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Has "none of the above" ever been added to a ballot? What was the effect? Besides Nevada having the option to vote none of the above (NOTA) are there any other places in the world which allow for voters to tick NOTA? If this is the case, are there any studies on the effect of having such an option? Does it increas...	Russia had such an option on its ballots (Против всех) until it was abolished in 2006.
What are practical steps citizens can take to alter a first past the post system? Given the arguments against first past the post voting systems, I'd like to know what could be done to change them. However, there's a difficulty with proposing such a change to the system, and that's how it favors incumbent political ...	In the plain text of the question, the practical steps citizens can take to challenge a voting system are the same steps citizens can take to effect any other political change to an entrenched power structure: Organise. Education about alternatives to first past the post elections is an important next step in the USA t...
Did any country introduce a tax specifically on meat? The consumption of meat is one of the largest contributors to emissions of greenhouse gases worldwide. This is partly indirect because 80% of for-agriculture deforestation is for the growing of fodder for farmed animals (see the sources in this post ), partly more ...	There are also some meat taxes in consideration: The UK is considering taxes on meat pies and some other meat based goods.
Why do developed countries favor democracy? Considering the relative lack of information many people have when entering the booths (just from my experience in America. Please edit if I'm wrong), why do developed countries prefer democracy over other forms of government, which can work just as well if not better? Is t...	Stability (i.e., power changes w/o violence) promotes private investment, while risk of future oppresion motivates movement of wealth and best educated people abroad. Democracy is the only known stable equilibrum in politics - or as close to it as we can get, due to the fact that: There usually is no great concentratio...
What are the objections to federally recognized civil unions as opposed to same sex marriages? My understanding is that gay rights groups want to have the same benefits that are afforded to opposite marriage supporters. Opposite marriage supporters, for the most part, don't want the term "marriage" applied to these civ...	They worry (leaving aside whether rightly or wrongly) that this is simply a first step towards full legalization of same sex marriage, which they oppose, even if they had no problem with providing equal rights per se.
Does lowering the capital gains tax encourage investment and increase economic growth? Capital gains are taxed lower than other types of incomes in several nations.The rationale I have heard for this is that a lower tax on capital gains is supposed to encourage investment and increase the economic growth. Is there an...	What is available from the historical record seems to indicate that in fact capital gains being taxed at a lower rate than average income has no statistically significant impact on the economy at large.
Why do political bodies often sit in semicircles? It is quite common for legislative bodies to sit in "semi circles". source I can see how, for historical reasons, this shape was optimal for hearing clearly in a large room, however this needs not be so in the present day and age. This "strip-like" configuration arg...	The answer is very short but the reasons are: In theory when a speaker reads his speeches on the tribune, the speaker represents a portion of the "people", and because of that He deserves respect from his colleagues (other speakers), so a good way to do that is pointing all the seats in direction to the tribune.
Why didn't Americans Elect field a candidate in the 2012 U.S. presidential election? Americans Elect was trying to get an alternative candidate on the ballot in the 2012 presidential election. The party was to hold a completely online convention to elect a party ticket to run. However, the party ended up not fielding...	Without sufficient lead-time, it is impossible to generate sufficient mass (momentum and money) to get a candidate to move forward.
Transition from parliamentary to presidential Republic? Did any country in recent century successfully transitioned from parliamentary to presidential Republic (both of them reasonably unambiguously democratic - I'm pretty open as far as inclusiveness)? <Q> Yes, France did in 1958. <S> The Fifth Republic is the fifth...	The current French fifth Republic is a semi-presidential system which replaced the previous parliamentary system in 1958.
Are all retroactive laws, ex post facto laws? In the United States, Congress' seeming inability to pass a fiscal cliff bill before the 1/1/13 12:00 AM deadline has sparked discussion that Congress could potentially pass a bill sometime in January and make its effects retroactive to the 1/1/13 12:00 AM deadline, thus el...	Ex post facto laws, meaning "after the fact," is expressly forbidden in the Constitution, Article I, Section 9 (Section 10 prohibits states from enacting similar laws)
Why is insincere/tactical/strategic voting considered undesirable? In most of scholarly discussions about voting systems, the implication seems to be that one of the desired goals is to minimize/eliminate insincere/tactical/strategic voting : Tactical voting is commonly regarded as a problem, since it makes the actu...	The main implication is that to obtain the best possible result you should vote tactically, but this is discriminatory against everybody voting sincerely.
Why is France involved in Mali? This month France has sent ground troops to and bombed northern Mali. This feels like the first time in a while that a country besides the US has stuck its neck out to fight violent Islamist groups that were operating in a foreign country. France has historical ties to Mali, but are th...	The reason France cares in the first place is because they are worried that Mali will become the new Algiers and thus threaten French interests, both in Africa and at home.
