A visit of friendship (closed/Attn Fatatatutti)

[Noordeinde]

"Embassy Island sounds Great Choo-Choo, maybe tomorow you can play with the ducks at the duckpond at he Presidential Residence. I think they might like you very kuch" President Roosevelt said.

It was becommig late and the State Dinner was comming to an end. The President and the first Lady togehter with their Fatatatuttian guests left the reception room, walking behind the Grand Duke.

The delegation arrived at the Main Entrance where the motorcade stood to bring Prime Minister Chang and his family to Hotel des Indes, one of the most luxurious hotels in s'Gravenhage city.

Hotel des Indes

The Grand Duke shaked hands with the Prime Minister as well of those of Harmony, Shoshone and Choo-Choo and wished them a great time while staying in the Grand Duchy.

The President and the first Lady wished them a good sleepover and said that they would pick them up tommorow at the hotel to visit Congress.

The Prime Minister and his family stepped into the Limousine and the motorcade left the Grand Ducal Palace.

Afther waving to the leaving cars the Grand Duke accompannied the President and the first Lady to the back yard where Marine one stood to fly the President and the first Lady to the Presidential Residence and afther the helicopter took off the first day of a Great State Visit was over.

[Fatatatutti]

Harmony picked Choo-Choo up and sat her on the bed. Then she sat on her own bed. "Did you have a nice time?"

Choo-Choo nodded. "They don't let you push your own buttons in the elevator," she said.

"I know. They have a man to do that for you."

"I could do that job. This hotel isn't very tall. I can reach all the buttons."

"Tomorrow, we'll ask the man if you can push the button, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay now, we'd better get ready for bed. We need to sleep so we'll be ready for tomorrow. They really move fast here, don't they? it's more work than being at home."

Choo-Choo nodded.

[Noordeinde]

The next morning 8.00 AM.

President Roosevelt and the first Lady waked up, they really had to because they had a tight schedule for today. At 8.30 AM the President and the first Lady left the Presidential Residence in their Limousine by motorcade because from 9.00 to 10.00 AM they would have breakfast at Hotel des Indes with Prime Minister Chang, Harmony, Shoshone and Choo-Choo.

8.50 AM

The Motorcade arrived at the Hotel and President Roosevelt and the first Lady stepped out of the Presidential Cadillac Limousine and were immediatley welcommed by the hotel manager which accompannied them to the restaurant where breakfast would be served for these verry special guests.

Hotel des Indes Restaurant

After the President and the first Lady were inside the hotel the Lincoln Continental Limousine which would be used by Prime Minister Chang was placed in front of the Presidential Limousine in the motorcade.

The Lincoln Continental Limousine

[Fatatatutti]

Choo-Choo stood in the entrance to the dining room. "They have really big light-bulbs here," she said.

"That's called a chandelier," Harmony said. "It has little light bulbs inside." She looked around. "There's the President."

They walked over. "I pushed the button in the elevator," Choo-Choo said. "You have a nice elevator."

Harmony smiled. "Good morning. As you can see, we've been enjoying your hotel."

[Noordeinde]

"Very Good Choo-Choo I'm glad the elevator personnel say that your a big girl and that you don't need someone to push the button for you." President Roosevelt smiled and turned over to Harmony.

"Good to hear that you did enjoy the hotel, but all honor goes to my wife, she specially picked it out for you. Where is your father actually if I may ask?"

[Fatatatutti]

"He and Shoshone are on the way. He was talking to one of the other guests in the hallway the last time I saw him. Once a politician, always a politician, I guess. I don't think anybody here is going to vote for him though.

"By the way, I should mention that Choo-Choo went around to every room on our floor last night and introduced herself. I hope that doesn't bother anybody. And we're going to have to give her a little time before we leave so she can say goodbye to everybody."

[Noordeinde]

"He and Shoshone are on the way. He was talking to one of the other guests in the hallway the last time I saw him. Once a politician, always a politician, I guess. I don't think anybody here is going to vote for him though.

