I wish there was a way to implement the House of Commons' "Questions for the Prime Minister" thing

[MessiahRp]

Imagine our President having to check in weekly with a collection of Representatives and Senators on a CSPAN aired show where he gets drilled from all angles on policy issues and questions.

When I watch it on CSPAN I am absolutely amazed at how great this is for democracy as a whole. The PM, who is basically the equivalent to our President, doesn't act like a King, holed up in the White House, oblivious to dissenting opinions. He has to come out once a week, face a large array of different voices that represent their constituency and though sometimes unpleasant he has to explain why his Administration is taking a particular stance on a policy/issue.

Bush, when he does address Congress, gets to give a speech and faces no questions. Most times reporters also get speeches rather than press conferences to avoid questions and when he does take questions he has a list of friendly reporters he sticks to and avoids everybody else.

I have to think our Democracy would get a hell of a lot healthier if the President had to face that sort of scrutiny over his positions and I think the electorate would pay a hell of a lot more attention. The House of Commons show is like a reality show only with very real consequences and I think that would be gripping for a lot of people in this entertainment based culture we have.

Too bad America sticks to it's boring stale form of politics where Presidents are Kings and members of Congress are polite lap dogs.

Rp

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Separation of powers

There is no reason why he couldn't do it voluntarily, but there is no way Congress could force his appearance. Remember that the UK Prime Minister is himself a MP, by definition, and can be forced to attend sessions and answer questions just like any other MP.

[Cleita]

2. I think the House could pass a rule with the Senate in agreement

that the President has to show up at least once a month to answer questions from Congress. I don't see why it can't be done. It may take an ammendment but that shouldn't be hard to do if both Houses are in agreement.

[Lisa]

3. I was talking with my local Canadian member of parliament yesterday

She said that it's quite an experience, coming out of the House and being charged at by a mob of reporters all yelling questions at you.

The cabinet members and their opposition counterparts, and the party leaders, get the most attention of course. But everybody, from the rookie backbenchers to the Prime Minister, all have to stand up in front of those microphones and cameras. And it doesn't matter how much money they have in their campaign chests, or how many Karl Rove or James Carville clones they have lurking around -- if they say something provocative or just plain dumb, the press are all over them. Whether it's in the House, or out there in the press "scrum", you have to be focused and articulate. The Canadian public does not have much patience with MPs who come across as ignorant, malicious, or inattentive.

She says she was a bit scared at first, but she realized that this is another type of safety check to prevent people like Bush from being propped up there like a figurehead.

By the way, we also have comedians who can basically demand interviews with high-power politicians, and get them because the targets are scared that they'll look like cowards or bad sports if they don't go along with it. The closest I've seen to this in the US is Stephen Colbert's "Better Know a District" segment.

[CactusJock]

4. man if they ever got bush to agree to that...

that would be some funny-assed tv. cos you know it would be like an hour-long linguistic/grammatical train wreck.

they could show it pay per view, and personally I would pay BIG money to watch