Fareed Zakaria: Forget Debt — US Credit was Downgraded Because We Have a President, Not a Prime Minister
- Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:03pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Why did the United States lose its Standard and Poor’s AAA credit rating? According to Fareed Zakaria, it’s not because of our high national debt — it’s because we have a presidential, and not a parliamentary, system of government.
In a post last week, the CNN host pointed out now that the U.S. has been downgraded, no other country with a presidential system holds a top rating from all three major ratings agencies — only countries with parliamentary systems do.
Citing a Yale social scientist, Zakaria said parliamentary systems are more stable because “the legislature and the executive are fused so there is no contest for national legitimacy”:
In the American presidential system, in contrast, you have the presidency and the legislature, both of which claim to speak for the people. As a result, you always have a contest over basic legitimacy. Who is actually speaking for and representing the people?
Taking a dig at the Tea Party, Zakaria continued:
In America today, we take this struggle to an extreme. We have one party in one house of the legislature claiming to speak for the people because theirs was the most recent electoral victory. And you have the president who claims a broader mandate as the only person elected by all the people. These irresolvable claims invite struggle.
You might recall, on the eve of the debt ceiling deadline, Zakaria blasted the Tea Party’s resoluteness in budget debate, calling its members in Congress “fundamentally anti-democratic“ and willing to ”blow the country up.”
Still, Zakaria conceded, there are a few advantages to American government — our system of checks and balances have been “very useful on occasion.” But that same system, he said, is also responsible for gridlock because everything takes so much longer to get through:
[W]e’re living in a world where you need governments that are able to respond decisively and quickly. In a fast-moving world, paralysis is dangerous. Other countries are catching up – if not overtaking – America.
Giving one last plug for a parliamentary system, Zakaria said:
Remember, the political battle surrounding the debt ceiling is actually impossible in a parliamentary system because the executive controls the legislature. There could not be a public spectacle of the two branches of government squabbling and holding the country hostage.
Finally, Zakaria concluded with this line, in which he seems to imply President Barack Obama’s reelection in 2012 is a foregone conclusion:
If we’re in for another five years of this squabbling in the U.S., we are going to make presidential systems look pretty bad indeed.
(h/t: Newsbusters)
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Comments (196)
momsense
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:40pmJust goes to show you how little these lame stream media types know about our Constitution! Look it up stuid—the Congress Represents the People–that’s why we call it the House of Representatives and why also it has jurisdiction over the purse strings. The main function of the president is to enforce the laws of Congress, not make his own law through packing the courts with socialists or running this country by Executive Orders—that ws until this Communist took over. YOU don’t believe? Read it or yourself.
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:50pmHe’s the mouthpiece of George Soros I would not put any stock into what he thinks… If he wants a system of Gov’t like the UK then maybe CNN should send him there. And then our state department change his citizenship to temporary with a Green Card.
Report Post »1bambam
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:14pmThis guy is very dangerous he keeps planting seeds into mostly ignorant people the seeds grow in them till they say yes that is the answer we need a parliamentary government then they organize and start to push for that idea in larger numbers
Report Post »CatB
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:41pmLOL .. we have had a President since Washington .. we have only had a down grade since we got a communist Marxist in the White House…. who wants to be KING!
TEA!
Report Post »Professional Infidel
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:43pmI watch fox
Report Post »SavingtheRepublic.com
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:48pm~~^^~~^^~~
Saw this earlier, isnt this the 2nd or 3rd time this ‘thing” has talked down our system of government? I just sat and shook my head while he did his radical rant; does this little fuzzy foreigner understand that the system he is criticizing was created on purpose!? We tried it the way he wants us to go under King George and it didnt work, thus the American Revolution. What he suggests is setting modern government back. Yea great look at those other nations and how “well” they are doing… Newsflash Europe is coming apart at the seams!
You see what you have here folks is indoctrination of the uneducated uninformed zombies who watch this corrupt propagandist network. They want people to question the system they live under, the very system that permits freedom of speech and a radical to come to this nation and speak on our airwaves has the audacity to criticize. The hypocrisy here if off the charts. Insane thats all I can call this stuff anymore insane to suggest taking our govt structure backwards….. http://SavingtheRepublic.com
Report Post »M 4 Colt
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:53pmBoy this guy does not know our system of government very well does he Obama was NOT elected by all Americans in this country he won the White House by winning 55% of the American peoples vote NOT 100%.
He is just another white house mouth piece carrying water for the Obama brand. The more this guy and all the talking heads over at MSNBC keep trying to make Obama look good the more desperate it makes them look.
The problem the left wing media has today is the American people are for the first time in a long time are wide awake and we are no longer believing the “hope and change” lie we now know that this White House is doing nothing but trying to DESTROY AMERICA and our way of life.
I think what scares this guy and all the other left wing media types is the fact that they now know their lies are not working any more and all the tactics they used in the past to keep the people asleep are no longer working and they dont know what to do about it but its now beginning to get fun watching them as they eat their own on live TV
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:10pm.
