what if we could vote every year to renew the president's contract?

[brianmanahan]

instead of voting only once every 4 years for president, what if we also voted every november on whether or not to fire the president?

it seems like that would make for higher accountability throughout the presidency.

 

[dank69]

At that level decisions take years to even come into effect let alone impact our lives.

 

[IronWing]

Getting rid of a president mid-term should be difficult.

 

[brycejones]

instead of voting only once every 4 years for president, what if we also voted every november on whether or not to fire the president?

it seems like that would make for higher accountability throughout the presidency.

You think campaigning is crazy now? Imagine it never ending.........

 

[maddogchen]

One of the many DUMB ideas I've seen on this forum

 

[Pneumothorax]

As bad as Obama is as he's a 'As the wind blows' type of President (look at his stance on same sex marriage) it'll get 10x worse if you have President that has to go through a vote of 'no confidence' every year from the general public.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Yup everything would grind to a complete halt (worse than now if you can imagine that) in that circumstance. One year is simply not enough to evaluate policy and impact.

 

[Brainonska511]

 

[Cozarkian]

A less disruptive idea: at 2 years there is a yes/no vote. If the President loses, he/she can't run for a second term but remains in office for the full 4 years.

 

[biostud]

In our political system the minister of state can start an election at any time if he/she feels it is an opportune moment. So he/she can strengthen the number of seats in the parliament or force opposition into working together if they want to avoid an election that will weaken their position. The maximum period between elections are four years.

What would happen if the president had the same powers over the congress?

 

[Fingolfin269]

I'm ok with a 4 year term. If anything I think we need to look at limiting service years in Congress. And courts.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

1 time 6 year term and be done with it.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

LMAO!!! @ voting every year. Many people don't vote every 4 years, even less every 2 years, and very few every year.

 

[emperus]

Horrible idea, especially in our 24 hour news cycle society. Nothing would get done and it'd be a campaign every day for 365 days a year.

 

[Moonbeam]

The only people who vote are partisan psychopaths and they only when the other team has the ball.

 

[WHAMPOM]

instead of voting only once every 4 years for president, what if we also voted every november on whether or not to fire the president?

it seems like that would make for higher accountability throughout the presidency.

Wag the Dog on steriods. Why do you think it takes a second term to get out of "please the mob" role and into "do the right thing".

 

[Londo_Jowo]

I vote every year and have done so since I started voting in 1976. Local representation/issues/bonds are as important as those at the state and federal level. Texas has been known to have constitutional amendments in the years between presidential term and mid-term elections.

 

[WHAMPOM]

LMAO!!! @ voting every year. Many people don't vote every 4 years, even less every 2 years, and very few every year.

With all the new restrictions on voting places, times, methods and ID?
Who wou'da thunk!

 

[Londo_Jowo]

With all the new restrictions on voting places, times, methods and ID?
Who wou'da thunk!

I think it's more to do with apathy than any of those things you're claiming is the cause. There are more people who chose not to register to vote or chose not to vote even though they're registered than those reasons you've cited.

 

[cbrunny]

It's called Parliament. You should try it.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Electing them to a single 6 year term would be better, perhaps with some kind of mechanism in the house to trigger an early election if the president proves extremely unpopular or incompetent. The only reason Obama "took his gloves off" so to speak in his second term is because he no longer has an election to worry about. While his opponents might not like it, at least we get to see what he really stands for.

 

[boomerang]

instead of voting only once every 4 years for president, what if we also voted every november on whether or not to fire the president?

it seems like that would make for higher accountability throughout the presidency.

All we'd need is enough members of Congress for a "no confidence" vote and the election cycle will start. Four months to wage a campaign and hold an election. Here's a secret but don't tell anyone.

Spoiler

We wouldn't be doing anything other nations don't already do.

Hell, we probably wouldn't even need to change the Constitution because that was just made up by a bunch of old white guys.

 

[Darwin333]

They already spend to much time campaigning instead of governing.

 

[boomerang]

It's called Parliament. You should try it.

I for one am ready. I've brought it up a number of times here.

 

[boomerang]

They already spend to much time campaigning instead of governing.

That's why you shorten it up. Four months tops. In a connected world there is no need for it to be any longer. I think three months would actually be better.