On Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:20:50 -0700 (PDT), MIG
wrote:

The imposition of such systems on local authorities has the intention
of imposing central rule via a single figurehead, disregarding the
wide range of views represented by many tens of councillors (or GLA
members). The chances of effective democracy are slim regardless.


But effective democracy is just as efficiently destroyed by a majority
of representatives, such as MPs or councillors.

As we saw in 2005, it is possible to have a government elected with a
strong parliamentary majority by only a quarter of the electorate, or
36% of those who voted. So, despite 64% of the voters casting their
votes for other parties, this government has managed to impose all its
grossly incompetent policies on an unwilling nation, with the notable
exception of 42 days' detention without trial for suspected
terrorists, thanks to a Labour backbench rebellion.

Therefore, you don't need an elected President to grant near-absolute
power to one individual. Tony Blair had it from May 1997 to June
2007, and Gordon Brown has exercised it since then, with the exception
of his failure to convince his own party on the 42 days.

In London, Ken Livingstone also demonstrated near-absolute power as
leader of the Greater London Council from 1981-1986. He didn't need
to be elected Mayor; his party's majority on the GLC gave him all the
executive power that he needed.