Soybean

This condition has not been found in many other animals, and is not known to occur in humans. In addition, under the 1972 Local Government Act, there is a little-known provision under which non-binding local referendums on any issue can be called by small groups of voters. This is probably because rats are extremely sensitive to dietary protease inhibitors like those found in soybeans, which can disrupt the action of digestive enzymes needed to break down protein. As of 2004 the British government is currently committed to holding a UK-wide referendum on the new EU Constitution, as well as on any plan to adopt the euro as the UK's currency or to change from 'first past the post' to an alternative electoral system. A 1985 animal study showed that young rats fed large amounts of soy products as their primary food source showed an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. There have also been referendums held at the local level on proposals for directly elected local mayors. The original paper in the journal Circulation: January 17,2006[4]. However many referendums have been held in individual parts of the United Kingdom on issues relating to devolution in Scotland and Wales, and the status of Northern Ireland.

[3]. Referendums are rare and only once has a referendum proposal been put to the entire electorate of the UK; this was a referendum in 1975 on membership of the European Economic Community. The panel also found that soy isoflavones do not reduce post menopause "hot flashes" in women nor do isoflavones help prevent cancers of the breast, uterus or prostate. Owing to the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty a binding referendum cannot be held in the United Kingdom (UK). In January , 2006 an American Heart Association review (in the journal Circulation) of a decade long study of soy protein benefits casts doubt on the FDA allowed "Heart Healthy" claim for soy protein. Even referendums on tax cuts are often not passed. The FDA granted this health claim for soy: "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease." One serving, (1 cup or 240 mL) of soy milk, for instance, contains 6 or 7 grams of soy protein. Citizens' initiatives are usually not passed.

On the basis of this research PTI, in 1998, filed a petition with FDA for a health claim that soy protein may reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. The decisions made in referendums tend to be conservative. Soy phytoestrogens (isoflavones: genistein and daidzein) adsorbed onto the soy protein were suggested as the agent reducing serum cholesterol levels. However, the percentage of voters is generally very low, about 20 to 30 percent unless there is an election. However, High Density Lipoprotein HDL(good cholesterol) did not increase. Elections are as well often combined with referendums. This meta-analysis concluded that soy protein is correlated with significant decreases in serum cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride concentrations. The votes on referendums are always held on a Sunday, typically three or four times a year, and in most cases, the votes concern several referendums at the same time, often at different political levels (federal, cantonal, municipal).

Louis. The referendums slow politics down. 5) published a report from the University of Kentucky entitled, "Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Soy Protein Intake on Serum Lipids." It was financed by the PTI division of DuPont,"The Solae Co."[2] St. In many cases, the mere threat of a facultative referendum or of an initiative is enough to make the parliament adjust a law. 333, No. The possibility of facultative referendums forces the parliament to search for a compromise between the major interest groups. In 1995, the New England Journal of Medicine (Vol. There are two types of referendums:.

Isoflavones are polyphenol compounds, produced primarily by beans and other legumes, including peanuts and chickpeas. They are a central feature of Swiss political life. Soybeans also contain isoflavones, forms of phytoestrogen that are considered by some nutritionists and physicians to be useful in the prevention of cancer, though very controversial and also blamed for some thyroid and reproductive health problems. In Switzerland, there are binding referendums at federal, cantonal and municipal level. They are also high in fiber and vitamin C. Two, in 1957 and 1980, were multiple choice referendums. In spite of the chelating effects of phytic acid, soybeans remain a good source of magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and manganese. All have been non-binding, consultative referendums.

