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1500 questions
33
votes
3 answers
What does the West have to gain by not allowing Russia to pay its debt?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8PXkkNJ2_o
Bloomberg reports that the default is largely symbolic and Russia is simply defaulting since Western financial institutions won't accept Russia payments. Is there anything the West is gaining from this?…
Sayaman
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33
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7 answers
What is the reason for the high US inflation rate in 2022?
As reported in the news, for example the Guardian, US current inflation rate is above 8% in annual rate, close to a 40-year high. Can someone please help me understand the root cause?
I started hearing people around me blaming Biden for this, and…
avocado
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votes
4 answers
What is strategic about Chernobyl?
On the very first day (well, arguably) of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces took control of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and ghost city, as well as Pripyat.
I fail to see how is this so strategic for a first-day goal. Is it only…
Rafael
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5 answers
Why do presidents receive a pension after their term of office?
When the president ends their term of office in several countries, they receive a pension for life. Why is this? (One guess I have is that it could possibly be to secure their future so their presidential decisions are not affected by eventual…
Carlitos_30
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4 answers
Are there countries where being non-vaccinated disqualifies you from "standard" health insurance coverage (for that particular disease)?
Reading the latest news on Greece imposing fines on the non-vaccinated:
"It's not a punishment," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told his cabinet in a televised meeting. "I would say it is the price for health. It is also an act of justice…
the gods from engineering
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2 answers
Has the UK enacted any changes in laws that would've been impossible while being an EU member?
The UK has left the EU and one of the biggest arguments in support was that idea that they could enact legislation that goes against EU rules, whether on trade with other nations, privacy, security, product standards, environmental regulation, etc.…
JonathanReez
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33
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2 answers
Why are the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark among the countries with the largest wealth gaps in the world?
Wealth Inequality By Country 2021
Here are the 10 countries with the highest wealth inequality:
Netherlands (0.902)
Russia (0.879)
Sweden (0.867)
United States(0.852)
Brazil (0.849)
Thailand (0.846)
Denmark (0.838)
Philippines (0.837)
Saudi…
user366312
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33
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3 answers
Examples of unintentionally confusing ballot design?
What are some examples of unintentionally confusing ballot designs used in relatively recent elections (say, 1980 onwards)? Examples from non-american countries are fine if accompanied by an English translation.
Note: I'm not looking for stuff like…
EveryoneElse
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5 answers
Is there a word or phrase for an election candidate who wants to win an office to prevent its role being done at all?
I am looking for a term for a candidate who wants and hopes to win an election, but has no intention of fulfilling the role if elected. He wishes to be elected in order to prevent it being done at all. He is quite open about this. Is there a word or…
davidlol
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1 answer
Seal in the "Office of the Former President"
In my country of origin national symbols (like the flag, coat of arms etc...) are protected by law, that is, nobody can use them without permission — for instance, one cannot print a tshirt or a mug with an stylized version of the flag. Nobody…
Megaptera novaeangliae
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33
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8 answers
In general, do European right wing parties oppose abortion?
I was wondering about the abortion issue in the US which is a hot topic. Poland just banned abortion and people are protesting against it in the capital. I was wondering about whether or not this opposition to abortion applies to the European right…
Michael Mormon
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33
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2 answers
What if the US President is presumed dead, the line of succession kicks in, but it turns out the original President was actually alive?
Suppose Donald Trump was somehow incorrectly presumed dead. Pence takes the oath and becomes President, and sometime after that it is discovered that Trump is actually alive.
Does Trump get the Presidency back? If so, does Pence get the Vice…
qarz
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3 answers
Is it true that Jim Crow laws were primarily promoted by the Democratic Party?
I've been told that the laws had received widespread support amongst the Democrats of the time. This seems at odds with the current posture of the Democrat Party; is this true?
Jaood
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33
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3 answers
Why is the United States voluntarily funding the World Health Organization 60 times more than China?
I read on https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-14/trump-says-he-s-halting-payments-to-who-for-data-sharing-failure:
The U.S. has contributed about $893 million to the WHO’s operations during its current two-year funding cycle, according…
Franck Dernoncourt
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Why did the House not call every witness suggested to them during the 2019-2020 Impeachment inquiry?
Background
In the 2019-2020 House Impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, many requested witnesses did not testify nor provide documents. Many of these witnesses defied subpoenas either voluntarily or due to the White House's stance toward…
isakbob
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