I'm curious -- what is the law keeping us from voting NO CONFIDENCE?

[Donnachaidh]

Is there a specific law that keeps us (or the Congress) from calling for a vote?

[TahitiNut]

1. We can do that ...

... as soon as we become part of Great Britain, again. :shrug:

[Donnachaidh]

6. but is there something specifically written to keep us from doing it?

I'd really like to know if it exists. In light of all the damage Chimpie has done, maybe we should have something like it?

[A HERETIC I AM]

9. Yup. Pretty much a Parliamentary maneuver.

We get to vote no confidence once every 4 years for the President.

Unfortunately, half the country, or thereabouts, was dumb enough to vote "confident" last time.


Now...if we could have a "Competence" vote....might be different these days.

[Donnachaidh]

13. well I had to ask.

thanks!

[A HERETIC I AM]

14. LOL! Yes, well....no harm in trying, eh? n/t

[izzie]

15. I do like their Q and A every time they meet. We should do that.

I would like some one to hold these guys to saying some thing like yes or no.

[A HERETIC I AM]

16. I agree completely. An American equivalent of "Prime Ministers Question Time" would be great...

I think it should be in the Senate (The House would simply be too many people) and let the Chimpster and all presidents for that matter, answer questions directly from our Senators.

[NoPasaran]

25. George Washington didn't want to do it

And the precedent stuck.

[izzie]

26. That I bet every state would go for.

Every few weeks any how. Get the President on the line to the people.

[Zywiec]

30. Prime Ministers Question Time is wonderful

I agree this should be mandatory for all presidents. Think of all the uncomfortable moments it would have been for that last few residents of the white house. A definite popcorn event!

[michreject]

29. I was thinking Galactic Empire

Imperial Senate.

[Nutmegger]

2. No such thing here. [n\t]

[youngdem]

3. I think the Declaration of Independence did that, actually

[thereismore]

4. You can vote on anything you like, but a vote of no confidence

has no Constitutional bearing. We have a Presidential system (Pres is the head executive), and he is elected to serve 4 years. Impeachment is the only way to remove a Resident under this Constitution.

[elocs]

18. Impeachment without conviction by the Senate removes nobody. n/t

[Phredicles]

5. Nothing. But it would have no legal consequences.

These last few years have been an advertisement for a parliamentary system. But that would require an overhaul of the constitution.

[tritsofme]

7. There's no such thing as a no confidence motion in our system.

We aren't a parliamentary system.

The Constitution sets the terms of Congressmen at 2 years, senators at 6, and POTUS and VPOTUS at 4.

Federal law sets election day as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

[A HERETIC I AM]

12. Not to mention that in a Parliamentary system, it isn't the people that make such a vote...

it is the members of Parliament. The commoners don't get to do it.

[WI_DEM]

8. perhaps you can do a local referendum. For instance in Madison and other WI communities

we had a referendum on the war (most places voted to bring our troops home). Of course it's not binding.

[Donnachaidh]

11. but I would think it would certainly send a message, yes?

We have states pushing for impeachment. Add to that others voting no confidence. I know I'm whistling dixie with this -- but it might get more voices out there talking. :shrug:

[rinsd]

10. Best you could probably do is a non-binding resolution

The only real vote for no confidence in this country under our system of government is on election day.

[loudsue]

17. The framers of the constitution didn't know about secret vote counting machines

and software. If they had, they would have addressed it, and I have every idea they would have made sure it NEVER happened.

We should have been rid of bush the first time in 2000, and the second time in 2004, except for the damned riggable (new word! ) voting systems.

:kick::kick::kick:

[rinsd]

32. Its not the system but who counts the votes.

And the framers left that job to Congress and the states to take care of.

[elocs]

19. I wish your post would have said that it would be nice to have a no confidence vote.

I can appreciate the innocence of the question, but how does somebody with 1000 or more posts here not have a basic understanding of how our political system works in this country? I have seen this sort of thing before and wondered the same thing. At least you are interested enough to ask the question unlike many millions of others in this country who do not ask and still vote.

[Donnachaidh]

23. wait a minute -- where exactly is there a rule that you cannot ask

questions about a subject that is NOT discussed all the time on DU, or out in the public for that matter.

What a lovely way to put off people from asking questions! I didn't know I was breaking some hidden rule here. So, if we pass certain skill levels of governmental knowledge, do we get a sekrit decoder ring? :sarcasm:

My apologies for not framing the question the way you would like it to have been done. Can you point me to the corner you'd like me to sit in? :sarcasm:

Wow.

[elocs]

24. I never said you could not ask the question, but how could you get 1000 posts without knowing this?

I just wondered how somebody with so many posts is so unfamiliar with how our system of government works. I learned this in high school over 35 years ago, so I am sorry if you did not get to go. I am sure you are a good person, but this would be like asking if we could vote again for president this year. This is not Great Britian, we have a completely different system of government and there is no such thing as a no confidence vote that would bring down the president. It would be my hope that you might familiarize yourself with the basics of how the system works and then ask a question if you cannot understand. Also, sarcasm is like a spice and not a main course, so it should not be overdone. Once would be enough.

[Bridget Burke]

27. Hey, Post Counter...

We'd know exactly how many posts you'd made--if you hadn't concealed your profile.

The OP has been corrected. Think it's time to adjust your recipe.

[originalpckelly]

20. They can pass only a symbolic resolution.

That's the only constitutional option.

This is why we need a house of governors that would be a part of the executive branch and would be able to remove the President through a vote of no confidence.

[tnlurker]

21. I believe

That in Great Britain a vote of no confidence is actually just a no vote on any bill that is sponsored by the party that is in power. It could be any major piece of legislation that the Prime Minister and his/her party are in favor of. If that bill is voted down it is then called a vote of no confidence and there must be an election called within a certain amount of time...Like 12 weeks...I don't remember the exact amount.

[Jack Rabbit]

22. It wouldn't have any effect

You can call for the vote, but a vote of no confidence in the administration would have no effect.

What would that be? A sort of non-binding impeachment resolution?

Under our system of of government, the chief executive is independent of the legislature. He is elected for four years and unless he's abusing his power outrageously, he keeps his job. We don't impeach the president because things just aren't going well. There is no such thing as a no confidence vote.

Under a parliamentary system, if the government can't cut the mustard, it's gone. It's time for new elections.

If we had a parliamentary system, Prime Minister Jimmy Carter would have fallen in his second or third year in office. It would be easier to get rid of Prime Minister Bush.

Right now it's a moot point. The acts of Bush and Cheney that rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors would support a half dozen to a dozen impeachment article for each of them.

[mmonk]

28. State legislatures seeking impeachment is

a sort of no confidence vote. Other than that, Americans have to wait out the damage or their reps can impeach.

[Justice]

31. I like that idea

couldn't you do a nonbinding resolution - no confidence in the president