Scientific research [1] also indicates that it may reduce the risk of colon cancer. Since the introduction of parliamentary democracy six referendums have been held in Sweden: the first was on prohibition in 1922 and the most recent on euro membership in 2003. The Journal of Environmental Nutrition (April 2004 volume 27 issue 4) has also stated phytic acid may be considered a phytonutrient, providing an antioxidant effect. The Constitution of Sweden provides for both binding and non-binding referendums. However, dietary mineral chelators help prevent over-mineralization of joints, blood vessels, and other parts of the body, which is most common in older persons. Any citizen entitled to vote in an election to the Chamber of Deputies may participate in a referendum. For people with a particularly low intake of essential minerals, especially young children and those in developing countries, this effect can be undesirable. It is forbidden to call a referendum regarding financial laws or laws relating to pardons or the ratification of international treaties.

Of any studied legume, whole soybeans have the highest levels of phytic acid, an organic acid and mineral chelator present in many plant tissues, especially bran and seeds, which binds to certain ingested minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron, and especially zinc—in the intestinal tract, and reduces the amount the body assimilates. The referendum is valid only if at least a majority of electors goes to the polling station. The only non-legume to have an almost identical protein profile to soy is the cereal oat (Avena sativa), and perhaps quinoa. A referendum can be called in order to abrogate totally or partially a law, but only at the request of 500,000 electors or five regional councils. Soy protein is similar to that of other legume seeds, but has the highest yield per square meter of growing area, and is the least expensive source of dietary protein. The constitution of Italy provides for binding referendums. For this reason, soy is important to many vegetarians and vegans. However such a referendum can only take place in rare circumstances and so none has yet occurred.

A complete protein is one that contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids that must be provided to the human body because of the body's inability to synthesize them. The constitution also provides for a referendum on an ordinary law known as the 'ordinary referendum'. Soybeans are a source of complete protein. However the role of the president is merely ceremonial and she cannot refuse to sign an amendment into law that has been legitimately approved in a referendum. Concern is also for the high amounts of residual toxin since the herbicide is sprayed on the soya crop repeatedly during growth. Constitutional amendments are first adopted by both Houses of the Oireachtas (parliament), then submitted to a referendum and finally signed into law by the President. As with other "Roundup Ready" crops, concern is expressed over damage to biodiversity through the loss of wildflowers removed by the roundup treatment, and consequent loss of insects and birds that depend on them. In the Republic of Ireland it is mandatory that every constitutional amendment be approved by referendum and since 1937 over twenty constitutional referendums have occurred.

Currently, 80% of all soybeans cultivated for the commercial market are genetically modified. The current Constitution of Ireland was adopted by plebiscite on 1 July 1937. RR soybeans allow a farmer to reduce tillage or even to sow the seed directly into an unplowed field, known as 'No Plow' tillage. It was later modified to provides for the establishment of a committee by the parliament to be elected in December of 2005 to consider changes to the constitution in 2006. Roundup kills conventional soybeans. The coalition was designed to shift crucial decisions about government, the judiciary and human rights to a future national assembly. strain CP4, inserted, by means of a gene gun, into its genome that allows the transgenic plant to survive being sprayed by this non-selective, glyphosate-based herbicide. The Iraq referendum was voted on by the Iraqi people in on 15 October 2005, two years after the invasion of by the United States led coaliton to oust Saddam Hussein.

In 1995, Monsanto introduced "Roundup Ready" (RR) soybeans that have had a complete copy of a gene (plasmid) from the bacteria, Agrobacterium sp. The TCE has both been rejected by proponents of national sovereignty and by the left-wing liberal anti-globalization movement in France. Monsanto is the world's leader in genetically modified soy for the commercial market. The other EU countries, apart from Spain and Luxembourg, approved it during parliamentary votes. Soybeans are one of the "Biotech Food" crops that are being genetically modified, and GMO soybeans are being used in an increasing number of products. The "Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe" (TCE) was rejected in France and Netherlands in popular referendums. Soybeans are also used as fermenting stock to make a brand of vodka.
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Soybeans are also used in industrial products including oils, soap, cosmetics, resins, plastics, inks, crayons, solvents, and biodiesel. The 1980 Quebec referendum and 1995 Quebec referendum on the secession of Québec are notable cases. Additionally, soy protein has been found to reduce renal excretion of calcium, an effect that is reinforced by the high potassium content of soy products. Referendums can also occur at the provincial level. Tofu often contains high amounts of this important mineral since calcium salts are used to coagulate the protein in soy milk when creating tofu. Although the Constitution of Canada does not expressly require that amendments be approved by referendum some argue that, in light of the precedent set by the Charlottetown Accord referendum, this may have become an unwritten convention. Many manufacturers of soy milk now sell calcium-enriched products as well. The most recent was a referendum in 1992 on a package of proposed constitutional measures known as the Charlottetown Accord.

