Separating heads of state and government is important. How to do that in a republic. Looked at that a lot and can't find a way in a republican framework that doesn't involve a huge time delay. I once heard that there is no such thing as a legal emergency and republican "three legs of the stool" oversight doesn't really work. If a republic votes in a head of state whose term exceeds that of government, are they not creating their own king?
Aussies Salute New King!
- Thread starter Kenny Dumas
- Start date
billy backstay
Backstay, never bought a suit, never went to Vegas
Black Sox
Super Anarchist
Agree on the NOA option. Should also be mandatory to vote.should be mandatory for all ballots to have a none of the above option. Perhaps if NOA won a couple of landslides the politicos would get the message.Although on second thoughts perhaps not
Purely for comparison information:
- We have a president elected completely separately from the governmental election processes.
- The presidential elections are every 7 years.
- The candidates can come from anywhere and we have had retired politicians (who like to think of themselves as "statesmen/women"), singers, business people, judges.
- The most popular presidents were probably Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, both lawyers and serious individuals.
- Our president does have the final signature on legislation but rarely doesn't sign it.
- The incumbent is an ex-Labour TD (member of parliament) and a writer/poet, (or so it is claimed - I haven't read any of his stuff), and he's on his second term.
- Functionally, our president is very similar to the UK monarch.
Yes, the Irish hybrid system has been copied successfully by many other governments. It has been debated that a 14 year instead of 7 year office may work a bit better, however that is debate. The structure is still Westminster as I can work out. The Irish seem to have the cultural discipline to make it work and I salute that. I can see why they would not want to use a monarchal (especially British) system.
billy backstay
Backstay, never bought a suit, never went to Vegas
Sort of, it is the Governor General, UK HM’s representative in Australia. Appointed but the Queen/King, upon the recommendation of the Australia Government of the day. The Governor General, is supposed to be neutral/apolitical, and unlike your POTUS, can’t give executive orders.
billy backstay
Backstay, never bought a suit, never went to Vegas
^^^^^This. It is the relaxation of expectation of respect for the constitution and the laws of the day, plus the unwillingness, for whatever reason, of the civil/legal authorities to prosecute breaches of them which has caused the problems USA now face. Hard to imagine an Australian PM being able to get away with Trump’s open blatant criminality for so long.
Yes. Mostly ceremonial, but they do have to sign off legislation for it to be come law.
billy backstay
Backstay, never bought a suit, never went to Vegas
billy backstay
Backstay, never bought a suit, never went to Vegas
So, he really has no use or value added, but for a Monarch approved rubber stamper? Is that all he does?
I am not messing with you, just want to really understand why this person has a job at all?
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LB 15
Cunt
I will try. Very few of us actually give a fuck about the monarchy these days. But most believe that if a system is not broken, then don't try to fix it.
Obviously you as an American can see the danger in electing your head of state...
LB 15
Cunt
And thankfully they won't get a second one.
LB 15
Cunt
As long as the person filling the role of GG retains the ability to dismiss useless fuckwit labor governments. We well might need that again within a year or two...Exactly, and that's what most people don't understand - that the monarchy has no day to day involvement in our lives. In a way we could simply call the Governor General something else - Grand Poobah perhaps, and keep going exactly the same - except people would stop calling us stupid for still having a monarch!
Cheaper than having our own king. We are using someone else’s….. There have been several instances where the GG has been naughty, but it was resolved pretty quickly.
It really does come down to cultural discipline.
I rather like the sound of the Irish system. Our “president” to be chosen from amongst the “Companions of Australia“ perhaps. The only caveat being that they must have not been active in politics.
LB 15
Cunt
What were you taught in school that the Aboriginals never existed? What we have now is a bunch of white virtue signalers that want to pretend that the 3rd occupiers of this land (the Aboriginals) were not naked stone age people who scrapped through the dirt for grubs to eat, but were in fact a highly advanced, deeply spiritual people.
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The important thing here is the separation of state and government. It is important that the head of government is not omnipotent and there are methods by which problems with the head of government can be dealt with by the head of state. If there is an indication that the head of government is unable to run a decent government (doesn't just mean popular), the parliament and senate can indicate this and the head of state inform the head of government that the head of government must stand aside and a new head of government must be put forth. This does not mean that the vote of the people is ignored, just that the "first among equals" as signified by the ability of the parliament and senate to agree to his/her leadership must stand aside. It is a lot easier if there are more than one political party involved. I don't know how the US got involved with only two parties, but it would be nice to see even a small third party emerge from either end of the political spectrum.
LB 15
Cunt
Each State has its own 'Governer' as well who lives in a tax payer funded mansion and who's only role is to swear in ministers and open things. These are usually ex senior military officers or in the case of the one we have now in Queensland, A gift from a grateful premier for doing her bidding. They could get rid of these cunts tomorrow and the place would be no worse off.
