A BRIEF LESSON IN AMERICAN CIVICS CLASS::: "A federal republic is a federation of states with a republican form of government. A federation is the central government. The states in a federation also maintain the federation.:: Usage of the term republic is inconsistent but, as a minimum, it means a state or federation of states that does not have a monarch.:: In a federal republic, there is a division of powers between the national ("federal") government, and the government of the individual subdivisions.:: While each federal republic manages this division of powers differently, national security and defense, monetary policy, and other issues of a "national" scope are handled at the "federal" level while more local issues such as road and infrastructure maintenance and education policy are handled at the local level." :: In other words, while the federal government has ultimate sovereignty, there is a limited sovereignty granted to the subdivisions, where the federal government does not have jurisdiction. :: This is in contrast to a unitary republic whereby the national government has complete sovereignty over all aspects of political life, with purely administrative subdivisions, and a confederation whereby the constituent states retain ultimate sovereignty. The form of government is used by many countries around the world." - An American Republican "explains" on StumbleUpon ::: Hey Canada, and Quebec, are you listening? Sort of makes one dizzy, doesn't it? Now if only more Americans would be Canadian, maybe even better, Quebecois, peace and "brotherly love" would reign throughout the world? I think that "lesson" hints at "do it my way, or hit the highway." ::::