15A051 Long-Living Lipstick by Jim Davies, 9/9/2015    

Every government presents to its victims a benevolent face, for otherwise it could not survive; each is by nature a small clique, governing a large population. Each is badly outnumbered -hence the regularity with which they try to monopolize the ownership of firearms. If one becomes deeply unpopular, it gets overthrown, usually with violence, so they all go to some trouble to present a friendly front. Benefits here, myths there about providing defense and good order, all financed of course with money confiscated first from the alleged beneficiaries, and distractions like the Roman "bread and circuses" to amuse the people and discourage serious thought. In our day the quadrennial election cycle furnishes the illusion that the people are governing themselves, and have a choice!

It's nowhere done better than in my native Britain. As well as the usual mess of pottage they have a permanent Head of State, said to be "above politics", whom everyone can like and admire. Queen Elizabeth has fulfilled that important role of legitimizing the cliques of thugs who do the actual ruling and whose identity changes every few years, and she's done it well and with great dedication for over 63 years. She is the lipstick, on the British government pig.

History is to be made this Wednesday, September 9th 2015: she will have reigned in that manner for longer than any previous British monarch, breaking the record of her great great grandmother Queen Victoria. The institution has been in power for a thousand years, give or take (depending how you count the pre-Norman "kings", who were leaders chosen for specific tasks like defense against Viking marauders) so that is no mean feat.

Victoria inherited the throne when she was 18, and left it when she died in 1901 at age 81. Elizabeth became Queen at 25, and is still hale and hearty at 89; according to a well written appreciation in The Telegraph, last year she carried out 393 engagements! At more than one a day, at that age she is working harder than most of her critics who deplore the cost of maintaining the Royal Family (about $54 million a year) while applauding the theft and spending of about $1.1 trillion elsewhere. Government is everywhere loathsome, but Her Majesty does a fine job of disguising the fact - for a bargain price.

Her husband and eldest son are much less popular. Philip is 92 and has long been grumpy, and Charles has inherited his father's ignorance of business and fascination with eco-myths and so the public will mourn the day when the Queen reaches her life's end. If it then loses faith in the Head of State, who knows, it may begin to question the State itself.

Meanwhile, your Majesty, if you're reading this as I trust you are, may I recommend a visit to the QuitGov site. It shows why all government work is dishonest, and comes with a particular page for each of a couple of dozen professions; and although there isn't a specific entry for "Monarch" there is a handy link for you to request one. The site should help you decide to walk off the job and so leave "your" government's ugly face undecorated by the enhancement you have been too generously providing.