"By the way, I should mention that Choo-Choo went around to every room on our floor last night and introduced herself. I hope that doesn't bother anybody. And we're going to have to give her a little time before we leave so she can say goodbye to everybody."

"Great, well as you might see the hotel arranged a great buffet, they have english breakfasts, american breakfasts, I saw French croissants, all sorts of fruit, it's really great so enjoy, but I think it would be politite if we would wait for your father and Shoshone before starting, don't we?"

President Roosevelt said.

"And I think we can arrange some time tommorow as you leave Noordeinde for Choo-Choo to say goodbye to everyone." the first Lady said.

[Fatatatutti]

Mickey Chang appeared in the entrance , smiling as usual, and walked over to the president. "Good morning, sir. It's another fine day in Noordeinde.

"I hope you weren't waiting for me. One of the other guests stopped me in the hallway and asked if the charming young lady who visited him last night was with our party. I told him we have two charming young ladies in our party, but from his description, he seemed to be refering to Choo-Choo.

"I see we have a wonderful breakfast waiting for us."

[Noordeinde]

"Indeed sir another fine day in Noordeinde, and well the whole breakfast has been arranged for you, and as you might have seen, they have multiple plates with coconuts dishes, so I hope you will enjoy!" President Roosevelt said

And afther that everyone had the oppurtunity to take what he or she likes for breakfast.

[Fatatatutti]

The Prime Minister laughed. "I can see it's going to be hard to sell you any more coconuts. You seem to have as many as we do already. And the fruits... surely they don't come from Fatatatutti. You couldn't ship them halfway around the world and keep them so fresh."

Shoshone helped Choo-Choo reach the food again. He helped his sister too because she wasn't very big either and the table was heaped high with food.

"I want something red," Choo-Choo said. Red was her favorite colour.

"The strawberries are red," Shoshone said, "and the tomatoes. Do you want one of each?"

"Okay."

"Me too, please," Harmony said, even though they were well within her reach.

Shoshone rolled his eyes and gave a strawberry and a tomato slice to each of them.

[Noordeinde]

"Well we do everything to make you comfortable sir, and I'm starting to like some of those coconut products so I think we might actually buy more from you." President Roosevelt laughed, and he and the Prime Minister walked to the tables to cath something to eat.

Next to them was Shoshone still bussy with helping his sister and Choo-Choo with filling their plates, the first lady approached Mickey Chang.

"You really have lovely children sir, I mean look at that, helping eachother, being politie, it's really great!"

[Fatatatutti]

"Well we do everything to make you comfortable sir, and I'm starting to like some of those coconut products so I think we might actually buy more from you." President Roosevelt laughed, and he and the Prime Minister walked to the tables to cath something to eat.

Well, we have other things to sell too," the Prime Minister smiled, "pineapples, papayas, guavas, all kinds of fruits. We have to can most of them because they don't travel well. And bananas we don't export much because who wants a canned banana? And we have sugar, and rum, of course. And coffee. They say it's the best coffee in the world, but I haven't been to most of the world, so I can't say for sure. Those are our main agricultural products, I think. I'm probably forgetting something important.

"We have a fairly large population, you know, so we can eat most of what we produce.

"I understand we're going to the Department of Trade and Commerce later. We'll have to make out a big shopping list for both of our nations."

Next to them was Shoshone still bussy with helping his sister and Choo-Choo with filling their plates, the first lady approached Mickey Chang.

"You really have lovely children sir, I mean look at that, helping eachother, being politie, it's really great!"

"When they were little, you'd have thought they were trying to kill each other. But I'm glad they've grown up to be good friends. I give the credit to their mother and to the culture. I was always there when they were growing up, but I can't point to anything that I did.

"My daughter is a juggler, you know. I think raising children is a bit like juggling. You can't really explain how it works. You just do it."

