Jack of Harts

The Marshall Islands are some of the lowest lands in all of America. Averaging less than two meters above sea level, the islands have minimal natural resources, and were little more than one of many hunks of rock the United States fought to liberate during World War II. They became a weapons testing ground in the decades that followed, and Bikini Atoll is still famous for the number of nuclear bombs tested on its islands. But America granted them independence as part of their Post World War II strategy, and the Marshall Islands moved into their self-governing future slowly and fitfully until the Communist Chinese took over most of Asia and rampaged over numerous island nations near them. The Marshall Islands quickly looked back to America for more support, and America has provided it, but they have always lagged far behind the technological advances of the rest of the world. They are a quiet, friendly place to live, and time always moves slower there, far from the more raucous examples of Micronesia’s western islands.

I will note that New Hong Kong in particular waves the United States Constitutional flag with near religious fervor, which should be no surprise to anyone. Everybody knows what the Communist Party of China did to the original Hong Kong when they finally got all their hooks into it. Most citizens of New Hong Kong can track their family tree back to people they lost in that catastrophe. So as ruthless as even they are when it comes to business, they support Constitutional protections of all citizens like true believers. And the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands echoes their stance, even as it keeps its laws as business-friendly as possible. Without violating Constitutional civil rights, of course. The trick is agreeing what those are, and many global corporations do not agree on that. So countless court cases have gone all the way up to the Supreme Court over the centuries, and not every decision has been greeted with great praise and adulations.