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Big problem with presidential: GRIDLOCK
Stability is more important than efficiency
Push the importance of separation of powers
Unstable Coalitions
Why are they choosing parliamentary systems? Efficiency and representative nature, but it’s unstable.
Creating country in different time period they weren’t as afraid of tyranny as we were when the US was
being created
US goals: protection of liberty + separation of powers to prevent tyranny, STABILITY was a goal. We
have more personal liberties than other countries (hate speech is constitutional)
Argentina and Mexico
Authoritarianism is risk with presidential, but it’s prevented by term limits and checks and balances
Time: 3 Min, 21 Sec.
Word Count:554
“The political theorist Robert Dahl stated, “as it turned out, in most of the older, stable
democratic countries of today, where democratic institutions evolved during the nineteenth
centuries and endured, variants of parliamentary government, not presidential
government, came to be the accepted constitutional arrangement”. W hy have so many
advanced and stable democratic countries chosen parliamentary government rather than
presidential government? What evidence can you offer to support your opinion ?”
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a presidential government that is not
a part of the legislative branch.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a parliamentary government.
Speech Outline:
(Advantages of Parliamentary)
Our thesis is that while parliamentary government is efficient it is unstable and
undermines the founding constitutional principles of popular sovereignty, and
Separation of Powers. These principles are essential to any form of government that
is attempting to emulate a republic, and without them the government’s legitimacy
is faulty as it has lost its mandate to govern.
They can put into place laws very fast in 2008 they were able to pass the stimulus
package in 10 days and have it implemented although they only have about 80100
meetings a year
(Evidence of Parliamentary Gov. Instability)
1) Parliamentary government will often undermine the direct will of the people
a) the head of government or prime minister is not directly voted for by the
electorate but by the legislature.
2) Often times the voice of the minority goes unheard
a) Since the Prime Minister or the figurehead of the state is directly chosen by
the political party that has a majority in the legislature.
i) Often parliament will delegate the power to make laws to
subordinates, therefore often laws that affect certain areas are made
by people who are not elected to their position
b) Often the majority or many MP are influenced by their constituents and they
do not represent the rest of the population.
i) In the same manner that a representative would represent their
constituent’s views in a presidential system.
3) Parliamentary government can often be unstable when it comes to demanding
minority parties, votes of no confidence and unstable coalitions.
a) Such is the case for the countries of Israel and Canada.
b) The PM has to please MP or they can vote him out easily, unlike the
president who is not at as much risk if he upset the legislators. So if the only
check is someone that you can get rid of if they disagree it's not really a check
(Evidence of Presidential Gov. Stability)
1) In a Presidential Gov. the mandate to govern is legitimized. (Pop. Sov.)
a) We see, whether by a vote made by electors or directly of the people the
figurehead is and most essentially chosen through the will of the people.
b) Many issues are solved, and ergo the government is pulled out of gridlock
with the election of a new figurehead.
2) The enumerated powers of the president are flexible in nature as defined by the
constitution (Checks and Balances)
a) The president can use more power when dealing with the best interest of the
country if congress allows, if not they can block him, therefore he can do even
more good if he so chooses and if congress agrees.
b) He has the power to make congress hold special session so he can try to make
the legislative branch do there job by making them meet, if they are
filibustering or slowly moving and not discussing certain bills.
c) He has executive powers, if needed he can pass a law in no time,
i) FDR Executive order 7034; work progress administration it gave 8.5
million people jobs
Speech Draft:
Part One/Thesis:(Asserts the flaws in parliamentary gov./ While asserting presidential gov
legitimacy)
Unit 6, Speech #2: Parliamentary vs Presidential Systems
TAVIS:
James Madison states in Federalist 51 that “ Ambition must be made to
counteract ambition. The interest of the man, must be connected with the
constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature, that
such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government.”
STEFANO:
I n saying this, he establishes the fundamental principles that legitimizes a
republic’s mandate to govern. W
e believe that many countries choose
parliamentary government because it is efficient, avoids gridlock, and changes
more effectively with the whims of the people it governs. However, this efficiency
can cause instability and undermines the founding constitutional principles of
Popular Sovereignty and Separation of Powers, which are essential to establish
security and stability because they contribute to the democratic factor that lends
more power to the people, and strengthens a government's mandate to govern.