Soy milk does not contain significant amounts of calcium, since the high calcium content of soybeans is bound to the insoluble constituents and remains in the pulp. Referendums are rare in Canada and only three have ever occurred at the federal level. These imitation products are derived from extensive processing to produce a texture and appearance similar to the real dairy-based ones. Due to the specific mention of referenda in the Australian constitution, non-constitutional referenda are usually termed plebescites in Australia. Many traditional dairy products have been imitated using processed soybeans, and imitation products such as soy milk, "soy yogurt" and "soy cream cheese" are readily available in most supermarkets. Out of the 44 referendums held since federation in 1901, only eight have been passed, making the Australian referendum system one of the most restrictive in the developed world. The formulas are sold in powdered, ready to feed, or concentrated liquid forms. If a majority of those voting, as well as separate majorities in each of a majority of states, (and where appropriate a majority of people in any affected state) vote in favour of the amendment, it is presented for Royal Assent, given in the Queen's name by the Governor-General.

Infant formulas based on soy are used by lactose-intolerant babies; and for babies that are allergic to human milk proteins and cow milk proteins. A bill must first be passed by both houses of Parliament or, in certain limited circumstances, by only one house of Parliament, and is then submitted to a referendum. It is the starting material for production of soy concentrate and soy protein isolate. Approval in a referendum is necessary in order to amend the Australian constitution. Soy flour refers to defatted soybeans where special care was taken during desolventizing (not toasted) in order to minimize denaturation of the protein to retain a high Nitrogen Solubility Index (NSI), for uses such as extruder texturizing (TVP). Other voting methods that could be employed are Condorcet's Method and approval voting that are not subject to the effects of irrelevant alternatives and less susceptible to insincere preference intensity. Soybean meal, the material remaining after solvent extraction of soybean flakes, with a 50% soy protein content, toasted (a misnomer because the heat treatment is with moist steam), and ground, in a hammer mill, provided the energy for the American revolution, beginning in the 1930s, of growing farm animals such as poultry and swine on an industrial scale; and more recently the aquaculture of catfish. Critics of the Borda count argue that it is particularly susceptible to tactical voting and to the tactical nomination of candidates, and that it may produce results that are opposed by a majority of voters.

The remaining soybean husks are used mainly as animal feed. The De Borda Institute argues that the Borda count would produce results based on consensus rather than majoritarianism; it is therefore suggested for use in plebiscites held in areas of conflict such as Northern Ireland, the Balkans or Kashmir. New processes increasingly prepare protein isolates for use as food additives or health supplements. Some groups, such as the Northern Ireland De Borda Institute, advocate the conduct of referendums using the Borda count form of preferential voting, and refer to such a vote as a Borda 'preferendum'. The oils are exported abroad, sold as vegetable oil, or end up in a wide variety of processed foods. In the 1977 Australian referendum the winner was chosen by the system of Instant Run-off Voting (also known as the 'Alternative Vote'). The oils are blended for their applications, and sometimes hydrogenated. In other words the winning option was deemed to be that supported by a plurality, rather than an absolute majority, of voters.