[Noordeinde]

"That's great sir, I hope that I and Jonathan will have such great children as you have, maybe in the future, on the moment now he's still just to bussy with his political carreer and he alwaus has other things to do, but I'm sure I will become a mom some day." Jenny Roosevelt smiled.

Jonathan took over from his wife. "Indeed honey some day your are going to become a mom." and he smiled.

"But if i may excuse you sir, were going to visit actually two Departments the Secretary of Treasury at the Department of Treasury to discuss the financing of better trading relations and afther that were going to visit the Secretary of Commerce at the Department of Commerce where we might discuss actually how we might improve trading between our countries, and I will remind the coffee beans, the Noordeinde people love coffee, but some countries ask so much that it almost isn't fair anymore, if you understand me, so I hope we can discuss a fair and good price for your coffee." The President said with a smile on his face.

"But let us first enjoy our breakfast, shouldn't we?. Bussines is for later today. And this morning I received a textmessage of the Speaker of the House, she's really thrilled that you are going to visit Congress."

[Fatatatutti]

... the Noordeinde people love coffee, but some countries ask so much that it almost isn't fair anymore, if you understand me, so I hope we can discuss a fair and good price for your coffee." The President said with a smile on his face.

"I don't know much about coffee prices," the Prime Minister said, "but I can tell you that our coffee is grown without exploiting the workers and without permanent harm to the environment. I have heard that there are problems with those things in other countries. We're not just out to make as big a profit as we can, so our prices are as fair as we can make them."

"But let us first enjoy our breakfast, shouldn't we?. Bussines is for later today. And this morning I received a textmessage of the Speaker of the House, she's really thrilled that you are going to visit Congress."

"I'm going to try one of those strawberries that Choo-Choo seems to be enjoying so much. I don't know if we grow strawberries as a commercial product but some people grow them in their gardens.

"Am I expected to say something to your Congress? Or will I just be in the visitors' gallery?"

[Noordeinde]

"that's good to hear sir, I think both Secretaries will be thriled that we actually might have a fair partner in coffee trading. And what is actually more important, Fatatatutti's coffee industry doen't harm the envirement and the workers in the industry, so it's really fair trade, it has been made without exploiting the envirement and the workers and a fair price will be asked." The President said.

Then the Prime Minister asked his question about Congress, but the President wasn't 100% informed about the visit so his Chief of Staff whispered tje answer in his ear.

"Exuse me for not knowing an answer on your question immediatley, it's quite embarrising." President Roosevelt smiled. "Well the Speaker of the House will personnaly give you a guided tour through the building and ofcourse you might say something to Congress, it will be in a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives."

[Fatatatutti]

"I don't have anything specific to say to your Congress," the Prime Minister said. "I would just tell them that we hope our two nations will grow in friendship and so on. If they're busy, maybe it's best that we don't bother them.

"But if we could speak to a few of them who are... off duty, so to speak, that would be nice. Our system is a little different from yours, I think. I am an ordinary Member of Parliament, a representative of my constituency, as well as being Prime Minister. So it would be enlightening for me to meet some of your 'ordinary' members - and I don't mean that in a bad way - as well as statesmen like yourself."

[Noordeinde]

"I do know what you mean sir. And I think that it can be arranged to speak with a couple of members of the House of Representatives and Senators, and as you might have noticed we have a two chamber system so that might indeed be different from Fatatatutti" President Roosevelt said.

The Chief of Staff approached the President again and whispered something in his ear.

"Well it seems to be time to go for our visit to Congress." President Roosevelt said and the Hotel manager accompannied everyone to the waiting motorcade outside. President Roosevelt and the first Lady accompannied Prime Minister chang and the family to the waiting Lincoln Continental Limousine
which was especially arranged for Prime Minister Chang.

The Lincoln Continental Limousine

Afther Prime Minister chang stepped into the Limousine, President Roosevelt and the first Lady stepped into the Presidential Cadillac Limousine.

