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From: cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: Why are VSI so focused on Sweden ?
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2025 14:48:02 -0000 (UTC)
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC
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In article <vqpf1m$208pc$2@dont-email.me>,
Simon Clubley  <clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> wrote:
>On 2025-03-10, Arne Vajh�j <arne@vajhoej.dk> wrote:
>>
>> It is easier to get rid of a prime minister in that system.
>>
>> But there is also a flip side. It can be difficult to find
>> a PM. After the election in Sweden in 2018 it took 4 months
>> to agree on a PM/government. After the election in the
>> Netherlands in 2023 it took 6 months. After the election
>> in Belgium in 2024 it took 8 months. Given how the US
>> congress typical (recent years) handle budget and debt limit
>> increase, then I suspect that if the US congress elected
>> the US president then the position would be empty half the time.
>
>I don't know if this applies to other Parliamentary systems, but
>here in the UK, the Prime Minister has to go to Parliament once
>a week and answer questions from opposition leaders. In addition,
>some normal MPs also get the chance to directly ask the PM questions
>and to make the PM justify decisions that they have made.
>
>I wonder if Mr Trump would ever go before Congress once a week and
>answer questions put directly to him by the Democrats ? Somehow,
>I suspect the answer is no. :-)

As an American, I've always found it fun to watch British
parliamentary proceedings: generally much livelier than our own
congress and infinitely more entertaining.  I miss Dennis
Skinner; his quips at Black Rod before the state opening of
parliament in the House of Lords were always chuckle-worthy.
"I shall miss you, Dennis."

For many years our US legislature was rather more genteel than
yours, with at least a veneer of camaraderie across the isle.
Senators and house members referred to each other as, "my good
friend from the state of such-and-such" or "my esteemed
colleague" and so forth.  I doubt much of that was sincere, but
there was at least an attempt at collegiallity.  But with
whackadoos like Marjoie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, or Matt
Gaetz in office now, I fear those days are well and truly behind
us.  And we don't even have a dry British sense of humor to
compensate.

Trump turns everything he touches into a clown show, so if he
were to appear before Congress fielding questions from Democrats
he would just turn it into another opportunity for
self-aggrandizing and petty name-calling.  The man is a boor; no
need to give him yet another platform.

	- Dan C.