What is the difference between a constitutional law and a law In Britain, where I live, there isn't a distinction between constitutional law and ordinary statute law. Any law can repeal or amend any other law, and all laws follow the same procedure to be passed. The only exception is that a law to extend the term of ...	The main difference between constitutional and ordinary law, be it statute law, case law or convention, is that constitutional law is considered fundamental and above ordinary law in all cases.
In the US, why is there such a long time between the elections and inauguration? In the United States, the elections were on 6 November 2012 , but inauguration only on 20 January 2013 , more than two months later.In France, the presidential elections were on 22 April , and the inauguration about ten days later, in...	It takes quite a long time for President Elects to hire their staff (this is the biggest management job there is after all), get their Secret Service detail setup, begin to get necessary security briefings, learn the nuclear launch codes and procedures, etc.
What is the oldest law still in force? In particular, what is the oldest piece of written law (whether statute, constitution, decree or similar) that is still in force somewhere in the world? Alongside that, what is the oldest law still in force which has been shown to still be relevant? <Q> The Fairs Act 1204 is st...	Chapters 1, 4, 15 and 23 of the Statute of Marlborough 1267, an Act of the English Parliament , are still in force in the UK.
What is the debt ceiling and what happens if we reach it? Over the past few years, there has been debate in congress as to whether or not to raise the debt ceiling. My question is simple(the answer to it might not be): What Is the debt ceiling, under what circumstances does it come into play, and what happens if we r...	When the debt ceiling gets reached , the government would no longer be able to borrow money to pay for all of it's expenses.
Are people more likely to seek out news sources they agree with? Anecdotal evidence certainly suggests that people are more comfortable hearing politically controversial information from sources they already agree with. Such is the business model of MSNBC on the left and Fox News on the right. Is there any scientific...	Evidence for partisan selective exposure is mixed and does not, on its own, show media impact.
Why has the United States not signed and ratified the International Criminal Court? The International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty has been signed by 121 countries . A number of countries are not parties; China, Russia, United States. From the countries that are not parties to the ICC, the United States is one that o...	The ICC would be able to prosecute US citizens for crimes, just as it would be able to prosecute other citizens, and that would limit what the US would be able to do.
Do "closed cities" exist outside the former Soviet Union? A closed city is a city to which foreign residents and perhaps even domestic residents cannot travel freely. Wikipedia has an informative article on closed cities. The list of closed cities today contains cities in Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as Oak Ridg...	While Russian 'closed cities' really do not and have not existed in the United States, there are cities through U.S. history that have been restricted from the public.
Why does Kaliningrad belong to Russia? Kaliningrad: former name is Königsberg.I always wondered about why and how Russia kept Kaliningrad (located between Poland and Lithuania on the seaside). I see the strategic point of the city, it can hold some flotilla, and also I see its population mainly now is Russian. But how ...	However, an important point is that Kaliningrad became the part of RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, which was the main part of USSR), while Lithuania was LSSR (Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic) and Poland was and is another country.
Does any present legislation practice exile as a regular sentence? In antiquity, courts could sentence a person convicted of a crime into exile. For example, in ancient Athens , According to the preserved part of the inscription , unintentional homicides receive a sentence of exile, while intentional murders are puni...	Assuming you are convicted of a crime in a foreign country, you can be effectively exiled from ever visiting that country again after your jail sentence is over.
Is there a difference between Sheriff and regular county level police officers in USA? Wikipedia has this to say about Sheriffs (of United States, not Nottingham :) In the United States of America, the scope of a sheriff varies across states and counties. The sheriff is always a county official, and serves as the arm...	In the United States, a sheriff is generally, but not always, the highest law enforcement officer of a county.
What is the language of the Swiss national parliament? In the European union parliament, armies of translators translate every word into all other languages. Switzerland is a country with 3–4 official languages: French, German , Italian, and Romansh . In an item in the Swedish news tonight about the Swiss parliament...	It seems after browsing information, that the Swiss parliament, they use mostly French and German languages, check up for the speeches , there is an archive, random browsing by years I found only one Italian, and I am not sure I would recognize Romansh, I am not a linguist.
Why do Australians want to remain under British monarchy? If I am not wrong they once voted against being a republic country some years ago. I understand Australians and feel sympathy for them about that they are different from some other countries which they were under British monarchy like India. They have many simil...	Some people see the Royal family and the links to Britain, as an important part of Australia's heritage.
Is there any evidence that legalizing prostitution decreases violence against women? There are some debate between pros and cons considering prostitution as a legal job in many countries. One thing that pros say is that it can decrease violence against all women from prostitutes and non prostitutes. Is there any val...	As mentioned in a comment by PoloHoleSet, another obvious benefit of legalized prostitution (or at least decriminalization) is that prostitutes would no longer be afraid (due to fear of legal prosecution) to report crimes against them.
