Benewah
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Republic of Benewah | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Motto: "Ours To Keep". | |
| Anthem: "Let it be Perpetual" | |
 | |
| Capital | St. Maries |
| Largest city | Spokane |
| Official languages | English |
| Government | Republic |
• Executive | Joe Macdonald |
• Lieutenant-Executive | Ken Rost |
| Legislature | Assembly |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 1,493,000 |
| Currency | Benewah Dollar (BD) |
| Time zone | WST |
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Internet TLD | .BE |
Benewah, officially the Republic of Benewah, is a self-proclaimed breakaway state in the Inland Northwest of North America. Benewah is situated on both the Spokane River and Lake Coeur d'Alene. Spokane is the country's largest metropolitan area and the city of St. Maries serves as the capital. Bolstering a population of around 3,225,000, the Republic of Benewah's economy is dominated by farming, lumber and wood products, electricity production and tourism.
History
In 1992, two years after the fall of the United States, Stanley Wilson, a former Postmaster in the city of Coeur d'Alene and who became Benewah's national hero, launched a successful independence campaign against the Idaho state authorities, who had since lost effective control over the state as a whole minus several southern border counties. Wilson had also managed to gain the backing of the independent semi-city-states of Spokane and Missoula, which had both broke away from their former states in an armed struggle.
In 1993, the new government in the city of Coeur d’Alene convened a constituent assembly of the three cities inside the Kootenai County Courthouse, where Wilson emerged as a champion of federalism, demanding political and economic autonomy for each area. The assembly left out southern Idaho, and made official the inclusion of Spokane and Missoula as being official constituents to the new republic. In order to keep politics unbiased, the capitol was moved to St. Maries in Benewah County, so that none of the three largest cities felt like they was being treated unfairly for not being the capitol. After the capitol was announced, the republic was named Benewah shortly thereafter as a sort of "middle ground option".
As a result, the remnant state government in southern Idaho broke with Benewah and joined the remnant state government of Montana, which had also denounced the desicion to include counties that were rightfully a part of Montana.
In 1993, a force of Montana troops invaded lands claimed by the Republic of Benewah. This led to the 500-day-long Montana-Benewah War. Neither side gained the upper hand and in 1994 the Treaty of Three Forks gave birth to the de-jure Benewah territories. October 22 is celebrated as Independence Day, a national holiday.
Geography
The Republic is bounded by the Cascade Mountains on the west and the Rocky Mountains (following the spine of the remote and rugged Cabinet Mountains) on the east, the Blue Mountains of Oregon and foothills of the Wallowa Mountains to the south, southeast, and encompasses the Columbia river basin (or Columbia Plateau). Between the three mountain ranges are large, sweeping areas of semi-arid steppe, part of which has been irrigated due to the Columbia Basin Project, resulting in expansive farmland in western part of Benewah. The Palouse is another major agricultural region located in the gently rolling hills of central Benewah. In northern Benewah, the precipitation from the Pacific Ocean over the North Central Rockies forests, create the North American inland temperate rainforest. The Coeur d'Alene Mountains of this range is noted for its natural resource wealth, particularly the Silver Valley.
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Spokane, the region's largest city, is located near where the arid, and largely unforested Columbia plateau meets the lush forests of the Selkirk Mountains. The urban area stretches east into central Benewah along the I-90 corridor through the Spokane River valley across into the cities of Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene on the north bank of Lake Coeur d'Alene. The northern portion of the Republic are mountainous and forested, and the crest of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Mountains forms part of the eastern boundary, while the Columbia River forms a significant part of its southern boundary.
Politics
Executive
The Executive of Benewah holds office for a four-year term and can serve an unlimited number of terms. The Lieutenant-Executive, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer and National Superintendent of Public Instruction are also elected by the people to serve four year terms. The Executive of Benewah appoints numerous state officers who serve as members of boards and commissions. The current Executive is Joe Macdonald.
Legislature
The legislature consists of a Senate of 31 members and an assembly of 91 members. Voters in each each of Benewah's 31 senatorial districts elect one senator to a four-year term. One representative from each of the 91 districts is elected to the assembly. Representatives serve two-year terms. Regular sessions of the Legislature begin every year on January 1 and June 1. The major political parties are the National Unity Party, Centre Party, Civic Conservative Party, Progressive People's Party and the National Liberal Party.
Courts
The highest court in Benewah is the Supreme Court. It has 3 justices, elected to 10-year terms. The justice who had been on the court for the longest time serves as the chief justice. Other Benewah courts include an appellate court and circuit courts. The people elect judges of the courts to six-year terms. All Benewah judges are elected on nonpartisan ballots.
Law and Order
The highest law enforcement arm of the Benewah government is the Marshals Service. The office of Marshal was created by the Second Assembly. Executive Peter Benton signed the Judiciary Act into law on September 24, 1994. The Act provides that a Marshal's primary function is to execute all lawful warrants issued to him under the authority of the government of Benewah. The law defines marshals as officers of the courts charged with assisting federal courts in their law-enforcement functions:
"And be it further enacted, that a marshal shall be appointed in and for each district for a term of four years, but shall be removable from office at pleasure, whose duty it shall be to attend the district and circuit courts when sitting therein, and also the Supreme Court in the district in which that court shall sit. And to execute throughout the district, all lawful precepts directed to him, and issued under the authority of the federal government of Benewah, and he shall have the power to command all necessary assistance in the execution of his duty, and to appoint as shall be occasion, one or more deputies."
