We could learn that people trying to act like nurses can kill people.

What mischief said. The idea that political decisions about health systems should only be made by people who have some experience of such systems is great. The idea that forcing a few pollies into having a medical theme for their photo-ops once per year would have the same effect is a little optimistic. Try saying this out loud. "Oi, congressman! There's some vomitus needs moping up. Stat!". Understanding what it's like to be a commoner requires much more than a day in their shoes, unfortunately.

I've got an idea. Representatives are carefully picked by a knowledgeable voting populace based on who they are and what they've done -- the voters vote for a long list of character traits and command decisions, not a name -- and through some agency the person best exhibiting the most popular traits is set upon in their sleep by commandos, shanghaied and brought to Washington to work in government.

The problem with politicians, at every level, is that, at some level, even the most altruistic want the power that comes with the position; this desire for power should exempt them from the public trust. Perfect leaders understand the weight on their shoulders, understand it well enough to want it off. The yoke of responsibility weighs heaviest on the honest.

So political positions should somehow be forced on unsuspecting citizen paragons of virtue, understanding, and experience by voters who know not whom they're voting for, but instead, what they hope for in an ideal representative. Then they get exactly who they need, it costs much less in money and time, and the best interests of everyone are served.

Of course, this is profoundly undemocratic, but ain't that America?

Five Fresh Fish - there's a show here that takes the opposite tack.

Be prepared for some extraordinary scenes as Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, fresh from tackling hoodies and their anti-social behaviour, goes on the rampage against prostitution in the first of a new three-part series.

Visiting Peterborough, Southampton and Manchester - where streetwalkers and kerb crawlers have been making life miserable for residents - Widdecombe comes out to bat in blistering style. "I'm sending a message out to prostitutes, pimps, kerb crawlers and brothel owners everywhere," she says. "It's blunt and unbending, but when you see the problem first-hand, you'll understand why." And to get that message across she confronts and harangues streetwalkers, even charging after the women and bellowing at them.

Not everyone has been happy with this moral crusade. At one stage while she's legging it after the prostitutes, Widdecombe is drenched in lager and told to go away in very strong terms. And critics have accused her of not thoroughly researching the problem of prostitution as a journalist or documentary maker would do, preferring sanctimonious bluster to real action.

And even when Widdecombe does seem to get it right - helping one prostitute take the first steps to a new life away from vice - the MP's advice to her is highly patronising and naive.

Worth a watch then, but not exactly a practical, considered investigation into the world's oldest profession.

Hey, Hugh - that's exactly how we drafted our metachat mods! :)

Good government in action!

(I haven't seen the show)

Ann has a typical conservative attitude towards IV drug use and prostitution, though... she can't see the forest for the trees.

(points at Tory party and laughs)

What are you saying, chuck? That sounds to me like the same idea and not the opposite tack at all. I'm a bit slow in some things though.

Hey, Hugh, check out Demarchy, it might be exactly what you have in mind (or close to it anyway).

The problem with politicians, at every level, is that, at some level, even the most altruistic want the power that comes with the position; this desire for power should exempt them from the public trust. Perfect leaders understand the weight on their shoulders, understand it well enough to want it off. The yoke of responsibility weighs heaviest on the honest.

Well said! I don't know what the answer to this problem is, though I'm much happier living somewhere that takes their politicos to task on a weekly basis!

What I wouldn't give to see Bush have to face Congress in a weekly televised PM's Question Time format!

He'd melt like a gummy bear on a hot dashboard!

Demarchy looks cool. But they missed the part where the commandos shanghai the representatives; that's an important part of the process. That way they'll think twice before sending the Black Marias after you and me.

I love PM's questions. We get them on C-Span. Makes me long for Clinton (in a non-physical way and, well, hell, it's Bill Clinton, so I guess in a physical way too; doesn't everybody?). Clinton could probably have handled that kind of heat. If Bush was ever questioned that way, the Secret Service would step in front of him and pour hot lead into the assembly until silence reigned.

It's my opinion that C-Span should be on broadcast TV; what, only those rich enough to have cable TV should have a fully informed vote?

Hey, Hugh - that's exactly how we drafted our metachat mods! :)

Funny because it's true. (Except someone refuses to wear a pink shirt or carry a microphone while standing against a white background, all of which would be high on my list of character traits and command decisions).

On preview, actually, Hugh, they do get shanghaied. That Wikipedia entry is pretty poor now that I read through it properly.

C-span's equivalent is on free to air in the UK and Australia. I doubt that increases its ratings (in either country), but I hear you, bro.

Oh I love PM's questions too. And C-Span in general of course. When I lived in Baltimore my friend T. and I used to spend hours watching it and drinking beer (our local bar used to put it on for us). We called it "our soaps"

These are all good ideas, but let's not forget to address the problem of our corporate-owned lapdog press. Oh, what I wouldn't give for a U.S. version of BBC bulldog Jeremy Paxman!

The traits that make a good politician are those traits that people hate about politicians.

Paxman is a dickhead. He used to be a great reporter, but now he's a caricature. What's worse, he's responsible for a trend, among BBC journalists in particular, whereby being rude is equated with good journalism.

I don't mean to dismiss your comment, Atom Eyes, but be careful what you wish for.

The whole problem, of course, is that anyone who would want to be a politicial (or a MeCha moderator, I guess) is, by that very measure, not suitable. I like the idea of choosing people blindly based on their traits alone and wonder if this could be adapted to the current sytem. You could allow people to nominate themselves for positions without being allowed to reveal to a single soul that they had done so, subject them to a number of carefully selected "profiling" examinations and then present the profiles to the public as "Candidate A, B, C" etc - then we could vote on those profiles. No wild promises, no party affiliation information, no nice head shots, just a profile based purely on the qualities that make a good leader.

If it doesn't work, well, a nice head shot will fix the problem and we can start again.

Paxman is a dickhead.

I only know him through YouTube videos I've seen posted to MetaFilter, GeckoDundee. In those excerpts, he really seemed to be putting the screws to some mealy-mouthed political weasels -- a refreshing sight to these eyes.

As for dickhead reporters, we have our fair share of those, too. The difference being, out of fealty for their corporate masters, ours tend not to speak out of turn.