Why is Japan more revisionist about its World War II era actions than Germany? Germany and Japan both committed horrific crimes against humanity in the lead up to, and during world war II. Both countries are now more or less democracies. Yet the two countries seem to have dealt with its past very differently. Germany ...	My impression is that the Japanese largely consider the war itself to be a crime, rather than focus on specific incidents that occur during the course of the war. Post war German leaders considered the Holocaust, and to a certain extent, the war itself, as a "crime.
Why does the "Right to Privacy" not apply to reparative therapy? Reparative Therapy , sometimes called Conversion Therapy or "Pray away the Gay" is a form of counseling which is sought by some people in order to change a perceived sexual orientation. While there is no evidence that it works, I was surprised to learn th...	A state reserves the right to ban any practice, whether medical or not, where the consensus (or at least the majority) determines the potential harm outweighs the potential good. In addition, as I noted above, as homosexuality is not recognized as a disease or injury by any state (that I am aware of), it is therefore i...
Why did the Public Option get cut from the Affordable Care Act The Public Option is a public healthcare insurance agency that would still charge premiums like any other insurance agency, and would survive on it's own profits. It was originally part of the Affordable Care Act , but it got cut before the act was pas...	Short version - because too many congresscritters objected to it either due to disagreeing with the idea or simply as a political liability. It was cut in order to entice the for-profit hospitals, whose support Obama and the White House believed was necessary to pass the ACA.
Democratic governments seizing financial assets during financial crisis? I was reading about the Greek haircut last year when the EU along with the Greek government forced bond holders to accept a 75% haircut on their assets. I remember Germany doing something similar at the end of WW2. I was wondering if this is per...	Hungary in 1996, Bokros Package contained direct devaluationof Hungarian Forints, so all savings lost value instantly.
Is there a practical way to implement wealth redistribution that isn't currently implemented? A common goal of Marxist and other socialists is to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor. Is there a practical way to accomplish this that isn't already being done? We already have an estate tax that is as high as ...	Changing how we tax investments and dividends could be one way to improve things.
Why does the U.S grant visas via lottery? It is reasonable to grant a visa for education or investment but granting it by chance seems odd. I'm not sure if any other country does the same but there should be reason(s) for this (except giving a chance to people from undeveloped countries to have a better life). Some ...	The lottery makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas annually and aims to diversify the immigrant population in the United States , by selecting applicants from countries with low rates of immigration in the five years prior (Wikipedia)
Legality of Nudism in Public Places? I have watched some pornographic video that shocked me. In many videos a nude girl walks in very crowded public places in the blatant view of other people. I thought that it might be a video trick, but I think it is real. Is this really legal in some countries? If so ... In which ...	Yes, public nudity is legal in many countries, but it varies by community dependent upon what is considered indecent exposure .
Does standard of living correlate with higher education? This question aims at the correlation between a societies standard of living and standard of formal education. For example, over the past century, America has had the fortune of being a place with a high standard of living, relative to most of the world. Howeve...	Standard of living correlates quite well with years of schooling, including time spent in "higher education".
What does "teabagger" mean in the politics? I have faced it in the political news. For example here in the comments under the article: Rowhani's 'path of moderation' also shows limits What does it mean exactly and why is it called like this? <Q> (I'll try and post a less overtly biased and editorialized answer. <S> W...	The term 'teabagger' is slang (typically used in the pejorative sense) to refer to those that associate themselves with the Tea Party , which is a movement primarily (but not exclusively) associated with the Republican Party in the United States.
Why do some parliamentary systems have two head of states? Consider the example of Russia having a President and a Prime Minister. What is the purpose of having two "potential" head-of-states? Constitutional monarchies have essentially powerless royalty but a strong PM (like Great Britain, Japan and Spain). As I u...	The UK has one Head of State (the monarch) and one Head of Government (the Prime Minister).
Petition the President to pardon Snowden? Would a petition to the President to pardon Snowden be popular? What kind of political group believes Snowden should absolutely be punished? <Q> A petition to pardon Snowden on the White House's web site has been reported to pass 100,000 signatures, the threshold required for a...	Yes, the petition to pardon Snowden is popular .
Do any of the judges in USA (any jurisdiction) have to run for re-election? Some of the judges in USA are elected positions. In those cases, there are 4 options: Position is elected for life Position is elected for a term and the person can't run again Position is elected for a term, and at the end of the term the...	Magisterial district judges run in competitive elections.
Why does the United States still keep substantial numbers of soldiers in Europe? If I recall correctly, the US maintains about 30,000 men in Germany alone and thousands more in different European countries. I understand the need to project power and to rapidly deploy to any theatre of conflict, but isn't positioning an...	The U.S. has military bases in many countries all over the world because it serves their security interests to have lots of large bases.