The soybeans are cracked, adjusted for moisture content, rolled into flakes and solvent extracted with commercial hexane. In the Swedish case, in both referendums the 'winning' option was chosen by the Single Member Plurality ("first past the post") system. Soybean oil extraction is performed on a large scale in the U.S. Swiss referendums get around this problem by offering a separate vote on each of the multiple options as well as an additional decision about which of the multiple options should be preferred. Soybean oil makes up 80% of the edible oil consumption in the United States. This can be resolved by applying voting systems designed for single winner elections to a multiple-choice referendum. All commercial soybeans in the United States are yellow or yellow brown. A multiple choice referendum poses the problem of how the result is to be determined if no single option receives the support of an absolute majority (i.e., more than half) of voters.

Soybeans having a dark colored seed coat, or even beans with a dark hilum will inadvertently leave dark specks in the flour, an undesirable factor when used in food products. In Switzerland, for example, multiple choice referendums are common; two multiple choice referendums held in Sweden, in 1957 and 1980, offered voters a choice of three options; and in 1977 a referendum held in Australia to determine a new national anthem was held in which voters were presented with four choices. In processing soybeans for oil extraction and subsequent soy flour production, selection of high quality, sound, clean, dehulled yellow soybeans is very important. A referendum usually offers the electorate only two choices, either to accept or reject a proposal, but this need not necessarily be the case. Soybeans are also the primary ingredient involved in the production of soy sauce (or shoyu). If one issue is in fact, or in perception, related to another on the ballot, the imposed simultaneous voting of first preference on each issue can result in an outcome that is displeasing to most voters. Common forms of soy (or soya) include soy meal ( used as animal feed), soy flour, "soy milk", tofu, textured vegetable protein (TVP, which is made into a wide variety of vegetarian foods, some of them intended to imitate meat), tempeh, soy lecithin and soybean oil (aka "vegetable oil" in the USA). A difficulty which can plague a referendum of two issues or more is called the separability problem.

The beans can be processed in a variety of ways. Some critics of the referendum attack the usual practice of only offering the electorate two options, of either accepting or rejecting a proposal, in a referendum. Soybeans prepared this way are a popular local snack in Hawai'i, where, as in Japan, China, and Korea, the bean and products made from the bean (miso, natto, tofu, douchi, doenjang, ganjang and others) are a significant part of the diet. The repeated holding of a referendum on a single issue has been pejoratively referred to as the phenomenon of the "never-end-um". Soybeans may be boiled whole in their green pod and served with salt, under the Japanese name edamame. This is especially a problem where a proposal may be difficult to reverse, such as secession from a larger country or the abolition of a monarchy. A smaller percentage of soybeans are used directly for human consumption, particularly in Asia. A further perceived flaw of the referendum is that in some circumstances the democratic spirit of the referendum may be flouted by the repeated submission to the referendum of a proposal until it is eventually endorsed, perhaps due to a low turn-out or public fatigue with the issue.

The bulk of the soybean crop is grown for oil production, with the high-protein defatted and "toasted" soy meal used as livestock feed. Many of the arguments used by those who oppose the referendum are summarised in the following comment made in an interview in 2003 by the British politician Chris Patten concerning the possibility of a referendum in the UK on the European Union Constitution:. Soybeans are the most important cash crop in the United States and the leading agricultural export. Hitler's use of the plebiscite is one reason why, since World War II, there has been no provision in Germany for the holding of referendums at the federal level. Among the legumes, the soybean, also classed as an oilseed, is pre-eminent for its high (38-45%) protein content as well as its high (20%) oil content. Some opposition to the referendum has arisen from its use by dictators such as Hitler and Mussolini who, it is argued, used the plebiscite to clothe oppressive policies in a veneer of legitimacy. The "garden" cultivars are generally not suitable for mechanical combine harvesting because they have a tendency for the pods to shatter on reaching maturity. Some argue that tools such as the referendum may lead to the "tyranny of the majority" and to the erosion of the rights of individuals and minorities.

