The Nation: A Glittering Courtesy Call

Tongue firmly in cheek, The Economist of London chose last week to publish a Declaration of Dependence, suggesting that Britain might be better off reunited with "our American Brethren " as the 51st state. Among the magazine's grievances against the present government: "They have repeatedly and cruelly increased the Price of stamps, thereby effectively levying a Stamp Tax; they have reduced the Value of the Pound to just about 1.776 Dollars, which is an excessively Bicentennial Figure." The Declaration acknowledged past differences ("What if we did burn down Washington in 1814? Jimmy Carter,...

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