Is religious discrimination legal in public in the USA? It has happened in Houston in front of a shopping center: I had heard something similar about some shops and stores using similar signs and hate speeches in the 70s and before it in New York City and other big cities against Jews and Greeks, and before those ag...	Some religious discrimination in the US is legal, but it depends on by whom it is being committed, and it what context.
Is requiring removal of face coverings a violation of a persons civil rights? After the attacks on 911, proper identification became important especially when boarding a plane or using other mass transit. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to identify someone whose face is completely covered. The ACLU claims that ...	A requirement that people expose their faces to the TSA or in drivers' licenses would likely be ruled constitutional by the courts because it doesn't target religious rituals or beliefs, but applies to anybody who might be covering his or her face. Possibly, but it may be a legal infringement on a person's rights.
Why do so few Arab countries have nuclear energy power plants? According to Wikipedia there are no Arab countries that have a functioning nuclear energy program. (Indeed, Pakistan and Iran are the only Muslim countries to do so, and neither of these are Arab.) In contrast, many other countries have nuclear power pl...	They tend to either be poor, in which case they can't afford nuclear power; or are rich in fossil fuels, so they get their power that way.
Why would a country ever store its gold deposits abroad? I just learned from this question that Germany is storing its gold reserves around the globe. Why would a country store any of its gold reserves abroad, instead of well-protected inside the country? When did Germany create those exported deposits? And an opti...	Switzerland, London and New York are centers for gold trading (there are other places) and the banks save money by buying the gold on, say, the London market, leaving it in London, then selling it to, say, Japan in the London market and not transporting it around the globe.
What was the largest popular vote election ever held? What was the largest popular vote election ever held for a personally-held position? This means an election for an elected position, with people directly voting for the choice of candidates (e.g. US Presidential elections don't count, since they are votes for the e...	2014 Indian parliamentary elections won by Narendra Modi led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. The largest election by the number of cast votes is the 1991 electionof the president of the RSFSR.
Can the Vatican legally declare war? Joseph Stalin once famously quipped : "The Pope! How many divisions has he got?" Technically speaking, the pope IS a secular ruler of a country that holds an observer status at the UN, and as far as I'm aware, has a standing military (Swiss guard mercenaries). The Popes of the pa...	No, if he does so, he would be a war criminal on international scale who could be tried in another country or by a special international tribunal.
What am I supposed to vote for? Germany is a democracy and there is an important election on Sunday.I know I can vote any of the parties written on the list or nothing, and that within this limitation I am completely free to make my cross. This is written in the German constitution : Art. 20.2 GG: All state auth...	Vote for whoever demonstrated the best problem solving ability Vote for the best leader (if you don't know enough history to know that Hitler had outstanding leadership qualities)
Why did Russia default on its domestic bonds in 1998 when it could simply print money? Russia defaulted on its domestic debt in 1998. It did not have to do so because the bonds were denominated in Russian Ruble and the government could simply have printed money to pay the bonds. Why didn't Russia print money then? <Q> ...	Printing more money would have made the inflation problem much worse.
Why hasn't Indian Govt still taken a step to slow down the rate of population growth in India? India as of now is the second largest country by population just after China. Although we have seen that China, despite being a lot bigger than India in every terms has taken effective steps in order to reduce the rate of pop...	India has a large number of poor people and uneducated and these people don't understand the need for contraceptives or may rather spend that money for the next meal. The Government has actually tried to control the overpopulation - Wikipedia tells us that: India's state of emergency between 1975 and 1977 included a fa...
Has the US President ever been denied entry to a foreign country? Shortly after the awarding of temporary asylum to Edward Snowden by Russian President Putin, the relationship with the US President became contentious, to the extent that it was announced that the two Presidents would not meet at a prescribed summit. Thi...	No sitting US president has tried and been denied that I know of, but they aren't in the practice of asking countries that are unlikely to accept them, nor are they in the practice of publicizing such a snub. The sitting US President Barack Obama is currently denied entry to the Chechen Republic (Or Chechnya), which is...
What jurisdictions, if any, have preemptive judicial review of bills or laws, without a suit being brought challenging the law? In the US, a court typically can only review a law if a case is brought, which generally requires a plaintiff with standing to sue. I seem to recall that some other country or countries have a...	In Canada at least the Government can ask the Supreme Court for its opinion on the constitutionality of any legisation - often before the legislation is adopted.
When a country wins a war, will the winner country rule the losing one? I just have a simple question, what happens when a country wins a war: will that country rule the losing country, or what happens after the war? <Q> War is not a game. <S> There is no specific thing that happens when a country "wins" a war. <S>...	It mostly depends on why the war was fought, and what the result was. The winner can be said to be the one who got the more favorable side of the bargain.
