Postcard from London

LONDON, ENGLAND - A block from my hotel eleven members of the British Supreme Court are listening to multiple lawyers arguing whether or not the British Parliament need be involved in the exit of Britain from the European Union. You see, earlier this year the good people of Britain voted to leave the European Union and they elected a Prime Minister (Theresa May) who was to lead them down a path of independence and freedom from outside influence.

It's all pretty exciting and tremendously historic, maybe not to those of us from Iowa but oh my gosh the world is a huge, complex, interesting place. As an Iowan I am quite used to the weirdly entertaining and maddening American political system, so much so that every day for the past 18 months I've heard the names Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton more than once. Thus far, other than a young American walking near Parliament saying 'there's nothing great about America now,' I've heard neither the name Trump nor Clinton spoken aloud. That's when I knew I was on vacation.

Outside of the British Supreme Court Building protesters carry signs reading 'No To Brexit, Defend Freedom of Movement,” as a bagpiper on the sidewalk in full regalia plays British classics like 'Amazing Grace,” and Asian tour groups drop coins in his pipe case. Is this a great country or what? Two statues tower over the sidewalk, one of Abraham Lincoln, and one of George Canning. What, you don't know George Canning? Don't worry about it. The constable/cop a few feet away sheepishly admitted he had no idea who Mr. Canning was. The acid rain of recent history has forgotten George, as it will most of us soon enough.

And there's more. A couple of days ago Prime Minister Hollande of France said he'd not again stand for election and a day or so ago Italian President Matteo Renzi resigned. (a young, pretty Italian barkeep at a nearby pub told me earlier that Renzi was a terrible president, and I didn't argue) And in a little over a month a businessman named Donald J. Trump will tweet his way through the US presidency. This is big stuff. The world is changing so rapidly it's becoming more and more difficult for me to keep track of the people turning 90 back home who advertise for a card shower in the local paper.

Back at the Supreme Court the ten Lords and one Lady, all of them old, like me, in their 60s and 70s sit in judgment, claiming that politics will not affect how they rule. Yeah, well, OK. One of the justices even has the glorious Dickensian name of Lord Sumption. You can't make this stuff up.

Out front dozens of members of the media stand about, waiting for the lawyers inside to quit drying paint. Above them, carved in stone is the official slogan of the Monarch of the United Kingdom, 'Dieu et Mon Droit,” a French phrase for a people who historically have hated the French, meaning 'My Divine Right.” Whatever.

In a couple of days the lawyers will all be home, the protesters will be looking for other causes, and in a few weeks the court will offer up a non-political decision about Brexit and how the country is to move forward. For we Americans exhausted by the politics of home this is terrific theatre, better than Downton, beautifully written, superbly acted and without a single character named Trump.

' Kurt Ullrich lives in rural Jackson County.