KASEY:
Parliamentary governments like the ones established in Australia and the
United Kingdom can operate with extreme legislative efficiency, because the
executive branch derives its mandate to govern from the legislature. In doing so,
the lawmaking system is essentially gridlock proof because the Chief executive
will always be elected from the majority party in the legislature. Because of this,
coalitions must be formed in order to gain a majority and to prevent individual
party domination. This means that party loyalty is much stronger in parliamentary
systems than in presidential government.
STEFANO:
In addition to more efficient legislative action, parliamentary government
offers certain advantages to countries that are more ethnically or ideologically
divided. By having a Chief Executive that is elected by the legislature, the
executive power is also shared with the whole of the legislature, and thus like the
people it governs, it to is also more diverse. This can be seen by the Iraqi refusal of
a presidential system in fear of Shiite domination.
SHONDIIN:
Another example of an efficient parliamentary government is in the United
Kingdom’s Brexit situation. After the referendum in 2016 that shocked the world
with its decision to leave the European Union, PM David Cameron voluntarily
resigned after the people voted against his political belief about remaining in the
EU. In his resignation speech, he states that it wouldn’t be right for him to “lead a
Government where [he doesn’t] agree with its policy.” This demonstrates the
ability of parliamentary government to represent the will of the people.
STEFANO:
However, this is where the fundamental flaw in parliamentary structure
stems from, and that is the pseudomandate to govern that is established when the
figurehead of the executive branch is not directly democratically elected, and thus
the executive branch and legislative branch's powers are not separate. Although not
all parliamentary systems are like this, most stable and developed nations like the
UK, Canada, and Australia suffer from this lack of separation of powers. In
parliamentary government the legislators and the executive have no effective
checks and balances between them because Parliament can exercise a vote of no
confidence to remove the Prime Minister and appoint someone who will cooperate
with them.
TAVIS:
James Madison stated in Federalist 58 that “ A
n elective despotism was not
the government we fought for; but one in which the powers of government
should be so divided and balanced... ”
STEFANO:
In doing so he established the need for a presidential system, a system based on
popular sovereignty. This allows the individual to participate in government in
accordance with their own ideals. A system that disavows despotism through a
calculated set of checks and balances that makes legislation harder to pass, and
where the Chief Executive is elected by the people, separate from the legislative
body, which creates a deliberative system that relies on long lasting legislative
stability. We can effectively prevent the abuses of power that comes synonymous
with an easily tyrannical government.
TAVIS:
It is easy to understand why stable and developed nations have often
established parliamentary styles of government: the UK’s system is more directly
representative of constituents than the United States’ electoral college allows, and
parliamentary government is efficient, which makes these nations more easily
progressive. Although parliamentary system ignores a myriad of democratic
principles, it is essential to recognize that liberty is not a privilege, but a principle
to be exercised, and therefore civic virtue is the most important ideal regardless of
political structure.
NOTES:
1. Excellent job with quotes and taking a strong stand
2. Define both systems briefly
3. America is not the only presidential system… be prepared and know about other presidential
systems and their efficacy. And be ready to address that many presidential systems are more
dictatorial and lend towards authoritarianism. That is part of the crux of this question… why do
more stable democracies choose parliamentary… you have all but ignored the presidential
systems around the globe in favor of a philosophical debate of the two systems.
Part one/ Efficiency in parliamentary gov thesis/ Asserts the flaws in parliamentary gov./ While asserting
presidential gov legitimacy
Part two / Disadvantages of parliamentary gov/ loss of mandate to govern
Part three/ Advantages/disadvantages(gridlock) of Presidential gov./ Legitimization of mandate to govern
Kasey Casort: 9078880919 (I can’t be in group text messages)
Tavis Henderson: 9079787919
Stefano Fochesatto: 9078883950
Shondiin Mayo: 9076992053
https://wiki.engageeducation.org.au/legalstudies/unit3/areaofstudy1parliamentandt
hecitizen/strengthsandweaknessesofparliamentasalawmakingbody/