What are the advantages of a two party system vs multiple party system? In the United States we have the two-party system unlike many other nations, including Britain, Germany, Israel, and many others. Multiple parties ultimately results in forced cooperation between multiple parties in order to create a coalition to g...	Two parties in the poilitical system creates a duopoly... which if it were in any other part of the economy, the government would be trying to get it broken up as it being too close to a monopoly.
Are there disadvantages to the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013? If so, what? The first Federal Assault Weapons Ban was enacted in 1994 and expired in 2004. A new Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 is being proposed . What are the disadvantages of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013, if any? (Examples from the 1994 version that...	If you are a person who wishes to own an assault weapon, then this ban curtails your ability to do so.
Does US or other Common Law states have mechanisms for reversing any reduction of rights? I am thinking particularly from the standpoint of: Rights granted (or 'enshrined') under a constitution Subsequent limitations (by jurisdictions) placed on those rights Legal precedents or means for removing or non-acting on...	English common law procedure includes the right to Jury Nullification whenever the Jury correctly finds an Act of a Legislature to be unconstitutional.
Why don't unions negotiate members-only contracts in right-to-work states? How unions are generally formed is that the workers at a company take a vote, and if a majority vote for collective bargaining, then all the workers get represented by a union in negotiations with the employer. And many companies negotiate wit...	Practically, members only contracts are unlikely to gain much through collective bargaining as the leverage is so much less without a substantial portion of the workforce participating in the union and the economic disadvantages for dues paying members will probably outweigh the advantages under the contract, so few wi...
Is Scotland a country? Real simple, is Scotland a country and why/why not? There seem to be conflicting views all over the internet. Most of it seems to be personal views and opinions, I'm interested in facts. Most of them seem to disagree on what a country is as well which I find strange, is it that much of a gre...	Scotland is a country, but not an independent country . Yes it is a country, as is England, both of which are members of the United Kingdom due to a shared Sovereign.
What is the purpose of farm subsidies today? Roughly every five years, Congress debates and eventually passes an agriculture (i.e., farm) bill. The first farm bill, as I understand it, was passed during the Great Depression as a means of protecting farmers against excess supply that resulted in lower prices, thus orig...	One reason that I've been led to believe is true is to stabilize the supply of food against the risk of excess food resulting in low prices eliminating farm jobs while allowing for excess food production to hedge against the possibility of unexpected low crop yields.
Strategy to not vote for a candidate using Single Transferable Vote If I was to participate in a election using the Single Transferable Vote system, what would be my best strategy to try and prevent one candidate from winning. For example if there are 5 candidates. One who I would like to win, one I very much woul...	Since the remaining candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated first, you want everyone else to have more votes than the one you wish to be eliminated.
How are quarrels managed according to anarchism? I've read a lot about anarchism but I failed to understand how the rules are enforced. Since anarchism refuses any form of vertical power, there is no police in anarchy, but there may be free associations. I suppose that every agreement is taken just by who accepts it,...	Arbitrators would be reliant upon reputation, so if an arbitrator was known to make biased or unfair decisions, than the idea is that people with disputes would decide not to use that particular arbitrator. what would most likely happen is that gangs (basically warlords) would form, and they would use force to get what...
What is the difference between the Chancellor and the President of Germany? As you know, Germany has both a Chancellor and a President. While the Chancellor's appearances in international stages and media seem to be huge, not many foreign media talk about the German President. What are basic functions of the President...	Although the president is the head of state the real power is held by the chancellor and therefore people are much more interested in him (or her). The president is not really all that important for German people.
Why do oppressive regimes cheat in the election process rather than simply faking the results? Why do so many authoritarian regimes bother with voter fraud and ballot stuffing? For example, after Hitler's annexation of Austria, intrusive propaganda and threats were used to make everybody vote for the Anschluss, but his...	There is actually no benefit in conducting fake elections compared to not conducting elections at all.
Would legalization of drugs increase the power of the FARC? Libertarians have very compelling arguments in favor of drug legalization. I have been convinced by these (and similar) arguments. But recently I heard one counter-argument that seems very compelling as well and, if it does hold water, I am ready to change m...	In fact, most conventional wisdom suggests that legalization actually makes illegal drug cartels less powerful because more legitimate businesses will be able to enter the market.
Why do some governments still continue applying rationing and maximum prices? For example in Cuba and Venezuela the governments apply rationing and maximum prices. I have studied in the history that these policies, instead of improving living standards, always bring a generalized scarcity and contribute to the developm...	Most governments apply rationing and price controls only in a time of crisis.
what is the difference between political system and government? I want to know what is the difference between political system and government ? <Q> A Government is an entity that governs a certain group of people. <S> One of its main distinguishing features is the monopoly on the legal use of for...	A Political System is a general set of principles, ideals and limitations that are followed by a government regardless of the more specific goals of that particular government.
