend between $50 and $300 million a year on the royals, depending on who is doing the counting and what is counted, most citizens of the U.K. feel they are getting their money’s worth. The royals preside at official events, bestow honors, attend charity events and provide an endless source of entertainment for the citizenry.
Whenever there is a royal event like a wedding or a birth, it helps the economy, as the public buys teacups and trinkets displaying their likenesses to commemorate these special occasions.
Royal watching is a kind of endless soap opera on steroids. So it is with the Clintons. There seems to be a fascination with this family like no other. Therefore, I propose that we just crown Hillary queen and be done with it. Though she has held many titles, her record of accomplishment is virtually nil, with the exception of successfully skirting the law and handling the many family scandals.
According to a Politico analysis of budget documents, by Election Day 2016, taxpayers will have shelled out $16 million for the care and feeding of the Clintons, more than for any other former president.
So let’s just grant Hillary another $20 to $30 million a year to be queen. Set her up in a palace and charge admission to tour it. Put her image on coffee mugs and baby rattles.
That will spare her the need to solicit donations from foreign governments and will spare us additional congressional investigations. She will officially be above the law. Then we can elect someone with the ability to run the government like a business and let her revel in the pomp and circumstance.
All hail Queen Hillary!
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