Report Post »Fareed, you moron, we had a AAA rating since ratings were invented.
We always had a president.
Only when we elected a socialist president did we lose our rating.
mils
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:11pmall i can say is ..it has never happened before.
Report Post »Marci
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:27pmSo, basically, he wants a president who holds ALL of the control, and a Congress that is there for looks. Sounds like a dictatorship to me. Fareed needs to head on over to the UK and enjoy.
Report Post »psst
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:31pm@Secret Squirrel.
Report Post »Excellent observation..
drattastic
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:02pmWhy does this socialist fool even live here ? He is a Fareekin moron ,if you don’t want to leave on your own maybe we can assist you one day.
Report Post »claymoremacm
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:48pmHillary Clinton said years ago we should have parlimentary form of government she figured that was the only way a woman would get the top job
Report Post »progressives-are-retards
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:20pmHe’s one ugly fool, among other things. Him and that Janeen Garanimal joke, or however you spell the bitches name, ought to hook up just to see if they could mate and make something human. I‘d love to see an artist’s rendering of what their spawn would look like.
Report Post »ProbIemSoIver
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 9:02pmIs fareed to turtle-ly for the turtle club ? I think so. but he was not too turtle-ly for the Council on Foreign relations, the Tri-Lateral Commission, or the Bilderberg club !!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTn5RYVIDyI&feature=related
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 9:58pmAnd before the progressives got in office back in the early 1900′s, the Senate was supposed to represent the states rights. That was when there was no direct election of Senators by the people. But you have to admit, in today’s society, the slickest politician usually wins (except now maybe some people have woken up).
Report Post »Nauss
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 10:27pmThis man is dangerous. He is filled wth hate and can see it n his eyes. He wants to change the very foundation of the Uunted States and that is our consttuton.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 10:40pmWHO the H3LL is this guy???
Report Post »Steve
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 4:17amSecret Squirrel
Ding! Give the man a cigar!
Report Post »chazman
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 6:43amThis creep has a death wish … dreams of a 72 year old virgin and sitting ON the left hand of ALLAH!
Report Post »victorincalifornia
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:39pmWhat a dope, he distorts parlimentary systems, they’re not a rubber stamp for one party, has he not seen the riots in britain and europe, all with parlimentary systems. What’s he doing here anyway, is he on a mission to save the States ?
Report Post »newrepublic7
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:08pmHe scares me! He asks if we still NEED our constitution one week and wants to change the structure of our government the next. Correct me if I am wrong, but we are still the GREATEST nation on the planet. Even in our current state! So how are we better? Our constitution and our form of government! So yes lets change that! SHUT UP Fareed! GO HOME and fix your nation! We like ours. We will figure it out on our own! NO help needed or required. F – off.
Sorry but I am sick of this guy! I watch him every Sunday…for his communist new speak
Report Post »crackerone
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:26pmLike to bitch-slap this little toad. Give him a dot in the center of his forhead.
Report Post »Rob
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:37pmWhy do liberals love these anti-American foreigners so darn much? They are against us and want us to fail…
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:29pmWho cares what this PLO turd thinks
Report Post »chips1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:48pmWhy do so many of them revert back to the Plantation mentality? Is it just imbedded into their minds that someone has to tell them how to wash their face? Making your own decisions seems to be a No No.
Report Post »STUBBYK
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 8:02pmThis guy is completely nuts. Check out the eyes. Reminds me of the St. Bernard Cujo. Expecting him to start foaming at the mouth. Anyway, if I wanted any poop out of him I’d squeeze his head.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:35pmBased on the nutcase statement he has made we can take it this way:
A. Downgrade — failure of Obama as the POTUS.
B. Downgrade — due to us having a Republic system of government.
C. Downgrade — we do not have a European system of government.
D. Downgrade — we do not have a dictator running the USA.
E. Downgrade — Obama is not a Emperor yet.
F. Zakaria: Clueless, treasonous, and calling for the overthrow of the US government system.
Take your pick from as many as you wish.
Report Post »notsofast
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:22pmThis is great. You made it simple. But you now hear these people stating right up front what they want. America you best better take them to heart. They mean what they say and they are on the fast track to do what they want!
Tks. Snow
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 3:44pmCome on Fareed…just ask for a dictatorship..you know you want to.
Report Post »positive1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:34pmThe European Union is filled with them, take your pick…..They’re very accepting of socialism, mob rule, propaganda. You seem determined to live in something other than a Republic, Why must WE THE PEOPLE change for ignorant people like you? Quit your miserable lifestyle here in America, THE LAND OF THE FREE and MOVE…. to that socialist utopia you so desire. YOUR LEADER HAD ALL 3 BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT FOR 2 YEARS.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:33pmWhat a friggin moron…
Report Post »The Bulletproof Patriot
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:31pmHey Fareed – it’s called “separation of power” and it actually does serve a purpose greater than AAA credit ratings.
http://www.thebulletproofpatriot.com
Report Post »SolidusRaccoon
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:31pmIt’s called “checks and balances” ********.