Why is equality such a widely accepted political goal? Even though Egalitarianism is typically associated with the Left, it appears that even the Right considers equality to be desirable. This seems puzzling to me, as there's overwhelming empirical evidence of inherent differences between both individuals and groups o...	From one viewpoint, equality is basically the same thing as fairness, and fairness is something that all primates tend to value.
What is the name of the tactic that politicians use to bury people with torrent of words? Some people write bloated books and long essays with skilful use of hooks, e.g. Jared Diamond; some others speak in long-drawn sentences with torrents of words, e.g. Noam Chomsky. It reminds me of a tactic politicians use to waste...	Obfuscation may be the word you are looking for.
Has a two-letter country code been proposed for use by independent Scotland? If it doesn't already have one, what would Scotland's two-letter country code likely be, in the event of its gaining independence? I've tried searching a little but it seems that Scotland simply doesn't have any such code. As one blogger not...	Some possibilities include: .ab , taken from Alba , the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland.
Is Cyprus in Europe? The Wikipedia entry on Cyprus says its location is in Europe. However, The entry on Europe excludes Cyprus. This list of European countries by population excludes Cyprus because it fails to satisfy the requirement that "the majority of the inhabitants live in Europe". Perhaps it would...	So I would say that, in the most common terms, Cyprus is considered to be a country located in Europe, but in some perspectives, Asia, or between Europe and Asia.
Are U.S. politicians assumed to be Christians? Are U.S. politicians assumed to be Christians (no matter which sect)? Is it possible for an atheist or Muslim believer to become US president? Are there any legal obstacles? <Q> Being an Atheist of Muslim might fewer people vote for you, but if you do get enough votes, the...	There is no law in the US that says that holders of any office need to be of any particular religion, in fact, any such law would be unconstitutional. Article Six of the US Constitution prohibits the federal government from rejecting a duly selected politician from being installed into the seat for which he was elected...
What is the role and responsiblity of the king in Spain in the Spanish government? What is the role of the king, socially or politically, in Spain? Recently Spain's monarch abdicated his throne for his son. See info <Q> Spain has a constitutional monarchy. <S> The term "constitutional monarchy" means that the king is...	The king is the head of Spain and could ultimately make most decisions for the country.
Does banning of anti-democratic parties violate principles of democracy? In recent years, due to problems of mass immigration in Europe, there's a rise of far-right parties such as Golden Dawn in Greece, Jobbik in Hungary, BNP in Britain, NPD in Germany, etc. Governments of these countries seems to be worried about s...	It mostly depends on how you define "democracy". If you define it as "the rule of the people", then "the people" can ban anything they don't like, including any party, democratic, anti-democratic, green, blue or yellow.
Why is US supporting ISIS in Syria while opposing it in Iraq? US is supporting the rebels in Syria who are trying to bring down Assad's govt. ISIS is one of the rebels. So directly or indirectly, US is supporting ISIS in Syria. But the same US is opposing the same ISIS in Iraq. why? The only reason I can come up with...	geopolitical: Any opposition to Al-Assad and prolongation of his war serves to distract and weaken and pressure Iran, which is the main geopolitical opponent of USA in the Middle East.
What is the purpose of gay pride parades? If the purpose is clear, is it productive or counterproductive? I am pretty unsure about gay pride parades. What is the essential goal? With suffragettes they had definite requests on voting rights. Personally I have no problem with homosexuals, I am pretty indifferent towards...	So when they started gay pride marches were an attempt to alter the public perception of homosexuality, normalizing it and reducing fear/distrust by familiarizing people with it.
Has the Jewish Defense League been designated as a terrorist group by the FBI/USA? The French Wikipedia says: la JDL est considérée par le FBI comme un groupe terroriste JDL is considered by the FBI as a terrorist group With as a reference http://www.fbi.gov/publications/terror/terror2000_2001.htm which is now...	While the federal government lists groups such as al Qaeda and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations, there is no such practice of designating any domestic groups as terrorist organizations.
How could the Ukrainian rebels get SAMs? I know this counts as geopolitics(or maybe skeptics), but The US and Svobda have claimed that Malaysia flight MH17 was shot down by rebels. After reading This question in Travel Stack Exchange, I now wonder how a non-government association could get Surface-to-Air missiles. ...	Of course I think there were other ways to get it - they could easily steal it somewhere in Ukrainian military stocks.
Was there ANY official condemnation of Hamas over use of civilians and especially children as human shields? There is ample proof that Hamas is using Palestinian civilians - even children - as human shields. From situating military objects in the middle of homes/in schools/ hospitals etc.., to using ambulances, to out...	The EU condemned Hamas' rocket fire and use of human shields .
