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Prime Minister or President

Prime Minister or President. Are some ways better than others?. Prime Minister David Cameron. President Barack Obama. Presidential vs. Parliamentary Systems of Government. Presidential President elected by the citizens Removed through impeachment or elections Parliamentary

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Prime Minister or President

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  1. Prime Minister or President Are some ways better than others? Prime Minister David Cameron President Barack Obama

  2. Presidential vs. Parliamentary Systems of Government • Presidential • President elected by the citizens • Removed through impeachment or elections • Parliamentary • Prime Minister (PM) selected by the majority party in Parliament

  3. United States and the United Kingdom USA UK Unwritten Constitution Crown=mainly Head of State (and head of the Church of England) Crown=appoints the PM (by tradition, the appointee must command support in Parliament) "the Sovereign has, under a constitutional monarchy ... three rights—the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn.“ Crown—powers can be overridden by Parliament Crown—assents to bills (no “vetoes” since 1707 • Written Constitution • Prez= both Chief Manager and Head of State • Prez=can check Congress • Prez—signs bills into law (can veto bills)

  4. Visual Comparison

  5. Presidential vs. Parliamentary • Presidential: • Separation of Powers: Executive & Legislative • President and Cabinet are not members of the legislature. • Parliamentary: • No separation between legislative and executive branches • PM & Cabinet are MPs (members of Parliament)

  6. Presidential vs. Parliamentary • Presidential: • Pres. & Cabinet can only be removed by impeachment, and new elections • Nominees selected by primaries/caucuses • Elections regularly scheduled • Does not need support in Congress to stay in power • Cannot be fired for incompetence • President government doesn’t change with new congressional elections • Parliamentary: • Govt. remains in office only if it retains support of majority in Parliament. • Can be removed by Vote of No Confidence • Nominees selected by heads of party • PM may call new Parliament elections at any time up to 5 years. • Needs support in House of Commons to stay in power • Can be “fired” for incompetence • PM’’s government can change with new legislative elecetions

  7. Presidential vs. Parliamentary • Presidential: • President has only bargaining leverage over Congressional votes. • Members of Congress introduce bills. • Bills change significantly in Congress. • Both houses of Congress have significant power • Parliamentary: • PM has much leverage over MPs votes. • PM/Cabinet introduce most bills. • Bills are passed with few changes. • 2nd house of Parliament may have little power.

  8. Presidential: Intricate system of Checks & Balances Judicial Review Presidential veto Congressional override of veto Impeachment Senate confirmation of treaties and Presidential appointees Etc….. Parliamentary System: Fewer Checks & Balances No Confidence vote House of Lords may delay legislation for 1 year Cabinet pressure on PM Question Hour Tradition & Reasonableness Checks & Balances

  9. Presidential System • Advantages: • No branch or individual too powerful (due to separation of powers) • More democratic? more interests represented; more compromise • Disadvantages: • Slow process • Divided Government • Piecemeal Legislation • Hard to create change / fulfill campaign promises

  10. Parliamentary System • Advantages: • Efficient / Quick process • Easy to create change / fulfill campaign promises • More accountability to public? • Coherent laws and policy • Disadvantages: • too much concentration of power? • Fewer interests represented • Change too drastic when parties switch? • Legislative process more symbolic

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