Report Post »SolidusRaccoon
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:48pmWow, calling someone Biff Tannen’s favorite insult is now censored?
Report Post »dscon
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:58pm.dscon
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:55pm
richard with ears, butt-head
wow i got away with it……must be the hyphen that fooled em!
Report Post »Steve
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 4:16amI still prefer Richard Cranium
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:29pmThe mother of imbeciles is always pregnant.
Report Post »hogtrashhd
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:27pmlook at this dude’s eyes.. he is battier then batsh@t…. he’s a wild eyed zealot.. he’s gonna burn himself badly before this is over.. prediction.. this dude will go off like a firecracker and be either thrown into an insane asylum or prison or both.. guaranteed…
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:43pmHi…I’ll have a cola flavored Slurpee, 2 Slim Jims and a pack of Tic-Tacs.
Report Post »Secessionista
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:27pmZakaria is a terrorist.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:26pmApparently Fareed doesn’t stand well with our Constitution. (like some others that everyone knows about) If he doesn’t like it, he can move the hell back to India.
Report Post »Steve
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:45pmShhhhhh. The truth must never be told. Communism is good. Our Constitution means nothing. Just words written in a time when the world was a far different place. Don’t you know that we must change everything now.
That’s what they want you to believe. The truth is that all the woes, misdeeds and crisis’s created by progressives are turned around and blamed on the free market and the very freedoms and liberties it creates. Our system is being reshaped by the very enemies of freedoms. under the guise that they are saving us. Some people out here actually agree with them. That our system has failed. That our Constitution is irrelevant and our history as we know it is skewed in immoral behavior creating imperialism across the globe.
Report Post »Talmid of Yeshua
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:25pmGo away you idiotic troll.
Report Post »Talmid of Yeshua
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:24pmPerosnally, out of all Marxist newscasters, Zakaria is the one I’d enjoy the most curb stomping him while he is biting the curb.
Report Post »Misdirection
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:46pmThe Beck supporters need to be unified in not for violence or speak hate of liberals… let us beat them down in the battlefield of idea’s!
Report Post »Talmid of Yeshua
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 10:35pmThe battlefield of ideas is a lost cause. Our schools and colleges are left, our media is left, the Repugs and Demoncrats are left, the judges are left, the top-tier military is left.
It’s time for an uprising.
Do you think our Founding Fathers would have got **** done if they sat around and talked about it?
Report Post »goobert
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:24pmYou mean to say its harder to get liberal big spending programs through than in a European country?
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:22pmSomebody tell this freak that we’ve already read yesterdays papers.
Report Post »No relevance can be attached to his voluminous spoutings.
His demeanor seems to be conducive to incoherent ramblings.
Fiona333
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:21pmMr. Zakaria has lately talked up the parliamentary system of his homeland of India as an example. If it is so wonderful there, how come he left?
Report Post »jacquecustard
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:39pmBelieve he just did not know how to play Constitutional cricket so came here !
Report Post »SPOT_OF_TEA
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:19pmThere is no President and yet we see a President
Report Post »johnpatr1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:18pmWhy do we care about what Fareed Zakaria has to say? He is another mouth piece of the left.
Report Post »goodnessme
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 8:53pmI already expressed this, but my shock wasn’t so much at what Fareed said (shocked, yes) – but I was appalled that I was the only person in the breakfast room at my motel who even reacted at all -everyone else just sat there eating – like animals at a feed trough.
Report Post »Berbel73
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 10:42pmWe care because this man is dangerous. He is dangerous because he has the backing of one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world, and he has a platform in order to spread his marxist/socialist ideology. You simply can not ignore what he has too say and hope that no one else is paying attention to him either. You have to confront his agenda and expose it for what it is so that others will not be swayed by his forked tongue.
Report Post »Charley1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:17pmHis comments just prove once again that a bit of education doesn’t impart the ability to think critically OR logically.
Report Post »anOpinion
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:11pmI just happy that most people can now see through the spin, and recognize the anti-American rants constantly spewed by CNN, MSNBC, etc. for what they are.
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:09pmWho let these animals in this country?
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:08pmFareed, I hear that several countries with parliamentary systems of government and Prime Ministers are currently accepting your kind. Off you go.
Report Post »DADA
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:08pmPerhaps he should move?
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:05pmWE HAVE A PRESIDENT?
Where?
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:10pmWell there is that guy that stays in the White House when he isn’t playing golf or on vacation (or both!!)
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:17pmHe’s visiting a DEMOCRAT Holy Site.
Martha’s Vineyard
Site of the DEMOCRAT venerated , Ted “The Swimmer” Kennedy Memorial Bridge to Nowhere.You know the bridge where “The Swimmer” drove Mary Jo Kopecne into the water and left her there to drown, and went contentedly back to his “Cottage” and slept like a baby. Then he was rewarded , by becoming a DEMOCRAT Senator of Massholes.
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:23pmLmao
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