Tofu and soymilk producers prefer the higher protein cultivars bred from vegetable soybeans originally brought to the United States in the late 1930s. Voters might furthermore be swayed by strong personalities, or the adverse influence of propaganda or expensive advertising campaigns. Vegetable types cook more easily, have a mild nutty flavor, better texture, are larger in size, higher in protein, and lower in oil than field types. It is also argued that voters in a referendum may be driven by transient whims rather than careful deliberation, or that they may not be sufficiently well informed to take decisions on complicated or technical issues. Soybeans can be broadly classified as "vegetable" (garden) or field (oil) types. Examples of these would include laws abolishing slavery, granting universal sufferage and removing prohibitions on homosexual relationships in various countries. Peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes or other plants that would replenish the soil with nitrogen and minerals were planted for two years and then cotton on the third year. As evidence, many critics frequently cite numerous controversial changes which did not appear to have the support of a majority of voters at the time and so presumable would have failed under a referendum but which are now strongly supported by the majority of voters.

He also encouraged farmers to use crop rotation. Some opponents therefore insist that the referendum is used by politicians as a way of abrogating responsibility in the taking of difficult or controversial decisions. The first research on soybeans in the United States was conducted by George Washington Carver at Tuskeegee, Alabama, but he decided it was too exotic a crop for the poor black farmers of the South so he turned his attention to peanuts. As often conceived by such opponents, representative democracy is a system in which elected officials are the exercisers of independent judgement rather than merely delegates bound to robotically carry out the wishes of voters. Environmental groups, such as Greenpeace and the WWF, have reported that soybean cultivation and the threat to increase soybean cultivation in Brazil is destroying huge areas of Amazon rainforest and encouraging deforestation. Opponents of the referendum argue that representative democracy is superior to direct democracy. Other leading producers are Brazil, Argentina, China, Japan, and India. Other advocates insist that the principle of popular sovereignty demands that certain foundational questions, such as the adoption or amendment of a constitution, the secession of a state or the altering of national boundaries, be determined with the directly expressed consent of the people.

produced 75 million metric tons of soybeans in 2000, of which more than one-third was exported. Some adopt a strict definition of democracy in which elected parliaments are merely a necessary expedient needed to make governance possible in the large, modern nation-state; direct democracy is nonetheless preferable and so a referendum must always take preference over a decision of parliament. The U.S. Advocates of the referendum argue that certain decisions are best taken out of the hands of political elites and determined directly by the people. Soybeans are native to southeast Asia, but 45 percent of the world's soybean area, and 55 percent of production, is in the United States. Nonetheless the referendum is sometimes the subject of controversy. Modern crop cultivars generally reach a height of 1 m or more, and take between 80-120 days from sowing to harvesting. Furthermore, in most jurisdictions that practice them, referendums are relatively rare occurrences and are restricted to issues of major importance.

However, for best results an inoculum of the correct strain of bacteria should be mixed with the soybean(or any legume) seed before planting. Although some advocates of direct democracy would have the referendum become the dominant institution of government, in practice, in almost all cases, the referendum exists solely as a complement to the system of representative democracy, in which most major decisions are made by an elected legislature. Rhizobium japonicum; Jordan 1982). For example, in the Republic of Ireland only citizens may vote in a referendum whereas British citizens resident in the state are entitled to vote in general elections. Soybeans, like most legumes perform nitrogen fixation by establishing a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Bradyrhizobium japonicum (syn. The franchise in a referendum is not necessarily the same as that for elections. They can grow in a wide range of soils, with optimum growth in moist alluvial soils with a good organic content. An alternative is to insist on a certain minimum absolute number of yes votes before a measure can be deemed to have been carried—or of no votes if it is to be deemed vetoed.

Cultivation is successful in climates with hot summers, with optimum growing conditions in mean temperatures of 20 °C to 30 °C; temperatures of below 20 °C and over 40 °C retard growth significantly. This is intended to ensure that the result is representative of the will of the electorate and is analogous to the quorum required in a committee or legislature. Soybeans did not become an important crop outside of Asia until about 1910. In some countries there is also a requirement that there be a certain minimum turn-out of the electorate in order for the result of a referendum to be considered valid. Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter in 1770 mentioning sending soybeans home from England. In Lithuania certain proposals must be endorsed by a three-quarters majority. They were first introduced to Europe in the early 1700s and the United States in 1765, where it was first grown for hay. However a referendum may also require the support of a super-majority, such as two-thirds of votes cast.

