Shouldn't he be busy recalibrating and consulting with Americans?
By Aaron Wherry - Friday, January 29, 2010 - 28 Comments
The President of the United States attends a meeting of congressional Republicans and takes questions. American observers are variously thrilled and astonished by the results.
Whether it was chutzpah, political savvy, or both, it certainly was refreshing. Reporters were thrilled with the British-parliament-type exchange between president and lawmaker. The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder asked that forums like these be held monthly. The Nation’s Chris Hayes suggested Obama next go before the progressive caucus. Ezra Klein of the Washington Post labeled it “the most compelling political television I’ve seen…maybe ever. NBC’s Chuck Todd added: “The president should hold Congressional ‘town halls’ more often. Public needs to see this if they’ll ever trust Washington again.”
The full transcript and video are here.
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Formally Proposed Parliamentary Reform of the Week
By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 11:52 AM - 3 Comments
A British committee set up in the wake of all that unpleasantness over MPs’ expenses, comes back with some suggestions.
“Achievable” but radical change to rebuild parliament’s independence from the executive, including a new body of elected backbenchers responsible for organising Commons business, is proposed today by a prestigious select committee set up by Gordon Brown.
The report also suggests that the public should be a given some direct say over what MPs debate, through devices such as e-petitions. Prime minister’s questions would be shifted from Wednesday to Thursday afternoon to liberate more time for backbenchers on Wednesday. It calls for Commons select committees to be streamlined and given more independence from the government so they are able to scrutinise Whitehall departments more thoroughly. Their chairmen ought to be elected by the whole house in a secret vote, rather than effectively agreed between the party whips, it says.
