Elsewhereonthiswebsite,IhaveoutlinedtheAmericanpoliticalsystemandtheBritishpoliticalsystem.Assomeonewhoisintenselyinterestedinpoliticsgenerally,andBritishandAmericanpoliticsmostespecially,IamfascinatedbysomeofthedifferencesbetweenthepoliticalscenesonthetwosidesoftheAtlantic.Inevitably,I'moversimplifyingsomewhat,butthefollowingdifferencesstrikemeasinstructive: 　　1.Perhapsthemostfundamentaldifferenceistheconstitution-orthelackofone.TheUnitedStateshasawrittenconstitutionwhichisverydifficulttochange.TheUKdoesnothaveasingledocumentcalledtheconstitutionbutinsteaditsconstitutionalprovisionsarescatteredovervariousActsofParliament,anyofwhichcanbechangedbyasimplemajorityintheParliament. 　　2.IntheUnitedStates,theflagholdsspecialplaceinthepoliticalheartofthenationandpeoplesingtoit.InBritaintheflagisrarelyprominentatpoliticalevents. 　　3.IntheUSA,bluesignifiesstatesheldbytheDemocraticParty,themoreleft-wing.IntheUK,blueidentifiestheConservativeParty,themoreright-wing. 　　4.IntheUSA,redsignifiesstatesheldbytheRepublicanParty,themoreright-wing.IntheUK,redidentifiestheLabourParty,themoreleft-wing. 　　5.IntheUnitedStates,theDemocraticandRepublicanPartiesabsolutelydominatefederalandstateelectionswithindependentssecuringonlysmallproportionsofthevote.IntheUnitedKingdom,thetwomainpoliticalparties-ConservativeandLabour-winasmalleranddecliningshareofthetotalvote,withagrowingsharebeingtakenbythelikesoftheLiberalPartyandtheUKIndependencePartyatnationallevelandbythelikesoftheScottishandWelshNationalistPartiesatthedevolvedlevel. 　　6.InAmerica,theterm'conservative'meansreallyright-wing,especiallyonsocialissues.InBritainthename'Conservative'meansmainstreamright-wing,especiallyoneconomicissues. 　　7.InAmerica,theterm'liberal'generallymeansquiteleft-wing.InBritain,thename'Liberal'meansbroadlycentrist. 　　8.IntheStates,itisconsiderednecessaryforapoliticiantoemphasizetheirpatriotism.InBritain,itisassumedthatanyonewhowantstorunfornationalofficecaresforhisorhercountry. 　　9.IntheStates,virtuallyeverypoliticalspeechseemstomentionGod,especiallyinthefinalcall"GodblessAmerica".InBritain,nopoliticianmentionsGodandnonewouldthinkofinvitingHimtoshowaspecialpreferenceforhisorhernationstate. 　　10.IntheUS,politiciansfrequentlyrefertotheirpositiononsocialissueslikeabortionandhomosexuality.ABritishpoliticianwouldthinkitunnecessaryandinappropriatetotalkaboutsuchissuesunlessasked. 　　11.IntheUS,politiciansconstantlytalkabouttheproblemsandtheaspirationsofthemiddleclass.IntheUK,politicianstendtotalkmoreontheneedsoftheworkingclass. 　　12.SomanypoliticalspeechesintheUSincludethephrase"myfellowAmericans".InBritishpoliticalterminology,thereissimplynoequivalentphrase. 　　13.FewAmericanpoliticalspeechesmakemuchuseoffactsandfigures.ManyBritishpoliticalspeechesusefigurestohighlightproblemsandmakecomparisonswiththepoliciesortheperformanceofone'sopponents. 　　14.TheAmericangeneralelectioneffectivelylastsalmosttwoyear