# Question about American state governments **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-american-state-governments/359838 "2006-06-08T03:28:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-american-state-governments/359838/21 "2006-06-12T17:08:28Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > Not neccesarily. Both the Roman Republic and Republic of Venice were oligarchies. As I noted previously, what constitutes a republic is, in the end, a matter for the SCOTUS to decide. One can’t predict the future, so all I’ll say is that if tomorrow Oklahoma decided to change its government to some sort of oligarchy, the SCOTUS would decide that it was unconstitutional. The SCOTUS doesn’t get to decide automatically; someone has to bring a case before it. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-american-state-governments/359838/22 "2006-06-12T17:13:28Z")
> [@Elendil's Heir](#): > > I think Iowa even elects its state insurance commissioner statewide. So does California. > [@](#): > > For an early dispute over what exactly constitutes a “republican form of government,” see this little-known bit of Rhode Island history: > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorr\_Rebellion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorr_Rebellion) Holy cow! Now _this_ was worth the price of admission! I never knew this, and it’s important stuff! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-american-state-governments/359838.md?page=1)