How is the US different from the republic for which it stands?
Your question is obviously inspired by the famous Pledge of Allegiance:I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,And to the republic for which it stands...To understand these lines you should realize that you are not pledging allegiance both to the US and to the republic for which it stands; you are pledging allegiance to the FLAG of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it (the flag) stands. The United States of America is the republic for which the flag stands. They are the same. So you are asked to be loyal to a flag and to the nation that the flag represents.