Where does the right to refuse service come from? I'm curious where this comes from, is it written law somewhere? Where is this right defined? It's normally written as we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone in restaurants or other businesses and it's known to be a legal statement unless the entity is discr...	So if you're asking if there's a specific law or statute saying "Businesses can deny customers," the answer is that it doesn't exist.
Why doesn't a conservative majority SCOTUS repeal Roe v. Wade? I'm ignorant of the judicial branch, and I have a question, which I would like answered irrespective of the "pro-choice" or "pro-life" debate and focused on the workings of the courts. Given that for a period not too long ago six of the nine justices were...	Judges can't just overturn a precedent because they feel like it. The less simple answer is that it's not certain that the anti-Roe block even has the votes.
Why is redrawing the artificial borders not a viable solution to conflicted states? Multiple states in Middle East and Africa seem to be stuck in violent conflicts that seem to be reoccurring and nearly inevitable because of the unstable internal power balance of various ethnic or religious groups inside - they aren't ...	Furthermore, many potential boundaries are not sustainable in the long run.
Has there ever been a case where a state ejected a portion of itself? There are often calls for one portion of a state to secede and form their own state. For example, the recent Scottish referendum on seceding from the UK. But suppose it went the other way around, and England, Wales, and N. Ireland decided they didn't...	The history of the Republic of Singapore began when Singapore gained its independence and became a republic following an ejection from Malaysia on 9 August 1965.
What is the difference between developed countries and developing countries? What is the difference between developed countries and developing countries? <Q> You mean aside from 5 letters? <S> The main difference is the state of industrialization and the developedness of the economy. <S> Most commonly, the criteri...	A developed country, industrialized country, or "more economically developed country" (MEDC), is a sovereign state that has a highly developed economy and advanced technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations. A developing country, also called a less-developed country, is a nation with a l...
What personal identification documents does the British Queen have? What documents does the Queen use to travel abroad and to identify her personally domestically? Candidates include: A UK identity card An EU passport A diplomatic passport of a sort Any ID card replacement that may be used for personality identif...	As a general rule, the Queen of the United Kingdom doesn't need any state-issued ID, because she is the state. There is no "royal certificate" equivalent to a birth certificate, but she does have a marriage certificate, as documented in one of the books linked here . One thing she does have is her various Coats of Arms...
Why has Japan been largely pacifist since WWII? Japan has been largely pacifist since WWII. Although it does have armed forces, I've heard that the country hasn't killed anyone in combat since WWII. While I assume that WWII, the deadliest war in history in absolute numbers, played a role in that, I don't know what exa...	One of the conditions of the surrender by the Japanese was that they disarm and not have a military and keep an absolute minimum defensive force.
Has gun violence decreased in states with open carry laws? Has gun violence decreased in states with open carry laws? I know the laws have not been in effect for long, but I am hoping for some evidence either way. I'm looking for legitimate and unbiased sources. <Q> Gun violence has been declining for the past 30 year...	The answer to your question YES, such crime has decreased. There are too many confounding variables to ever be able to tease out changes in the gun violence crime rate.
What is the reason for sudden drop in crude oil prices? As you can see here , the prices of crude oil dropped from $105 in July to $85 now. I am guessing this is not just a market fluctuation, rather a trend. The prices were rising till July 2014 and then the decline started. What is the reason for such a steep fall...	Russia and Iran have to keep up their revenue and market share so they're selling Oil at low prices.
What are the reasons why Mexico remains so poorly industrialized? Why is Mexico so poorly industrialized, although it is in close proximity to the technologically advanced and financially expansive United States? Why does US capital prefer to migrate to China and India rather than to its neighbor country? <Q> Why some ...	Contemporary capital markets are fairly competitive and seem to be willing to invest in less developed countries (see South Korea, China, Brazil, etc), so lack of potential for investment doesn't seem to be a barrier to growth. Mexico is plagued by corruption , crime , and violence . First, shipping goods via water is ...
How are criminal cases with citizens from rogue states handled? How does international policing work for countries that are not part of Interpol and do not have extradition treaties in place? For example if a North Korean citizen was suspected of murdering a German citizen but had since travelled back to North Korea h...	In your particular example, the country of the victim could certainly initiate proceedings, start gathering evidence immediately, issue arrest warrants, possibly go as far as judging the suspect in abstentia
Why require a stable home country for release from Guantanamo Bay? Guantanamo Bay prisoners who are no longer deemed a direct threat are "cleared for transfer", but if their home country is not considered stable enough, they continue to be held, at great cost to U.S. public image if nothing else. To this questioner's ...	If the government is not stable, the United States fears that the prisoner will not face appropriate charges, and may become a threat again.