Soybeans were used as food in eastern Asia long before written records, and it is still a major crop in China, Japan and Korea. In most referendums it is sufficient for a measure to be approved by a simple majority of voters in order for it to be carried. A very small proportion of the crop is consumed directly for food by humans. In countries, such as the United Kingdom, in which referendums are neither mandatory nor binding there may, nonetheless, exist an unwritten convention that certain important constitutional changes will be put to a referendum and that the result will be respected. The bulk of the crop is solvent extracted for vegetable oil and the defatted soy meal is used for animal feed. in Ireland). It is grown for its oil and protein. In countries in which a referendum must be initiated by parliament it is sometimes mandatory to hold a binding referendum on certain proposals, such as constitutional amendments (e.g.

Soybeans are an important global crop, with political ramifications. In the United States the term referendum is often reserved for a direct vote initiated by a legislature while a vote originating in a petition of citizens is referred to as an "initiative," "ballot measure" or "proposition.". The scar, visible on the seed coat, is called the hilum (colors include black, brown, buff, gray and yellow) and at one end of the hilum is the micropyle, or small opening in the seed coat which can allow the absorption of water. The process of initiating a referendum by petition is known as the popular or citizen's initiative. The hull of the mature bean is hard, water resistant, and protects the cotyledon and hypocotyl (or "germ") from damage. In other circumstances a referendum is usually initiated either by a legislature or by citizens themselves by means of a petition. Soybeans occur in various sizes, and in several hull or seed coat colors, including black, brown, blue, yellow, and mottled. A foundational referendum or plebiscite may be drafted by a constituent assembly before being put to voters.

. According to an authoritative study by Matt Qvortrup (A Comparative Study of Referendums 2006), only Sweden among democratic nations has not honoured the outcome of a referendum. The word soy is derived from the Japanese word shoyu (soy sauce/soya sauce). Nonetheless, actual political circumstances in countries that hold non-binding referendums are such that the results of such a referendum are usually honoured. Beans are classed as pulses whereas soybeans are classed as oilseeds. It is left to the government or legislature to interpret the results of a non-binding referendum and it may even choose to ignore them. However, it is known that the progenitor of the modern soybean was a vine-like plant, that grew prone on the ground. A non-binding referendum is merely consultative or advisory.

It is a cultural variety (a cultigen) with a very large number of cultivars. Referendums may be either binding or non-binding. Like corn and some other crops of long domestication, the relationship of the modern soybean to wild-growing species can no longer be traced with any degree of certainty. However the use of referenda is deprecated by the Oxford English Dictionary which advises that:. The small, inconspicuous, self-fertile flowers are borne in the axil of the leaf and are either white or purple; The fruit is a hairy pod that grow in clusters of 3-5, with each pod 3-8 cm (1-3 inches) long and usually containing 2-4 (rarely more) seeds 5-11 mm in diameter. Referendums and referenda are both commonly used as plurals of referendum. The leaves are trifoliate (sometimes with 5 leaflets), the leaflets 6-15 cm (2-6 inches) long and 2-7 cm (1-3 inches) broad; they fall before the seeds are mature. Thus the direct vote that adopted the constitution of the modern Republic of Ireland is referred to as a 'plebiscite' while every subsequent such direct vote has been described as a 'referendum'.

The pods, stems, and leaves are covered with fine brown or gray pubescence. The term referendum is usually preferred to describe routine votes held in liberal democracies. It may grow prostrate, not growing above 20 cm (7.8 inches); up to stiffly erect plants growing to 2 meters (6.5 feet). Plebiscites held by undemocratic governments may request approval for a radical governmental decree, or of the general policies of the government. It is an annual plant, which may vary in growth habit and height. Plebiscite is also often the term used to describe a direct vote held by a dictator or an undemocratic regime, in circumstances in which a free and fair vote is impossible. Soybean(s) (U.S.) or Soya bean (UK) Glycine max is a species of legume, native to eastern Asia. The terms referendum and plebiscite are often used interchangeably but the term plebiscite is usually preferred in circumstance in which a decision is being made on fundamental issues of sovereignty, such as in determining national borders or adopting a new constitution.

