the UN and the USA

     Someone wrote in a letter/comment that the United States should get out of the United Nations because we shouldn't have to be the world's policeman. The writer completely missed the point--of the United Nations and why the United States should remain a member. The United Nations was founded to represent all of the countries (nations) in the world, and to help countries settle disputes with one another. When the United Nations decides on armed intervention in a conflict, member states are asked to contribute troops. The troops will be under the command of United Nations officers. The United States has refused this more than once--our country would not put American troops under UN command.  The United States has instead fought foreign wars on its own, without the help and direction of the UN. When the United States decides to let the UN make the decisions, and to send troops only as part of a UN mission, we will have stopped trying to be the "world's policeman"--or the world's superhero--and become a part of more mature group decision making.

a bicameral UN

     In the United States, we have a bicameral legislature. Some countries have unicameral legislatures. Bicameral means having two chambers--in the United States, the House of Representatives and the Senate. When the young United States was arguing over the form its government should take, some people wanted a legislature with proportional representation--the more citizens, the more representatives in the congress. Others wanted each state to send the same number of representatives to a national assembly or congress, so that each state would have an equal say in passing new laws--no matter whether the states were large or small. Each plan left many people disgruntled, and sure that it was unfair. A compromise was reached--the United States would have two legislative bodies. One would be the Senate, with two senators from each state. The other would be the House of Representatives, with each state having a number of representatives determined by its population--the more people, the more representatives. A bill must pass in both houses to become a law.  The Senate confirms presidential appointments and ratifies treaties with foreign nations. Money bills must originate in the House of Representatives. There are few other differences.
     Suggestion--the United Nations could solve its large state/small state problem the same way the United States did--by having two chambers--one with a delegate from each country, the other with delegates apportioned according to population.