Should the Presidency be abolished? [View All]

The office of the President has become too large to be handled efficiently and way too imperious to be the centerpiece of a democratic state.

Should the office of President of the United States go the way of the Emperor of Rome?

We could replace the President with a Prime Minister, selected by the House of Representatives from its members and give committee chairmen, who are chosen by the PM, executive power.

A President would remain, but his would be a ceremonial position, occupied by a semi-retired senior statesman, whose duties are to accept the resignation of the outgoing PM after the government falls, calling elections, and telling the leader of the party holding the most seats in the House to form a new government. He could also throw out the first ball for baseball season, flip the coin at the Super Bowl, be responsible for finding lost puppies in national parks and other duties that we could trust even Ronald Reagan (but not G. W. Bush) to do well.

The Prime Minister and his government (cabinet/committee chairmen) would be responsible to the House. The government is forced to resign after failing to get a vote of confidence, which can be done just because things aren't working very well with no question of high crimes and misdemeanors or actual violations of statutory laws or other messy things.

I open the forum to the friendly members of Democratic Underground.

ON EDIT

Changed President to PM in last part of second paragraph.