Politicy stuff

[selenay]

I like the British system of elections. Not only does it only take a couple of months as opposed to a couple of years, but there's a quick change when the government is voted out. The Americans have this period between election and swearing in that confuses me greatly. Exactly which president is in charge during the interregnum? Which one decides to go to war if the country is attacked during that time? Ditto for the new elected Senate/House?

Here we like to be quick about it. In '97, Blair was opening the front door of No. 10 while Major was sneaking out of the back door. None of this interregnum stuff. The election is called in favour of a new government, the new Prime Minister goes to the Queen to accept it and he's into the new house in time for tea. Same applies to the new MPs. Somehow it seems much safer and less confusing.



This thought was brought to you by the S2 West Wing episode The Lame Duck Congress, the letter P and the number 4.

Comments

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

Between the election and the inauguration the outgoing president is in charge. If they are courteous and professional, they will include the incoming president in any necessary decisions. I don't expect Bush will do this after Kerry kicks his priveleged, deceitful, cowardly ass. /g/

Kamil made the icon. Geran insisted I use it. He's disliked Bush ever since I explained the concept and reality of budget deficits.

"You mean me and Marina and Jacob and all our friends and all of the other kids in America, we're going to have to pay back all that money?"

"Yes."

"Oh, that Bush is a bad president."

BTW, you are absolutely right about the British system making more sense, except for that bit about the Queen, of course. /g,d,r/

[selenay]

Between the election and the inauguration the outgoing president is in charge.

That makes sense, I guess. Except for the fact that he's been voted out of office and my British mind figures that should mean he can't do anything anymore :-)

Kamil made the icon.

:-) Very good icon.

Although I keep seeing someone else when it flashes up *cough*. The last Tory leader was nicknamed Cough by one of our more satirical news magazines. He was a bit...bland. And unnoticable. And...um...bland. The current Tory leader has been nicknamed The Vampire. He's actually worse than Bush and Blair combined.

"Oh, that Bush is a bad president."

Your Geran is a very sensible young man. And they say that kids can't understand politics :-)

BTW, you are absolutely right about the British system making more sense, except for that bit about the Queen, of course. /g,d,r/

:-p~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darned rebellious ingrates :-) My Mom is Canadian. Her family fled America during the War of Independence because they were Crown Loyalists. Guess that makes me rather a monarchist :-)

I actually like the Queen bit. It's a little archaic and odd to non-Brits, but I like the traditions. Blair has to ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament and call an election, the Queen has to open Parliament each year and she has to give permission for the victorious party leader to form a government. They're all formalities and I doubt the Queen would refuse her permission, but I like the acknowledgement of our history and the way things were. I'm almost embarassed to admit that I support the continuation of our monarchy :-))

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

Your Geran is a very sensible young man. And they say that kids can't understand politics :-)

I'm indoctrinating him. /g/ Although it isn't taking much effort.

Darned rebellious ingrates :-)

Hee. I was just teasing, you know. I kinda like the Queen, and the traditions are cool.

Her family fled America during the War of Independence because they were Crown Loyalists.

I have no idea what my family did during the Revolution or if they were even on this continent (I secretly suspect I'm descended from Canadians on my father's side.). But the spouse has an ancestor who defected from the British army and another who was a German mercenary hired by the British. He also defected and then married a Mohawk woman.

You mentioned emigrating in one of your comments? Where is it you wish to go?

[selenay]

I'm indoctrinating him. /g/

You're a good mom :-)

I kinda like the Queen, and the traditions are cool.

:-) Some non-Brits really don't get the Queen thing. Of course, I don't get the President thing...

I have no idea what my family did during the Revolution

My aunt did a big family history thing a few years back and found that we originally settled in Masechusetts before fleeing north to New Brunswich. It's pretty neat to know things like that - makes history a bit more real, somehow, when I know that my ancestors were actually involved.

Where is it you wish to go?

Canada :-) I'm planning to go in about four years - I need to graduate (finally) and get some money together. The parents are planning to follow when they retire. We own a house out there that's currently being rented out and I'll take over posession when I get there. That will give me somewhere to live for a couple of years while looking for my own place - hopefully I'll be able to hand over the keys to it when the parents arrive. Mom's really looking forward to going home and Da and I have fallen in love with the country. I'm not sure how they'll cope with leaving my sister behind, but she's quite happy to stay here.

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

I suspected it was Canada.

What part of Canada? I'm about an hour south of Montreal, and I've spent a fair amount of time in Ottawa. I love Ottawa.

[selenay]

I suspected it was Canada.

:-))

What part of Canada?

Nova Scotia. Most of my family is there and I've fallen in love with the landscape and the friendliness of the Maritimers. Our house overlooks the ocean *bg*

I love Ottawa.

I was in Ottawa a few years ago for Canada Day - very cool street party :-) My Da's brother and his family went to visit Ottawa a few years ago with a view to moving there. They went in January and it was -30C ever day. It's going to be a looooong time before we pursuade them that not all of Canada is like that and in the summer it really does go over zero. Most of my friends think that I'm going to live with the polar bears and the Inuit :-)

[paranoidangel]

Canada :-) I'm planning to go in about four years

My sister mentioned to me today that she'd like to go to Canada, and that she could get a secondment with her company for 3 or 4 months, or 1 or 2 years. I'm waiting for you to move out there :)

[selenay]

:-) There will always be a spare room (or two or three *g*) for friends to stay it while I show them exactly why Canada is the most beautiful country on the planet.

Not that I'm biased...

[paranoidangel]

The current Tory leader has been nicknamed The Vampire. He's actually worse than Bush and Blair combined.

I didn't know about the nicknames, but the worst thing about reading that was I couldn't think who was Tory leader. I've remembered now, but it took a few minutes :)

[selenay]

I didn't know about the nicknames

Private Eye's nicknames make it very difficult to take some politicians seriously. Although the universal name for one of the candidates during the Major/Thatcher swap was even better. Still can't look at him without thinking of Mr. Spock...

[paranoidangel]

Still can't look at him without thinking of Mr. Spock...

I remember that one. Of course, once someone pointed it out it was blindingly obvious. And still funny.