As his opponent tried to link him to Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, Bowles attempted to strike a level of independence from the national Democratic Party.

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Care providers who volunteer for the charter must commit to several pledges, including a zero tolerance to abuse, respecting privacy and confidentiality, and "enabling the maximum possible level of independence".

BBC: Reading borough charter for adult social care

The key is for citizens to develop this same level of independence in a more progressive political regime, where help and welfare is more readily available to those who genuinely require it.

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Volvo has managed to maintain a high level of independence from Ford and also from brands within Ford's portfolio that might actually be rivals when it comes to competing for buyers ( Jaguar , Lincoln , Land Rover ).

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This level of board independence does not exactly foster a business culture in which the board is expected to critically review and question management decisions.

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With the very act of opposing the Franco-British consensus on Libya, Berlin already has shown a level of assertiveness and foreign policy independence not seen in some time.

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Support for Scottish independence is at its lowest level since the creation of the Holyrood parliament in 1999, a survey has suggested.

BBC: Alex Salmond

Policy makers have to work out how to embrace and promote low level job activity so that it can put down roots and become a source of independence.

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Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the upper-middle income group of countries.

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