Thread:TimPendragon/@comment-17802-20130127204010/@comment-42712-20130128010751

They're not defunct, though. They still exist. The United Earth is still the planetary government of Earth, the Vulcan Confederacy is still the planetary government of Vulcan, etc. They didn't stop to exist when they joined the UFP, just like the US and the UK still exist even though they're members of the United Nations.