Wow, you're a descendant of Revolutionary War fighters? So am I. I don't act like I had something to do with it.
What are these "irreconcilable differences"? I'm not advocating the OP's premise, but I find your opinion ridiculous.
I suppose the difference in attitudes is the difference between one who believes in and supports the ideals on which this nation was founded, and one who opposes these principles and is ashamed of them.
Canadian invented Basketball as well.
That's a wonderful load of gibberish that doesn't even come close to answering my question. Have you ever BEEN to Canada?
I don't get why you think I should have answered a question before it was asked; nor what authority you think you have to demand that I answer any question anyway. Clearly, you identify more with the Canadian culture than with your own, and it is not difficult to see why. Your brave ancestors who fought to establish this culture would surely be ashamed of you.
And Lacrosse
How on earth have I illustrated in any way I "identify more with the Canadian culture"? Link to the exact post please, or I will assume, as per usual, that you extricated that moronic statement directly from your own ass.
You didn't answer my question because you can't.
It's just this bizarre "patriotic revolutionary complex a lot of these right wingers have.
They all literally believe they're George Washingtons and any country that doesn't adhere to their strict interpretation of what "freedom" means is an authoritarian.
Which is a bit ironic coming from a man who goes red in the face over gays having any freedom at all.
The premise of this thread seems to be that Canada has a ton of natural resources, the United States has a lot of natural resources, but neither nation has as much as Russia, so we need to merge in order to compete.
Per capita GDP for Russia: $18,408
Per capita GDP for the United States: $54,980
Per capita GDP for Canada: $44,656
I don't think we have anything to worry about competing with Russia. Natural resources can help with economic growth, but many nations that are very rich in natural resources are poor. Innovation is far more important in today's global economy and the United States and Canada have it in spades. Hell West Virginia has abundant Natural Resources and it hasn't done that much good at all economically.
As to this notion that Canada needs the United States to help exploit its natural resources. That assumes that Canadians want to develop every square in of their country. They don't. They like having a low population density with a massive wilderness. As others have pointed out, I do think we will become more economically united over time as we already are to a large degree. I would imagine it will get even easier for Canadians to live and work here and for Americans to live and work there, but I don't think we will ever become one country.
I'm pretty sure the majority of Americans and Canadians will be against this idea.... however I'd like to put it out there for discussion.
Unless you're living under a rock, you know that there exists such a thing as the European Union. In it, several European countries have come together to form a bloc in which they share a common currency, certain branches of government, in which there is a free flow of people, and they are working toward a mutual defense system.
I will lay out a case why I think such a union between the United States and Canada could be beneficial to both parties, and could work better than even the EU.
1.) Cultural similarities - Both countries speak English as their first language. The way they talk are virtually indistinguishable from one another. Vancouver and Seattle have more in common with each other, culturally, than either one does with Birmingham Alabama, for example. Toronto and Buffalo have more in common than either has with Dallas.
This is not the case in the EU, and their union still works. USA and Canada are a natural cultural fit.
2.) National Defense - Today, we have NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) which essentially serves to link up the United States and Canada as one unit when it comes to the defense of our continent from foreign invasions. Canada benefits from the US' huge military providing security, and the US benefits from the early warning and defense from the north by, potentially, the Russians or others.
The EU has no such defense agreement, but their union still works. Norad has existed and worked well for both countries since 1956.
3.) Alaska - The only way to get to Alaska is to drive through or fly over Canada. It helps to be able to get to and access your own territories freely.
4.) Economy - Canada is extremely blessed with natural resources. At least equal to that of the United States. Russia is more blessed than either one. The only way Canada or the US can match the Russians is to combine forces.
Here's a breakdown:
CANADA -
Proven oil reserves: 173.9 billion barrels
Proven gas reserves: 70 trillion cubic feet
Proven coal reserves: 7.8 billion tons
Energy portfolio... total value: $20.2 trillion
Metal and ore reserves... $1 trillion
Reserves composition (value):
79% Potash
6% Iron ore
5% Nickel
3% Gold
3% Copper
1% Zinc
1% Platinum (PGM)
Years of production: 56
UNITED STATES -
Proven oil reserves: 35 billion barrels
Proven gas reserves: 300 trillion cubic feet
Proven coal reserves: 237 billion tons
Energy portfolio.... total value: $28.5 trillion
Metal and ore reserves... $613 billion
Reserves composition (value):
20% Copper
19% Iron Ore
12% Gold
5% Platinum (PGM)
4% Zinc
3% Potash
Years of production: 44
RUSSIA -
Proven oil reserves: 87 billion barrels
Proven gas reserves: 1,163 trillion cubic feet
Proven coal reserves: 157 billion tons
Energy portfolio.... total value: $40.7 trillion
Metal and ore reserves... $1.63 trillion
Reserves composition (value):
49% Iron ore
20% Potash
14% Platinum (PGM)
8% Gold
5% Nickel
4% Copper
Years of production: 99
So you can see, the only way the US or Canada can match Russia as far as resources go is to combine forces, in which case we surpass the Russians.
So this benefits the Americans on the global stage. On the other hand, the US is blessed with a large, educated, and industrial population and we have the largest GDP in the world by a long shot. Canada could benefit greatly from free American investment minus all the legal and currency hurdles that exist today.
5.) We get Burger King back, and two types of bacon > one type of bacon.
What do you think? Would you be in favor of the USA and Canada joining forces, or is it better to continue as is?
The United States was founded in defiance and violent rebellion against a horrendous tyrant.
Canada was founded in cowering and grovelling before this same tyrant.
More than two centuries later, deep and irreconcilable cultural differences remain, defined by this difference in origins of the two nations.
To suggest that the two nations are similar enough to make sense of such a union is a deep insult to any American.
The US is incompatible with a Monarchy.
If you take Toronto you get Rob Ford.
The US government doesn't provide services in any language. That's done at the state level. We're not as federalized as Canada.
What is in it for Canada...a much higher murder rate and more terrorism?
Sure America gets all those natural resources and only has to take on an additional 35 million people to get them.
What on Earth does Canada get out of it?
The United States was founded in defiance and violent rebellion against a horrendous tyrant.
Canada was founded in cowering and grovelling before this same tyrant.
More than two centuries later, deep and irreconcilable cultural differences remain, defined by this difference in origins of the two nations.
To suggest that the two nations are similar enough to make sense of such a union is a deep insult to any American.