[dog77_1999]

It is an interesting proposition. Many people say we are completly different, but it really isn't any more so than Texas being different from Michigan, or California, or Maine. The Canadian culture would become a regionial culture with the same base which has been established for quite some time.

Economically, Canada is already apart of the US. Further intergration gets rid of the beaucracy created between two countries. Living standards will only improve with the ease of capital, goods, and people. Corporations drive the global economies. Canada being seperate right now isn't going to change anything. Resisting economic competiveness only hurts you(see Italy).

People scream about privatised healthcare. There is privatised healthcare now in Canada. There is nothing stopping states from establishing their own universal healthcare system. There is nothing stopping the Canadian providences from creating their own healthcare system within the United States.

The Quebec seperatists would probaly like to be a US state. They would have the cultural freedom to do whatever they want without holding a gun to Ontario for money. A Quebec doing that to Congress would only result in harsh penalties(probaly highway funding).

The political aspect seems to be a huge issue. They don't like the American politions. Why would anyone pass down the chance to elect the most powerful person into office. Canadians could of decided on the next President or what the foreign policy of the US.

My personal belief is that the NAU has good intentions. It is meant to harmonize trade and regulations. This is a major advantage to have. The EU started out like this. However, it is when the EU desired political ambitions is when democracy was usurped. A NAU would only lead to the same thing. The only way to secure democracy would be for Canadian providences to enter the US through the statehood process. The current framework works well for expansion and the Constitution is a flexiable document to change.

But anyways, I would not accept any sort of union unless it was the will of both parties. It would seem like now such a union is impractical. However, the natural course in human developement is regionalization of economies. It will be harder to be competitive and raise living standards if we do not intergrate.

[ivywmn]

Don't do it. Just don't do it.

[TheFoundersIntent]

I don't want Canada as part of the US; all we'd end up with is more Democrats. I didn't care for that red, white and blue maple leaf either.

[bowens2]

Please don't join the United States! We don't need any more liberals!

[GreenTiger]

How about the United States Joining Canada?

[roger-roger]

Give it 15 years.

[DundasBill]

It will never happen. The last poll I saw on the subject only 2% of Americans polled wanted Canada to become part of the US, as opposed to 10% of Canadians who wanted to join the states. Apparently they like us even less than we like them. It's unfortunate we have to neighbors.

[commanderkai]

Okay, I don't remember if I ever weighed in about this, but I don't think Canada should enter the United States as a part of the United States. If some sort of joining occurred, it would probably make both nations vanish, and create a new one, like the NAU, except with a more creative name.

I would also think the capitol would be neither Ottawa or Washington DC, and would probably be placed in a more centralized location on the continent...or even a completely new capitol built, with the two old ones becoming major tourist attractions to the new nation.

[roger-roger]

Chicago would be a good capital for Canerica.

[commanderkai]

Eisensapper Eisensapper:

Chicago would be a good capital for Canerica.

That's what I was thinking too...only problem with Chicago is that it's already highly developed. I'm talking about having the administrative capitol of maybe 350 million people...using current infrastructure would be a pain, to be sure. Then again, some administrative facilities can stay where they are, like the Pentagon.

[djakeydd]

If there were ratings, this would be the biggest troll thread - ever

[jason700]

Conservatives love to talk about how "unpatrioting" the left is but it seems to me that they would have the least problem with us becoming part of the US and losing our independence. Go figure.

[djakeydd]

jason700 jason700:

Conservatives love to talk about how "unpatrioting" the left is but it seems to me that they would have the least problem with us becoming part of the US and losing our independence. Go figure.

Independence - that's a good one

[commanderkai]

jason700 jason700:

Conservatives love to talk about how "unpatrioting" the left is but it seems to me that they would have the least problem with us becoming part of the US and losing our independence. Go figure.

I think the possibility is there. There's nothing wrong with entertaining the notion of a possible, if highly improbable, event where Canada joins the US, or both nations merge. Just about any event can happen. Not many people saw the Soviet Union falling in their lifetimes either.

What's wrong with discussing the creative hypothetical situation of a merger or joining? We used to have a "Can the US invade Canada?" thread.

[Kerozine]

Yes. Though not until January 20, 2009.

At the latest, I'd be willing to wait until the 27th.