Fifty House Democrats led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) have sponsored a bill that would form a commission to assess President Donald Trump's mental fitness for office, pursuant to the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
But, to my knowledge, Australia has never faced the prospect of dictatorial takeover.
When an absolute monarchy works well, it can really work well. Give absolute authority to the rare person that is just, kind, determined, and with a vision? They can work miracles. But a good king is an exception rather than the rule. And the loss of freedom exists regardless of how good the king.
Having a president, does, as you note, have certain practical benefits. But giving one person independent elected authority and control of the military and bureaucracy has proven time and time again to be a recipe for authoritarian takeover. It can still happen in a parliamentary system, but it’s a lot harder when the guy controlling the army can be dismissed with a simple majority vote.
But, to my knowledge, Australia has never faced the prospect of dictatorial takeover.
When an absolute monarchy works well, it can really work well. Give absolute authority to the rare person that is just, kind, determined, and with a vision? They can work miracles. But a good king is an exception rather than the rule. And the loss of freedom exists regardless of how good the king.
Having a president, does, as you note, have certain practical benefits. But giving one person independent elected authority and control of the military and bureaucracy has proven time and time again to be a recipe for authoritarian takeover. It can still happen in a parliamentary system, but it’s a lot harder when the guy controlling the army can be dismissed with a simple majority vote.