Why Dictatorship works when democracy fails? Why is it that democracy always fails in a fledgling(Negative: Third World Country) economy when dictatorship encourages development ? Examples: Failed democracy in Germany gave rise to Hitler. Case with Iraq and North Korea. Another example: India under the Anci...	You're dead right that when you get the right dictator in power, it can be very much a positive thing.
What do world leaders normally do once they quit the top job? If you have reached the pinnacle of your political career - leader of your country - what do you normally do afterwards... I can imagine this could vary from political king-maker to diplomat to inspirational speaker to charity figurehead and so forth; but ...	I think the only real answer here is that "they do what a lot of people do at the end of their careers". If you're Slobodan Miloševic, you live out your life in prison.
What is the difference between the President of Germany and Chancellor of Germany? I wanted to know what the separation of powers were, if any. I did some research on Wikipedia and could only find that the Chancellor of Germany essentially runs the country, but is appointed by the President. Is the President of Germany...	The Chancellor is the real Government "director", the figure with the power.
Why doesn't Pakistan have any strong cooperation with Turkey like China? China has strong military bond with Pakistan. Recently China pledged to invest USD 47 billion in Pakistan. Turkey is a friend of Pakistan for a long period of time. Why doesn't Pakistan have any long term strong partnership with Turkey in the ...	While there are certainly no fractures between Turkey and Pakistan, the relationship seems to be dormant when compared to before.
Can an action by a branch be called "constitutional" without having been challenged in court? Clearly, if a branch takes an action (legislative or especially executive), you can not correctly refer to it as " UN -constitutional" until it was challenged in, and reviewed by, the courts and found in violation of Constit...	Yes, constitutional means: allowed by a country's constitution
Could President Obama sue "The Right" for Defamation? A lot of debunked claims have been spread about President Obama throughout his presidency; including, but not limited, to: Obama is a Muslim . Obama was not born in this country . Obama is a communist/socialist/monarchist/etc. .. While the source of these stat...	It is virtually impossible for public officials (see comments).
Why do Iran and Saudi Arabia share the same "age of majority"? According to Wikipedia , backed by a couple of sources, Iran and Saudi Arabia share the same age of majority: 8 for girls, 14 for boys. Now, according to the sources, this is due to sharia law. However, I find this puzzling for some reasons: there are m...	Note that beyond the sharia/islam-related aspect, Iran and Saudi Arabia are also among the few countries that routinely execute criminals so the apparent convergence could also be the result of the general conservative and authoritarian nature of their respective regimes.
Why do republicans oppose S.2569, the Bring Jobs Back Act? The Bring Jobs Home Act (S. 2569 ) is a bill that would amend the Internal Revenue Code to grant business taxpayers a tax credit for up to 20% of insourcing expenses incurred for eliminating a business located outside the United States and relocating it within ...	In a nutshell, there were amendments Republicans wanted to apply to the bill that Democrats rejected to vote on.
Why don't politicians decide to pass laws that make themselves really rich? Why don't US politicians in the Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court decide to give themselves, say, 100 million dollars each? I understand that the politicians doing so wouldn't get reelected and that their political career woul...	Politicians regularly do pass laws to make themselves rich (and/or use information gathered in the course of making law to inform their investment choices).
Did the USA inadvertently help ISIS? Occasionally it is heard from different sources that united states of America is accidentally helping ISIS through various approaches such as sending the parcels of bombs or other war weapons by airplanes and …? such as: http://fa.alalam.ir / www.khabaronline.ir/World/middle-e...	The answer is that it probably did not help materially primarily because ISIS' problem is not a shortage of small arms, which is what the U.S. is sending.
Why is it obligatory to say "republic" in "Czech Republic" and "Dominican Republic"? More than half of the countries of the world are officially republics, yet most often you can omit the "republic" part when referring to the country. Examples : French Republic -> France People's republic of China -> China Federal ...	It is inconvenient to use on it's own and doesn't sound like English, and interrupts a phrase with a percussive sound which cannot represent a country by nature of it's sonority. It isn't obligatory in every country to say Czech Republic, and in every language, it is a question of accepted norms.
Is Switzerland a republic? I always thought that Switzerland was neither a monarchy nor a republic. The members of the federal council are not here by inheritance, nor are they elected by the people. Instead, they are elected by the parliament. This system has been recently confirmed, as there was recently a vote wher...	So yes, I'd say they are essentially a de-facto republic.
Do any MPs have maths degrees? I have looked online but I can't find the answer to this question. Did any MPs (elected representatives in the UK Parliament, stands for Members of Parliament) from the election term just finished (2010–15) have maths degrees? <Q> Yes, it seems so. <S> Somebody has used the Wikipedia...	There are eight MPs who are listed as “Mathematical Sciences”.

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