The Presidential Cadillac Limousine

Afther a few minutes everybody boarded their cars and the motorcade started to move and eventually drove off heading for Congress.

[Fatatatutti]

"What's a congress?" Choo-Choo asked.

"It's kind of like our Parliament," Harmony explained. "You remember seeing all of the people talking among the coconut trees?"

Choo-Choo nodded. "Some of them were yelling."

Harmony smiled. "I don't know if we'll hear any yelling today. They'll probably be on their best behaviour if they know there are visitors watching.

"They talk about all the things we need to do to make the world a better place, like helping people who are hungry or if their homes were destroyed by storms."

The Prime Minister looked out the window.

[Noordeinde]

Afther 10 to 15 minutes the motorcade arrived at Capitol Hill where Congress is seated.

The Noordeinde Congress building.

The motorcade stopped in front of one of the two stairs and Noordeinde Secret Service personnel, which accompannied the President and his guests everywhere they go, opened the doors of the cars. The President and the first lady stepped out and walked to the Lincoln Continental Limousine which carried Prime Minister Chang.

Afther everyone stepped out of the Limousine they started walking the stairs of the Congress Building, accompannied by Noordeinde Secret Service personnel to secure them.

Afther walking the stairs the group walked towards the entrance where Speaker of the House Nancy Walker stood to welcome everyone to Congress.

[Fatatatutti]

Afther walking the stairs the group walked towards the entrance where Speaker of the House Nancy Walker stood to welcome everyone to Congress.

"I see you're expecting us," the Prime Minister smiled. "Mickey Chang, Prime Minister of Fatatatutti, my daughter Harmony and my son Shoshone and... last but never least, our dear friend Choo-Choo. In case she doesn't get a chance to mention it, the illustrious Alphonse was not able to join us today.

"You have a marvellous building here. It makes our humble coconut grove look very humble indeed. But, as I understand it, your weather isn't as accomodating as ours. And I see you don't have a Tim Horton's across the street like we do."

"There are too many steps," Choo-Choo said. "You should have an elevator."

[Noordeinde]

"Well dear, I sometimes think the same as you, but it's an old monumental building so I'm not even allowed to change that." Speaker of the House Nancy Walker said to Choo-Choo before turing to Prime Minister Mickey Chang.

"Hello Sir, how verry nice to meet you and your familly, I'm verry proud and honored to welcome you at the Noordeinde Congress Building, I hope you are having a good time so far, and that we haven't planned this event to early for you because it's still like 10 o'clock." nancy Walker smiled and greeted the President and the first Lady.

"Hello Mister President madam first Lady, how nice to see you again, well ladies and gentlemen I think were good to go, let's go inside."

[Fatatatutti]

"Well dear, I sometimes think the same as you, but it's an old monumental building so I'm not even allowed to change that." Speaker of the House Nancy Walker said to Choo-Choo before turing to Prime Minister Mickey Chang.

"Our culture is a little different from yours that way," Harmony explained. "We preserve the past in songs and stories, but our buildings tend to be made of natural materials. Not that stone is unnatural, of course. I should have said 'recyclable'. Eventually, Mother nature reclaims them, but as long as they are useful to us, we feel free to change them as we please.

"Of course, as my father has already mentioned, we're not quite as dependent on buildings because of our climate. I can see that you wouldn't want Mother Nature reclaiming your Capitol building in the dead of winter. I'm sure that would cause a pretty unwelcome interruption in the work of Congress."

"Hello Sir, how verry nice to meet you and your familly, I'm verry proud and honored to welcome you at the Noordeinde Congress Building, I hope you are having a good time so far, and that we haven't planned this event to early for you because it's still like 10 o'clock." nancy Walker smiled and greeted the President and the first Lady.

The Prime Minister smiled. "Allow me to explain a little about Fatatatutti time. We don't follow the clock as much as some people do. We start when everybody gets there. We finish when everybody finishes. So we're not bothered by the earliness of the event, as long as nobody is left behind."

