Some of it applies to the United States; others don't,

有些适用于美国有些不适用
but may apply to Western democracies.

但能应用在西方民主国家中
It should convene at regular intervals,

立法会议要定期召开
and that's quite true for all democratic states,

所有民主国家几乎都这样
the legislature is called very often and with some regularity.

立法院经常召开例行会议
Well it should not be in session without interruption.

立法会议并非不能中断
The U.S.

在美国
Congress is virtually in session almost without interruption.

议会几乎从没中断过例会
But other parliaments in Continental Europe are not necessarily so.

但是欧洲大陆的议会并非如此
The reason is that they don't want to make

因为他们不想成为
membership in the legislature

立法院的附属机构
the sole source of occupation and income--

他们有独立的职能和收入