Six days after signing the act into law, Executive Peter Benton appointed the first 31 Marshals, for each of the extant federal districts. To each of his appointees for Marshal and District Attorney, the Executive addressed a form letter:
"I have the pleasure to inform you that you are appointed (Marshal or Attorney) for the District of _______ and your Commission is enclosed, accompanied with such Laws as have passed relative to the Judicial Department of Benewah. The high importance of the Judicial System in our National Government made it an indispensable duty to select such Characters to fill the several offices in it as would discharge their respective trust with honor to themselves and advantage to their Country."
The Benewah Supreme Court affirmed the legal authority of the federal marshals.
Many of the first Marshals were former police or military officers. From the nation's earliest days, marshals have been permitted to recruit special deputies as local hires, or as temporary transfers to the Marshals Service from other federal law-enforcement agencies. Marshals are also authorized to swear in a posse to assist with manhunts, and other duties, ad hoc. Marshals are given extensive authority to support the federal courts within their judicial districts, and to carry out all lawful orders issued by federal judges, Assembly, or the Executive. Federal marshals are by far the most important government officials in territorial jurisdictions. The marshals thus provide local representation for the federal government within their districts. They distribute presidential proclamations, collect a variety of statistical information on commerce and manufacturing, supply the names of government employees for the national register, and perform other routine tasks needed for the central government to function effectively.
Economy
The Benewah economy is heavily based on agriculture, which in 2013 accounted for 24.5 per cent of gross domestic product, provides 85% of exports, and accounted for half of the employed workforce. Cattle is the second largest agriculture sector of the nation. Although dairy plays a significant role in the economy, Benewah is most known for its potatoes. In 2010, Benewah produced 74,512,000 CWT of potatoes and 51,374,000 bushels of wheat. Hay is grown primarily on the plains of the east. Sugar beets, like potatoes and wheat, are grown chiefly in the Snake River area. Beef cattle are perhaps the most valuable farm products. Most of the nation's cattle ranches lie on the central range oand the plains of southern Benewah. Milk is the second most valuable livestock product. Dairy farms operate aling the Snake River Valley. Sheep graze in the mountains in summer and in the valleys and plains in winter. Agricultural cooperatives have become a lifeline for many farming communities, exporting cash crops to places like Kootenay, Nevada-Utah and the Republic of Reno-Tahoe.
Mining
Mining accounts for 3 percent of the gross state product. Silver, phosphate rock, and gold provide most of Benewah's mining income. Shoshone County is one of the nations chief silver mining areas. Phosphate rock, which is used to make fertilizer, is mined the southeastern part of the nation. The nations largest gold mine is located near Stibnite in central Benewah. Other important mineral products include clays, copper, crushed stone, garnet, molybdenum, sand and gravel, and vanadium.
Electric Power
Water is Benewah's chief source of power. Power is generated by waterfalls and by water that tumbles over dams. The leading hydroelectric plants in the nation are at Boundary Dam (1,003.25 MW) and Little Goose Dam (810 MW). The largest power company is the Central Benewah Power Company, which supplies power to northern Benewah, and Idaho Power Company, which owns a significant portion of dams in southern Benewah. In total, Benewah produces 5,479 megawatts from hydroelectric dams, making it the leading source of power. Excess electricity is exported to places like the Unitary Republic of Yellowstone, Republic of Custer and the Republic of Cheyenne.
Wind is the second-most source of power for the republic. 1,358 megawatts are produced from wind farms mostly situated in western Benewah.
The Columbia Generating Station is Benewah's only nuclear power plant, generating 1,150 megawatts alone.
Around 471 megawatts are produced from natural gas fired power plants around the nation. However, due to lack of reliable natural gas imports, these power plants are unreliable and serve as auxiliary generating stations.
63.5 megawatts are produced from wood-waste and landfill gas, and 28.03 megawatts are produced from solar.
Transportation
After the collapse of the United States and its logistics system, modern highways turned derelict and made reviving road transportation difficult for the successor states. Two major railroads, the Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad and the Great Northwest Railroad supply freight service, and passenger trains serve five cities from Missoula to Spokane. Road trucking activity is present, but limited due to availability of parts and deterioration of roads.
Manufacturing
Food processing is Benewah's leading manufacturing activity, and has about 10 potato-processing plants. Most food-processing plants are situated in southern Benewah, which include beet-suggar refineries, canning and freezing companies, dairies, and plants that process meat, poultry and wheat. The production of chemicals, especially industrial and agricultural chemicals, are the most important. VYB Limited, which operates three ammunition and ammunition components plants in Lewiston, is a large supplier of ammunition to the military of Benewah. The Lewis-Clark valley has an additional independent ammunition components manufacturer (Bryn & Gweith Armaments) and the Chipmunk Rifle Factory, now owned by a government subsidiary ArmaTek. Farm impliment machinery is produced by the newly created Allmand Tractor Company in Spokane, as an attempt to produce farm equipment parts domestically to keep the agricultural economy running.