Is it more democratic than the UK?

Bring home the revolution?

British journalist Jonathan Freedland started the modern debate with his 1999 book Bring Home the Revolution.

His central contention is that the USA learned from the British experience of democracy. He argues that the US form is superior, with fewer unelected and therefore unaccountable people in positions of power.

In the USA, constitutionally, the people rule, whereas, constitutionally in the UK, the monarch rules. In the UK, voters are, legally, subjects of the crown.

In the USA, voters are citizens who elect a wide variety of people who make decisions on their behalf.

PatriotismAt the start of each day American school children swear a pledge of allegiance to the flag of the US.

While the USA has a federal system, there are many public displays of US patriotism.

By contrast, British national identity has become very confused in recent years. Despite former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s campaign to promote “British values”, there has been a rise in Scottish, Welsh and English nationalism.

Pledge to the Flag

Checks and BalancesIn the USA there are a whole set of elaborate checks and balances to make sure that neither the executive (President), the legislature (Congress) or the judiciary (Supreme Court) can become over powerful.

For example, the President cannot declare war without Congressional approval. In the UK the Prime Minister can declare war and need not have a vote in the House of Commons.

Congress can reject a Presidential bill. The President can veto Congressional legislation, but a 2/3 majority in both Houses can over turn the President’s veto.

The President can nominate Supreme Court judges, but only when there is a vacancy. The Senate has to approve Presidential nominations.

In the UK, one of the Houses, the Lords, is not elected at all. We do now have a Supreme Court though.

Federalism Laws differ between the states e.g. on tax, capital punishment, marriage, age to drink alcohol and many more.

By contrast, we struggle to accept diversity within the UK. There has been an outcry in England over the Scottish Parliament’s decisions to, for example, end prescription charges or offer free personal care for the elderly.

The Liberal Democrats support a federal system of government in the UK as a means of ending disputes such as the West Lothian question or rows over different laws in different parts of the country.

The Federal Government in Washington DC runs the country but many laws are de-centralised to the 50 states.

Constitutional Rights

The UK has an uncodified constitution - with no clearly written rules and boundaries. These are conventions which have evolved from the Magna Carta, The Bill of Rights from the Glorious Revolution of the 1680’s and the Parliament Acts 1911 & 1948.

The US has a single constitutional document - of less than 7000 words. In the USA a persons rights are laid down in its Constitution - which must be adhered to by the Courts and Congress. American citizens are very aware of their constitutional rights.

California ballot November 2008 Proposition 8 bans same sex marriages

American citizens can change the law by “propositions” or referenda.

Prior to November 2008, same-sex marriages were possible in California. In August 2008, actress Portia de Rossi married her partner Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

But proposition 8, to ban same-sex marriages, was passed at the elections of November 4 by 7,001, 084 votes to 6,401,482.

Existing same-sex marriages are still recognised by the California legal system.

"Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.“ Proposition 8

More elections. More accountability?US citizens elect their President directly. In the UK, voters elect MPs every five years but do not elect the Prime Minister. For example, Labour won the General Election of 2005. Tony Blair MP, as leader of the Labour Party, became Prime Minister. When he retired in 2007, Gordon Brown just took over.

By contrast, American citizens elect their President. They also elect members of both of their Houses of Congress. We still have unelected peers in the House of Lords, who can block legislation from the elected House of Commons.

US voters can vote for Congressmen in the “mid term of a Presidency. This is to keep both Congress and president on their toes.

Powers of the President

Powers of the Prime Minister

If the Prime Minister has a solid parliamentary majority it is very probable that the policies that he wants will become law. A simple Parliamentary vote almost certainly means that the Prime Minister will have his way.

A British Prime Minister will not have his key policies vetoed by the House of Lords the way President Bush had by Congress.

Congress can over turn the President’s veto if it has a 2/3 majority (as it did over the Water Bill in 2007).

Democrat House leader Nancy Pelosi challenged President Bush once the Democrats took over Congress after the November 2006 mid-term elections.

“Calm down with the threats”

The 2000 Presidential farce

America’s democracy isn’t perfect. In 2000 President Bush was eventually declared winner of the Presidential election after thousands did not have their votes properly counted, or even counted at all.

Many people turned up to vote and found out they had been taken off the electoral register.

Perhaps even worse was the fact that most of this took place in the state of Florida, where George Bush’s brother, Jeb, was the Governor.

In the USA, money talks

In the USA, anyone can become President.

But, it takes a heck of a lot of money. In 2004 President Bush spent $240 million on getting elected. His defeated Democrat rival, John Kerry, actually spent $10m more.

There’s no way money can buy influence in the UK. Is there?

Above, jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Abramoff, who had close links to top Republicans, plead guilty to charges of conspiracy and fraud, which related to the purchase of a fleet of casino boats in 2000.

Americanisation of the UK?

In 2010, the UK had it’s first “leaders” debates at general election time.

Citizenship tests, like in the USA have been introduced (but not for EU nationals).

What next?

An elected Prime Minister?

Primary elections for parliamentary candidates?

A federal UK?