England, the 51st State?
And the retort heard round the world.
For more see my book “Lost States”
America should add England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales as four new states—that was the idea of Georgia Senator Richard Russell, Jr.
Press reports from 1947 said the British received the idea “coldly.” But the Brits didn’t just launch into a tirade of expletives, because the British are much too sophisticated for such a coarse response. Rather than condemn Sen. Russell, they simply pointed out that Georgia still owed money borrowed from the British during the Civil War.
It was the perfect retort.
Russell had assumed that America had the upper hand, because the U.S. had just bailed out Britain in WWII.
He had forgotten that England had spent more than $200 million to help the South in the war between the states—money that was never repaid.
Hmmm. Maybe this whole thing was backwards—perhaps Georgia should be added to the United Kingdom.
As the rhetoric escalated, Southerners claimed they really didn’t owe anything, because the Civil War debts were payable in Confederate dollars. Since the Confederacy didn’t exist anymore, they were off the hook.
You have to admit it’s a creative loophole. America should keep it in mind as the national debt escalates. All the U.S. would have to do is go to war with Canada; and intentionally lose. Poof, there would be no more American national debt to pay because there would be no more America.
If the U.K. joined the United States, what about the British monarchy? Russell had an answer: he thought the king should run for the Senate. While many U.S. senators have secretly wanted to be king, it’s unlikely any king has ever wanted to be a senator.