Democracy or Republic

The government wants to make the citizenship test for immigrants more meaningful, requiring a better understanding of America's history and government institutions. The government on Thursday was to unveil 144 draft questions that it plans to try out on immigrant applicants in 10 cities where it is testing a new citizenship exam. Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the Homeland Security Department, has been working for several years to redesign the test.

A 2003 attempt also was given a tryout in some cities, but it failed and was scuttled. The redesign is aimed at making sure applicants know the meaning behind some of America's fundamental institutions. The new U.S. citizenship exam that will be tried out in 10 cities early next year asks applicants less about historical facts and more about the meaning of democracy.

• JJ Commentary: That’s odd. America is a republic, not a democracy. An unwitting error? Not likely. Spreading democracy is the mantra of the New World (Dis)Order. (By the way, a democracy is when everything is voted on by the masses; a republic is when we vote for representatives who vote for us)