[Noordeinde]

"Wow that's nice to hear, and I like the idear of how the envirement has a permanent spot in society, and well indeed our summers aren't as good as those might be in Fatatatutti, I can tell you winters are pretty cold here, with lots of snow."

"Well let me explain a bitt about how Congress and the democracy in Noordeinde works, as you might know the Grand Duke surrendered his powers 200 years ago and Noordeine became a democracy, meaning that it was up to the people how to govern their country. The Noordeinde Congress was founded and had and still has two chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate."

"Noordeinde has been splitted in 435 little districts, each district standing for one seat in the House of Representatives. Each 4 years elections are held in each district seperatly between candidates to become that district's representative in the House of Representatives. On this moment the Democratic party is the majority and the Republican Party the minority and further we have 5 representatives from the independant party."

The House of Representatives.

"Further Noordeide has 50 states and every State has 2 senators to the Senate, and just like elections for the House of Representatives each 6 years elections are held to decide which 2 candidates will represent their state in the Senate. And if you can count you will notice that the Senate has 100 members. And just like in the Senate the Democratic Party is the majority party and the Republican party the minority and their aren't any Independant Senators.

The Senate

"The House of Representatives both have special commitees where in special subjects are handled like defense, justice, education, healthcare etc..."

"And I see you have met the President already, the President is elected for 4 years, and just like the United States Noordeinde has a Electorial college which finnaly afther the people have voted decide who will be elected President. And every year the President holds the "State of the Union" where in he explains his plans for next year. Any questions so far?"

[Fatatatutti]

"I see," the Prime Minister said. "If I can point out some of the differences in Fatatatutti, maybe we can both understand each other's system better.

"We have only one house, though I suppose it isn't quite proper to call it a house, since it meets outside. Members are elected in their own districts, just like yours, but the difference is that the Prime Minister is chosen by Parliament from among its members.

"Then, the Prime Minister chooses a Cabinet, also Members of Parliament, usually from parties that supported him. The Cabinet proposes legislation and the Parliament discusses it and votes on it. I suppose that the discussion and voting is much like your system.

"But in Fatatatutti, Parliament may decide at any time that it no longer has confidence in the Prime Minister. Then they can choose somebody else to be Prime Minister instead. And if they can't agree on who should be Prime Minister, then Parliament is dissolved and new general elections are held. Normally, it's the President's job to adjudicate any disputes in that procedure but I think I mentioned that we don't have a President at the present time, so we're basically on the honour system.

"Then, to make matters even more complicated, if there hasn't been an election in the past four years, Parliament is dissolved and new elections are held, just to keep everything fresh."

[Noordeinde]

"Allright, that sounds very fair as well, and as I like to say, if it works, it works, right? And about the Cabinet, also if I may mister President, the President chooses his own Cabinet as well, but that are mostly people with knowledge on a special subject or matter, like justice, aggriculture etc.."

" And during Presidential elections the President chooses a "Runningmate" and if the President wins the election the runningmate will become Vice-President and I'm actually second in line to become President if something happens to to the President, and I'm chosen by my fellow members of the House of Representatives, because I'm actually also just a member of the house who represents her district but as you might know a House needs a chairman to lead the debate otherwise it would become a mess." Nancy walker laughed.

"And well it has multiple other duties as well, and if I understood you well your Cabinet makes legislation as well? Because we really have a strict seperation due the "Trias Politica". The House and the Senate makes legislation and this passes to the President who has to sign new laws, although he might veto them if it's against his policy."

" And the President and his Cabinet can come up with like plans to stimulate the economy by giving a boost to the economy or to stimulate other subjects, and further he has all the Secretaries in his Cabinet who keep a part of the country under their control, so the Secretary of Defense controls the national Defense, the Secretary of Treasury keeps the money etc... And the main duty of the President is actually to enforce that laws are being faithfully executed. Further the President is also the Commander in Chieff, which is really meaning that he is the Head of the Noordeinde Armed Forces."