Prime Minister Question Time—In The U.S.A.

[InsaneApache]

Interesting about the HoC. When they re-built it in the 19th centuary they deliberately designed it so that if all the MPs attended there wouldn't be enough room for them all, witness important QT. Bodies sat in the aisles, hanging off chandaliers.....you get my drift.

It makes for a febrile atmosphere. A bit like my old schools speech day. Think Millwall at home to Spurs and you get the general idea. Unlike a Millwall match though the commons is also designed that the two front benches are just over two sword lenths apart. The idea being that if you wanted to run your oppo through you'd have to stand up and move towards him. Therefore giving the victim a chance of escape. They don't do politics like that anymore. More's the pity.

[KukriKhan]

President's Question Time would be entertaining and informative to watch. The trouble is: POTUS is not the Chief Legislator of the country, like the Prime Minister, he is the separate-but-equal Chief Executive.

When they take the oath, I want my President to stop being a Democrat or Republican, and just be MY President.

This event was a political stunt that backfired on the Repub caucus; it's as if they "dared" Mr. O to show up to prove his claimed desire to be bipartisan. Show up he did, and showed them much more respect than they showed him. And gave excellent answers to meandering, politically-charged so-called questions. They're gonna regret having filmed that event. They did not come off well.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

President's Question Time would be entertaining and informative to watch. The trouble is: POTUS is not the Chief Legislator of the country, like the Prime Minister, he is the separate-but-equal Chief Executive.

When they take the oath, I want my President to stop being a Democrat or Republican, and just be MY President.

This event was a political stunt that backfired on the Repub caucus; it's as if they "dared" Mr. O to show up to prove his claimed desire to be bipartisan. Show up he did, and showed them much more respect than they showed him. And gave excellent answers to meandering, politically-charged so-called questions. They're gonna regret having filmed that event. They did not come off well.

Well, maybe it will cause them to raise their game a little. I'm not sure "Question Time" would work in the US though, the Prime Minister (Blair not withstanding) is not a presidential entity.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Well, maybe it will cause them to raise their game a little....

That WOULD be nice, and not too difficult given the current "par."

[spmetla]

President's Question Time would be entertaining and informative to watch. The trouble is: POTUS is not the Chief Legislator of the country, like the Prime Minister, he is the separate-but-equal Chief Executive.

When they take the oath, I want my President to stop being a Democrat or Republican, and just be MY President.

This event was a political stunt that backfired on the Repub caucus; it's as if they "dared" Mr. O to show up to prove his claimed desire to be bipartisan. Show up he did, and showed them much more respect than they showed him. And gave excellent answers to meandering, politically-charged so-called questions. They're gonna regret having filmed that event. They did not come off well.

Perhaps it'd be good to have the VP do question time seeing as he's President of the Senate. It would make the picking of a VP far more important because he would then represent the President's agenda in the Senate. Though I'd actually prefer a question time to happen in the House of Representatives due to the quantity of legistlators there as well as that's usually the realm of the up and coming politicians instead of some of those crusty old guys that are waiting to die in the Senate.

[JAG]

I have just spent like 3 hours watching old clips at various PMQ's - from Thatcher to Blair and to present day. For one this shows how much of a politics geek I am that I would find it amazingly interesting and enjoyable but also it is so interesting to see the various styles of debate and the various changing themes, Brilliant. Just thought I would say cheers, as it is due to this thread I had such a fascinating morning.

As to the subject, A PMQ's in the States just wouldn't work. The President for a start isn't in the same legislative position as the Prime Minister over here and also US politics as a whole is formed in such a different way that it would not really make a whole heap of sense. But the point really is that nowhere has debate quite like we do over here in the House of Commons, it is quite brilliantly unique.

[miotas]

But the point really is that nowhere has debate quite like we do over here in the House of Commons, it is quite brilliantly unique.

Hey, we have question time too. I quite like watching our pollies get all riled up and rip into each other

[JAG]

Hey, we have question time too. I quite like watching our pollies get all riled up and rip into each other

Yeah I have seen it, doesn't quite hit the mark like ours does for me though. Just seems a little less gritty and organised.

[Lemur]

Seems I'm not the only one who thinks Question Time should become a U.S. tradition. Check this out:

[S]o we call on President Barack Obama and House Minority Leader John Boehner to hold these sessions regularly — and allow them to be broadcast and webcast live and without commercial interruption, sponsorship or intermediaries. We also urge the President and the Republican Senate caucus to follow suit. And we ask the President and the House and Senate caucuses of his own party to consider mounting similar direct question-and-answer sessions. We will ask future Presidents and Congresses to do the same.

It is time to make Question Time a regular feature of our democracy.

Please join us by signing the Demand Question Time petition.

[drone]

Perhaps it'd be good to have the VP do question time seeing as he's President of the Senate. It would make the picking of a VP far more important because he would then represent the President's agenda in the Senate. Though I'd actually prefer a question time to happen in the House of Representatives due to the quantity of legistlators there as well as that's usually the realm of the up and coming politicians instead of some of those crusty old guys that are waiting to die in the Senate.

The problem I see with this is the constitutional position of the VP. Dick Cheney already tried to pull shenanigans with his position in both branches, this would only reinforce that. There would need to be better clarification on the VP's role added to the Constitution before allowing this.

[spmetla]

The problem I see with this is the constitutional position of the VP. Dick Cheney already tried to pull shenanigans with his position in both branches, this would only reinforce that. There would need to be better clarification on the VP's role added to the Constitution before allowing this.

I wouldn't mind a redefing of the VPs role. The Constitution is a working document anyhow, besides it's not like we let the runner up be V.P. like it was originally. I'd prefer the V.P. to be more involved in representing the President's policy anyhow, that way there'd be more of a point to the V.P. than being a spare President. I'd also be happy to see President's choose V.P. for the capability and not to satisify a demographic (cough, Palin).

As for people saying that the US has not history of debating quite like Britain, well I'll agree but you've got to start somewhere. It's a travesty that the only time anyone seems to be able to debate the President is when he's running for reelection, he should be constantly challenged by opposition. Merely issuing a statement to address some soundbite is not enough for me. A weekly or probably more practical monthly debate would help to do this. I don't think it would distract from his duties and though at first it would be misused by the various talking heads it would become normal and expected. While in the past it would have been unnnecessary seeing as the US President wasn't as important to a citizen as say their Governer was but with the increase of importance of the President I feel there needs to more ways to question and check his power. During the Bush Presidency I was constantly pissed off at his lack of accountability and how inaccessable he was. The way he and his cronies were always able to get away with answering everything by saying they were not authorized to disclose this or did not have the information to talk about that.

I also think that it would definately improve the quality of the person running for President, a shut in President that only issues statements via the Press Secretary would be no more. Also, it would help undue the current good speech trend, Obama is a clever guy and it was good seeing him have to answer questions on the go instead of reading off a script.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Interesting about the HoC. When they re-built it in the 19th centuary they deliberately designed it so that if all the MPs attended there wouldn't be enough room for them all, witness important QT. Bodies sat in the aisles, hanging off chandaliers.....you get my drift.

It makes for a febrile atmosphere. A bit like my old schools speech day. Think Millwall at home to Spurs and you get the general idea. Unlike a Millwall match though the commons is also designed that the two front benches are just over two sword lenths apart. The idea being that if you wanted to run your oppo through you'd have to stand up and move towards him. Therefore giving the victim a chance of escape. They don't do politics like that anymore. More's the pity.

Yes, even more interesting is the fact that there have always been sword racks outside the chamber and no MP enters while armed. This rather highlights the implication of the gesture and the white lines drawn on the ground.