Royalty Reality

I am living in a country with royalty. Sometimes I forget that fact but then something reminds me like a special news report about the royal budget (paid for by the goverment and thus the people). Coming from America it is hard to believe that there are places with a King and Queen still kicking around but Spain is just such a place. In fact they also have princes, princesses, dukes, duchesses, the whole blue blooded nine yards. There is a big royal following here so pardon me if I offend you. Chalk it up to my being foreign (I just must not understand).

Here in Spain I can appreciate that the current King did a lot to help the transition to democracy after the end of a long dictatorship. I understand that people have a lot of respect and admiration for him and his family. They are figureheads for the government and symbols of Spain itself as a nation. People love to follow their every move, know what they wore, who is involved in a scandal, who married who etc. (in the U.S. we have celebrities for that but that is another story). Lots of Spanish people love their royals (but certainly not all). I get it. What I don't understand is how a country with such an economic crisis is shelling out MILLIONS of euros to maintain said royal family this year. Basically, since I am now working legally and paying my taxes, I too am supporting this family. Excuse me if I would prefer to keep that money for my own family and not help bankroll the fabulous lifestyle that these royals (who certainly have independent wealth) enjoy.

For those of you who really know me, you know that I think most (if not all) politicians are jokers who look out for themselves above all else and don't believe in the common good. Talk about being disenfranchised. When I really sit down to think about a royal family though I get even more heated. I mean these people weren't even elected. No. They were either a) born into their positions or b) married into them. Neither of these avenues calls for the citizens opinion at all and yet Spanish people dole out MILLIONS of euros per year so that the royals can make appearances, go to sporting events, travel, hand out awards, shake hands, go to weddings, and live the high life. Does this just seem wrong to anyone else or is it me being an American? I can't wrap my head around this idea. I mean what do they really do? You could pay me a hell of a lot less to do whatever their official job is. I mean like a fraction of a fraction of what their budget is. I guess I like my royalty where it belongs, in Disney movies.