What if ... The Rotating Presidency of America

European Union to Be Led by Former Soviet Satellite - NYTimes.com

Here is an interesting idea: What if the United States had a rotating presidency?

Read the article above, then get back here and read this.

From the article we learn that the European Union has a rotating presidency. Right now, everyone's favorite European, and husband to model/singer Carla Bruni, Nikolas Sarkozy is running the show. Come January 1st, the reins will be passed to the Czech Republic. And, of course, we all know that the Czech Republic is a lapdog of Russia. Not really, just trying to be funny.

Can you imagine what this country would be like if we had a rotating presidency? Instead of campaigning for two years and spending millions of dollars, U.S. leadership would pass from one state to the next each six months. That means that Texas, Arkansas, and California would be disqualified for this year's election.

Obama, from Illinois, would definitely qualify, and McCain would qualify, too, being from Arizona.

Throw the 47 remaining states into a hat and then someone draws the next state the leads the nation. Say that Obama wins the election; in July, McCain would take over. In January, though, someone would need to remove Illinois and Arizona from the hat, and pick from the remaining 45 states.

The process would continue every six months until all states have had a chance to lead the country. Then, all states go back into the hat.

Sounds equitable to me.

A Country Called Europe

I like this title better than the original title, "It's the end of Britain as we know it". My title is not accurate, but neither is CSM's. However, we are both heading in the same direction.

The European Union is growing closer to becoming "a country" by my estimates. Europe has been evolving towards a "union" since 1950, when the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)was established. Later, in 1957, the Treaty of Rome would create the European Economic Community, otherwise known as the Common Market.

In 1973, an additional three countries would join the original six charter members of the ECSC. The ECSC would then become known as the European Union. Greece, Spain, and Portugal would soon follow.

I don't mean to provide a chronology here, and I am not going to. For these countries to cooperate serves all European countries. The issues that stand before them are numerous. The reality is that for each country to thrive, each must recognize interdependence on the others. How does a country then thrive in the face of differences? So many languages, different religions, different economic cultures and climates and stages or levels of development.

The European Union seeks to provide such a structure, to encourage growth, yet maintain fair and equitable practices across a diverse region.

In essence, it is almost as if a Federal Republic is evolving across Europe. Each province, e.g. Germany, has autonomy to conduct business, have local elections, etc., but must adhere to EU business rules in the process. Very analogous to our Federal system: our U.S. states are analogs to EU countries. Our states have given sovereignty over to our Federal government, in terms of defense, monetary policy, etc.

In many ways, Europe has been set forth as the 'grand old man' of the world. In regards to the EU, the United States has appeared to have been at the forefront.