Text 7738, 139 rader
Skriven 2007-12-09 10:26:50 av Ross Cassell (1:123/456)
   Kommentar till text 7720 av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
Ärende: George W. Bush
======================
Hello Michiel!

09 Dec 07 11:29, you wrote to Roger Nelson:

 RN>> Michiel, we claim no such thing.  This is a Republic, not a
 RN>> Democracy,

 MV> The US is not a democracy?! Hmmm, you could have fooled me...

The Netherlands is a Constitutional Monarchy.
Belgium is a federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy.
Sweden is a Constitutional Monarchy.

Just more royalty worshipping.

Here are the facts on USA.

Country name:
conventional long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:
name: Washington, DC
geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W
time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in
November
note: the US is divided into six time zones

Administrative divisions:
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia,
Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston
Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands,
Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust
Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with
all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in
political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the
Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21
October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free
Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact
of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)

Independence:
4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution:
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:
federal court system based on English common law; each state has its own unique
legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana, which is still influenced by the
Napoleonic Code) is based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001); Vice
President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001); Vice
President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college
of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice
president serve four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last
held 2 November 2004 (next to be held on 4 November 2008)
election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of popular vote -
George W. BUSH 50.9%, John KERRY 48.1%, other 1.0%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, 2 members are elected
from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third are elected
every two years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members are
directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008);
House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November
2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Democratic Party 49, Republican Party 49, independent 2; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic
Party 233, Republican Party 202

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the
advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United States
Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party; Libertarian Party [William (Bill)
REDPATH]; Republican Party [Robert M. (Mike) DUNCAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE (observer), CERN
(observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer),
SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL,
UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Flag description:
13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white;
there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small,
white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars
(top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old
Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags,
including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

==
Ross
Fidonet Feeds Or Fidonet In Your Newsreader: http://www.easternstar.info
E-mail: ross(at)cassell(dot)us | Blogs/Other Places: http://links.cassell.us
... WORK HARDER! Millions on welfare depend on it.
--- GoldED+/W32 1.1.5-30413
 * Origin: The Eastern Star - Spartanburg, SC USA (1:123/456)