Is U.S. ‘presidentialist’ democracy failing?

[grumbler]

I am not even sure what a USA/CIA is.

Some kind of insurance company I think.

I thought it had to do with labor unions.

Aren't you a bit busy explaining how climate change isn't man-made these days?

Wait a minute, when did Grumbler go Hansy on us?

I think that that was just a drive-by troll.

[The Minsky Moment]

Aren't you a bit busy explaining how climate change isn't man-made these days?

You are way behind the times.  These days it's being made by Chinese coal mining robots.

[Norgy]

Aren't you a bit busy explaining how climate change isn't man-made these days?

You are way behind the times.  These days it's being made by Chinese coal mining robots.

grumbler and the Koch brothers probably would say emitions are good.
Food for plants and whatnot.

[OttoVonBismarck]

One aspect of American democracy that seriously needs fixing is the budgeting process.  There has to be some kind of default in the absence of agreement.

If I was rewriting only this narrow portion of the Constitution, I'd probably make it so the Presidential veto cannot be used against the annual budget.

[Admiral Yi]

If I was rewriting only this narrow portion of the Constitution, I'd probably make it so the Presidential veto cannot be used against the annual budget.

Then you'd get things like unfunded Obamacare.

I think the way to go is default to last year's budget in the absence of agreement.

[LaCroix]

yi, what harm have these budget problems caused? or is it the potential for harm? I don't know enough about it

[Admiral Yi]

yi, what harm have these budget problems caused? or is it the potential for harm? I don't know enough about it

Government shut downs and near shut downs.

[celedhring]

If I was rewriting only this narrow portion of the Constitution, I'd probably make it so the Presidential veto cannot be used against the annual budget.

Then you'd get things like unfunded Obamacare.

I think the way to go is default to last year's budget in the absence of agreement.

That's how it works over here. It's not ideal mind, since it discourages budgeting debate in tough times. Our governments usually extend last year's budget instead of bargaining with the opposition or pass unpopular budgets (if they lack a parliamentary majority, that is).

[LaCroix]

Government shut downs and near shut downs.

yeah, I remember the temporary government shutdown awhile back ago. and I know about the near shut downs. I'm asking if these actually harmed the country in a lasting way. if the government has scares every now and then, but the politicians eventually get together and find a solution in the eleventh hour (or a few minutes after the twelfth hour), then what's the problem? is there something more than just the risk of a lasting shut down?

[Admiral Yi]

yeah, I remember the temporary government shutdown awhile back ago. and I know about the near shut downs. I'm asking if these actually harmed the country in a lasting way. if the government has scares every now and then, but the politicians eventually get together and find a solution in the eleventh hour (or a few minutes after the twelfth hour), then what's the problem? is there something more than just the risk of a lasting shut down?

Apart from the impact on our credit worthiness and government not doing things for extended periods, I can't think of anything.

[LaCroix]

Apart from the impact on our credit worthiness and government not doing things for extended periods, I can't think of anything.

I remember the credit thing. did that ever recover? re: "not doing things for extended periods." how long? and what things weren't done versus a non-near shut down.

while the shut down scares sound bad, I don't know just how bad it really is. seems like the country always recovered, but is that not the case?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdown_in_the_United_States

seems like it happens somewhat often, with the occasional gap.

[Admiral Yi]

I remember the credit thing. did that ever recover? re: "not doing things for extended periods." how long? and what things weren't done versus a non-near shut down.

while the shut down scares sound bad, I don't know just how bad it really is. seems like the country always recovered, but is that not the case?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdown_in_the_United_States

seems like it happens somewhat often, with the occasional gap.

The US has recovered from every bad thing that ever happened.  I don't think that's very helpful in deciding what things should be avoided.

AFAIK US debt is still AA+.

[OttoVonBismarck]

If I was rewriting only this narrow portion of the Constitution, I'd probably make it so the Presidential veto cannot be used against the annual budget.

Then you'd get things like unfunded Obamacare.

I think the way to go is default to last year's budget in the absence of agreement.

That's fine--the American President is unaccountable and vastly too powerful. The power of the purse is the ancient power to defund the King's nonsense, and is how Parliament over generations eroded the monarch into the caged songbird it is today. It's a fine system.

[Admiral Yi]

That's fine--the American President is unaccountable and vastly too powerful. The power of the purse is the ancient power to defund the King's nonsense, and is how Parliament over generations eroded the monarch into the caged songbird it is today. It's a fine system.

It might be a little off point, but Obamacare hardly qualifies as Barry's whim.  It did pass in both houses.

[LaCroix]

The US has recovered from every bad thing that ever happened.  I don't think that's very helpful in deciding what things should be avoided.

AFAIK US debt is still AA+.

if the system works, it works. there are cons to using the prior year's budget (political schemes to purposely shut down the government). right now, the system de facto forces cooperation to save the nation. the country hasn't collapsed from this system.