Reply #62: Your concerns are not real concerns

[Jack Rabbit]

First of all, in any parliamentary system, the Prime Minister may request early elections. He may do this if he thinks the conditions are ripe for his party to increase its hold on power. Harold Wilson did this on two occasions while he was Prime Minister of Britain. On one occasion, his Labour Party did in fact increase its majority; on the other, the move backfired and the Tories under Edward Heath took power for a time.

The idea that the Prime Minister would be in collusion with the President to bring the government down seems a bit beyond necessary. If the Prime Minister doesn't like his government, he has the implicit authority to shake up his cabinet.

The purpose of the Senate is to provide for a more conservative legislative body that will put the breaks on popular but unwise legislative initiatives. The present Senate even works that way now, balking at more radical proposals coming out of a House controlled by right wing demagogues. This is achieved not because the Senate gives the states an equal voice, but because the Senators are elected to longer terms and face the voters less frequently. That feature is retained by giving Senators a twelve-year term.