Don't you wish your congress had a "question period"?

[Clintonista2]

In Canada, opposition politicans have 45 minutes each day to directly question the prime minister, and members of the ministers cabinet. It means they are forced to directly answer for their actions, and it keeps our government very transparent. Why doesn't the US adopt a similar system?

[Book Lover]

1. Because the end result would go one of two (undesirable) ways:

A) It would become as disgusting a love-fest as the State of the Union speech, and therefore end up being the opposite of the intent

or

B) It would degenerate into a shouting match with no resolution.

Sorry. The interaction between the executive and legislative branches is just not designed to have a Question Time on a regular basis. The legislature calls upon the executive to explain itself when wrongdoing is suspected only. Not, of course, that congressional hearings are always effective. To do so on a regular basis may be logical, but in practice, I don't see how the current political process could emplace this while holding true to the intent. Maybe if we had a revolution....

[Clintonista2]

3. Resolution isn't the goal, exposure is

Knowing they will have to directly answer for actions taken scares the hell out of politicians. In practise, this concept does work. For example, Gordon O'connor, our former conservative defense minister, was shuffled out of his cabinet position directly because of opposition questioning, ditto for our environment minister.

[pansypoo53219]

2. hell yeah.

but i also think the honorable opposition gets to do the questions.

[KT2000]

4. Yes

I like the questions for the Prime Minister that is shown on C-span too.
Can't imagine our politicians could even do this though. Everyone is so sychophanty!

[Greyhound]

5. Because the American Sheeple have no interest in their government and

will go to great lengths to avoid learning anything about how it functions or what it does in their name. We are probably the most pathetic, useless slugs on the planet. Hard to believe that we are the beneficiaries of some of the most revolutionary thinkers in history...