The lecithin content varies up to 15%. . Lecithinated soy flour, is made by adding soybean lecithin to defatted, low fat or high fat soy flours to increase their dispersibility and impart emulsifying properties. The referendum or plebiscite is a form of direct democracy. High fat soy flour, is produced by adding back soybean oil to defatted flour, at the level of 15%. Certain kinds of referendums held in some states of the United States are referred to as ballot measures or propositions. The lipid content varies according to specifications, usually between 4.5% and 9%. This may be the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy.

Low fat soy flour, is made by adding back some oil to defatted soy flour. A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. Due to its high oil content a specialized Alpine Fine Impact Mill must be used for grinding rather than the more common hammermill. The de Borda Institute is at [www.deborda.org]. Full-fat soy flour, is made from unextracted, dehulled beans, and contains about 18% to 20% oil. Defining Democracy puts both two-option and multi-option referendums into their historical context, and suggests which are the more accurate measures of "the will of the people". Defatted soy flour, is obtained from solvent extracted flakes, and contains less than 1% oil. Emerson, P J.

2004 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast_with_frost/2954232.stm. Retrieved 13 Oct. bbc.co.uk. Interview with Chris Patten, EU Commissioner for External Affairs (2003).

Commonwealth, or Estado Libre Asociado, has won each of those referendums. Puerto Rico: Several referendums have taken place since 1967, including one in 1994 and another one in 1998, seeking an answer to the century-old question of what do Puerto Ricans want for the archipielago of nearly 4 million inhabitants: Independence (Comprising Republic and a Associated Republic , Statehood or mantain the Commonwealth status. This referendum was offered by the government as part of a violence minimization initiative known as project disarmament.. Brazil: In October 2005, 122 million voters have decided to continue to allow the sale of firearms in Brazil.

Also, in 1986 another referendum approved Spain's membership to NATO. Spaniards chose (94%) to change ("Referéndum para la reforma política", literally «Referendum in order to the political reformation»). Spain: In 1976 a referendum was held to determine if citizens wanted to change the political system (i.e., the dictatorship) or not to change it, after the death of Francisco Franco. state initiative is probably California's Proposition 13 which severely limited property tax increases.

The most famous U.S. However the constitutions of 24 states and many local and city governments provide for referendums and citizen's initiatives. United States: There is no provision for the holding of referendums at the federal level in the United States. France: In France a constitutional amendment must be approved by either a super-majority in parliament or by the people in a referendum.

Very few such initiatives pass the vote, but more often, the parliamentary counter proposal is approved. Often, parliament elaborates a counter-proposal to an initiative, leading to a multiple-choice referendum. Constitutional amendments are either proposed by the parliament or the cantons, or they may be proposed by citizens' initiatives, which—on the federal level—need to collect 100,000 valid signatures within 18 months, and must not contradict international laws or treaties. In many municipalities, expenditures that exceed a certain amount of money also are subject to the obligatory referendum.

Obligatory referendum: There must be a referendum on any amendments to the constitution and on any joining of a multinational community or organization for collective security. The facultative referendum is the most usual type of referendum, and it is mostly carried out by political parties or by interest groups. In cantons and municipalities, the required number of people is smaller, and there may be additional causes for a faculatative referendum, e.g., expenditures that exceed a certain amount of money. Facultative referendum: Any federal law, certain other federal resolutions, and international treaties that are either perpetual and irredeemable, joinings of an international organization, or that change Swiss law may be subject to a facultative referendum if at least 50,000 people or eight cantons have petitioned to do so within 100 days.