Catching Up with our neighbors Across the River

It has been a few years since last we interviewed any members of the Republic. A lot has happened and it is about time we caught up. However, we are not going to fire up the Time Machine. I decided to pick up the phone this time and ring up the current administration in Anchorage. (For those new, that's the traditional Capital. During the cooler months they are in the Winter capital of Reno). Since last year the Prime Minister of The Republic of Ansdale has been Katherine Anne Morgan, one of the members of the Founding Families of the Republic. Remember that the Son of John Hunt Morgan (yes, that John Hunt Morgan) married John Lee Anderson's daughter Katherine. Her grandfather, also named John Hunt Morgan, was Prime Minister from 1967 to 1969. Like the rest of the family, she is a member of the New Republican Party, the original party formed in the Election of 1888. James Davis, the first Prime Minister, served without Party Affiliation. One other thing, I will be questioning the Prime Minister in accordance to "Reality" as according to the United States from Sea to Shining Sea. Of course the Prime Minister will answer according to the Truth: that there is a Sovereign country West of the Mississippi River.

• CG: Madame Prime Minister, thank you for granting this interview. Those of us here in The United States are currently in the midst of Presidential Campaigning, and a lot is being said about Hillary Clinton having the chance to be the First Woman President. Any comments?
• KM: Who has been President for the Past Eight Years? Last time we checked she was finishing her second term. And your Constitution barred any more time as President.  
• CG: As far as we know Barak Obama is finishing his second term and Clinton is going for her first.
• KM: Really. I thought you didn't allow anyone but a natural born citizen become President?
• CM: We don't. Obama was born in Hawaii. 
• KM: Exactly. And Hawaii is a Sovereign Kingdom associated with the Republic of Ansdale. We came to Hawaii's aid during the Pineapple War and kept the Kingdom intact. Hawaiians are born dual Hawaiian/Ansdale Citizens. The arrangement poses problems for us as well. If the person asserts his Hawaiian citizenship he cannot be Prime Minister, so Obama could not rise to the top here either.
• CG: Well at least the Republic got a woman leader first.    
• KM: I'm actually the third woman Prime Minister of the Republic. Our first was Katherine Lynn Montgomery during World War Two, and the second was Natasha Baranov who was in office at the Same time as Ronald Reagan. And before you say Reagan was a Californian, he was born in Illinois, which is still in the United States, is it not.
• CG: Since my questions are shot how about you indulging in fiction and humor me. If Obama was our President for 8 years and Hillary Clinton is going for her first term as President as we assert, What do you think of Clinton's Chances?
• KM: Probably very good. Here in the Republic our politics skews more to the Conservative viewpoint, so we wouldn't be in favor of someone so naive as to how the world works gaining office.
• CG: Would you be referring to ISIS by any chance?
• KM: With all due apologies to any ancient Egyptian deities, yes. By conceding that the Levant exists is agreeing with them that the State of Israel is illegitimate. That we will never do.
• CG: So what is your official relationship with The United States?
• KM: Nominally they are an ally. However since our founding in 1875 we have been in almost an entire state of tension with them. At least we are not at war.
• CG: What about your other two borders?
• KM: We have no problems with Canada or Guatemala that I know of at the moment.
• CG: I think you missed a country. 
• KM: No, I didn't.
• CG: Just South of the Rio Grande, name of Mexico.
• KM: Doesn't ring a bell. All that is there is the Central American Security Zone. If there were a stable government there there wouldn't be a flood of people trying to illegally enter our fair land. Our troops try to maintain some sort of order there. When they learn to behave like civilized people we will withdraw.
• CG: Wouldn't a wall work just as well?
• KM: I refer you to my previous answer. Still, we in the Republic would much prefer to deal with Mr. Trump.
• CG: I guess that begs the question, is it because Trump is not a politician? And would that also would imply that he would be easier to manipulate?
• KM: Yes to the first, but no to the second. Mister Trump is a businessman, and despite a politicians protests to the contrary, business people understand the way the world works. Actually he would be harder to manipulate, but would be easier to work with.
• CG: Getting Back to ISIS. What would be the difference working with Trump or Clinton?
• KM: Since Clinton and Obama are the same, It would be difficult to deal with either of them. It's hard to be allies when one side thinks that a few minimum wage jobs will fix the problem, and the other knows they want us dead. Mr. Trump understands the Islamist Threat. We could partner with him.  
• CG: We shall see if your hopes are realized. Madame Prime Minister, I think it best if I ended this interview and did some research. May I contact you again?
• KM: You have our number, call anytime.
• CG: Thank you for your time.

Well that was interesting. I wonder if The Republic will be happy once the Election is over. We shall see.   I guess it is easier going back in time. Until next time, I sign off.