royal wedding

[eproxy100]

WTF. The UK is pretty much bankrupt, social benefits are getting axed, yet the British people are so happy about this extravagant wedding that is almost certainly funded with taxpayer's money? This is messed up.

 

[doodle]

They'll probably expense it as "national entertainment". But in tight economy, entertainment spending should be curtailed.

 

[specsaregood]

WTF. The UK is pretty much bankrupt, social benefits are getting axed, yet the British people are so happy about this extravagant wedding that is almost certainly funded with taxpayer's money? This is messed up.

Yeah and they banned beer from the royal wedding. Evidently it was too low-class for such an event. And I always thought the brits loved their ale.

 

[angelatc]

With the exception of security, the Royal Family is paying for the wedding.

 

[Justinjj1]

Will the Royals Pay for Their Own Security?
Posted by Ryan W. McMaken on April 27, 2011 10:49 PM
Of course not, and it looks like their wedding will cost the taxpayers at least 80 million dollars. This isn’t much compared to the untold billions that democratic politicians waste on their own profligacy, but it’s still a fleecing of the taxpayer for a totally unnecessary and ultimately political spectacle.

So the taxpayers will pay millions for untold numbers of government police and soldiers to parade around as the royals ride by in some former despot’s carriage on their way to a party.

The royal family is quick to point out that the party itself is being paid for by the royals themselves. The reception costs, which are themselves tiny compared to the security funded by the taxpayers, will be paid out by the royals to the tune of one or two million dollars.

Fair enough, but that money isn’t really “private” either. The only reason the royals have all that property and money at all is because their ancestors stole it from the taxpayers of yesteryear. Long-dead Brits and subjects of the empire of long ago, who ran factories or worked in coal mines, paid for all that, and they were taxed all their lives to make sure the monarchs of old could live in luxury and send the sons of Scottish farmers off to kill and be killed in far-flung corners of the globe.

Virtually every member of any royal family today owes his title and wealth (assuming any is left from the old days) to the mere fact that his ancestors were better at murder and thievery than the local rivals. Generally speaking, kings were kings because they excelled at the business of coercion, taxation, and murder.

Why we afford the descendants of those people some kind of special attention or dignity is beyond me. Why not have the German taxpayers foot the bill for parties thrown by the descendants of Goring and Eichmann?

Read the rest of this entry »

 

[goldencane]

It's a nationalism thing. Just like many people here (US, not the forum) support spending much more on military than we need, just so we can say we have the biggest, baddest, most technologically advanced military.

In regards to the wedding, most is being paid for by the local government, and a large chunk from the royal family as well. It is important to note that most of the royal family's wealth has come from the taxpayer and the Westminster council has most likely received assistance from the federal government as well.

I would be upset about the wedding, but I think what would make me most upset about the royal family is the billions of dollars in publicly owned estates that they don't pay rent on. That and they do get a hefty check from the tax payers each year.

 

[mello]

I guess you can factor in television rights, & merchandising rights as well.
That's probably bringing in some serious cash.

 

[klamath]

It's Britian, their choice, If they wanted to they could have gotten rid of the monarchy over 200 years ago like we did. I as an American am not paying for it..or least I hope not.

 

[Teaser Rate]

When you factor in the tourism revenue the UK receives from the Royal Family's appeal, I think the taxpayers derive a net benefit from preserving the monarchy.

 

[emazur]

"Royal Wedding could cost UK economy $50 billion"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/22/eveningnews/main20056608.shtml

But all the pomp is expensive. The royals, known as "the firm" because they are a business, receive a government grant of about $13 million a year to cover expenses. But the public cost of the wedding far exceeds that.

Extra policing and overtime alone is estimated at more than $35 million. Here's a further cost - when all the people are celebrating, they're not working. And because the wedding holiday falls between two long holiday weekends in England, you can take 11 days off by burning only three days of vacation time.

Economists have actually done the math. "Invariably that leads to a loss of output," said Philip Shaw, chief economist at Investec. "So, in terms of the impact on GDP in the economy we're suggesting that it could knock something like a quarter percent off growth."

That translates into a potential loss to the economy of about $50 billion. It better be a heck of a party.

 

[nate895]

When you factor in the tourism revenue the UK receives from the Royal Family's appeal, I think the taxpayers derive a net benefit from preserving the monarchy.

That's actually statistically proven. While these events might cost a lot of money, all profit goes to the government except enough to defray the costs to the Royal Family. The monarchy makes billions of dollars in a normal year for the British Treasury, and this event is going to make them billions off of a few tens of millions in investment. All fiscal arguments for the abolition of the monarchy are, well, to put it bluntly, ignorant.

 

[speciallyblend]

I care about the royal wedding like i care about soccer. I do not!! Screw the british wedding!! Now i want to watch a soccer game!! never mind click NFL!!!

 

[Humanae Libertas]

How the Brits' put up with this kind of crap, is beyond me.

 

[devil21]

Nothing but a huge display of elite worship.

 

[propanes]

One has to wonder why British Royalty or the domestic governing class royalty is celebrated by the American media.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

UK feeds were more informative... Total of 6100 Police officers for the wedding... Snipers on top of everything from Big Ben to Buckingham Palace.

But the unknown costs are all the resources (compute centers/data mining/ELINT/HUMINT/Sat tasking assets) which were used for months prior to, on eavesdropping/spying/monitoring Ebgland/UK and parts of the world for possible attacks/disruptions.

FYI...

MENWITH-HILL, England: http://www.granddistraction.com/places/menwith-hill/

 

[JohnEngland]

How the Brits' put up with this kind of crap, is beyond me.

I went out for a coffee instead of watching it. However, I saw some of the highlights afterwards and it seemed like a nice occasion. Westminster Abbey is very historical and has been around for a millennium.

 

[raiha]

I went out for a coffee instead of watching it. However, I saw some of the highlights afterwards and it seemed like a nice occasion. Westminster Abbey is very historical and has been around for a millennium.

The Abbey is filled with serial murderers like Oliver Cromwell and Edward the First...

I must say I enjoyed watching the wedding. Makes a change from gushing nuclear reactors and demolished buildings. I'm rubble weary. I can't resist a bride...they should have kept Beatrice and Eugenie in the field though.

Oh, and it keeps the peasants happy.

 

[dannno]

With the exception of security, the Royal Family is paying for the wedding.

Where does the Royal Family get their money?

 

[Wicklowwolf]

Britain's so-called royal family are key players in the Illuminati power-house. They are a bunch of inbred heredity despots, pathetic wasters who can't even dress themselves or wipe their own butts without the help of their "aids" and butlers.