Great Debate???

"Great Debate" ba talaga o Grand Diversion???

GLORIA Arroyo’s shameless pursuit of self-interest regardless of the people’s will is the most eloquent refutation of the proposal to shift to a parliamentary form of government.

During her State of the Nation Address the other day, Gloria said a parliamentary form of government is the cure to the "degenerate" political system that is holding back the country’s economic takeoff. How a degenerate political system could be improved by changing the outward form while retaining the same degenerate personalities at its core is not explained.

In fact, nothing was said in the SONA about the advantages of the parliamentary over the presidential form.

Since it is left to us to fill the gap, here we go. Under a parliamentary system, the powers of making laws lie with the legislature while the execution of the laws lie with the prime minister and the cabinet who will be chosen by the party that controls the legislature. Legislative and executive powers are, in effect, fused and exercised by the party in power.

Its main advantage is that there can be no gridlock between the executive and legislative which characterizes the set-up where there is separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

If such then is the main advantage of a parliamentary system, can Gloria and the supporters of charter change give us a single example -- yes, just a single example -- in the last five years where an executive-legislative deadlock paralyzed government? Or going even further, since the restoration of democracy in 1986?

Gloria’s allies, in fact, have been in control of Congress all the time since she ascended to the presidency in 2001. She and her lap dogs in Congress are now blaming the system for their failure to exercise leadership?

Another advantage of the parliamentary form is that the government can be toppled by a vote of no-confidence by parliament. This makes it easier to kick out leaders who clearly can no longer lead.

Gloria is accused of cheating in the elections. People want her out. But she insists in staying in office.

So we now come to the reduction ad absurdum. Gloria wants to shift to a system where it would be easier to kick her out because she has lost the people’s trust and confidence. Why doesn’t she just resign and put an end to the current crisis? And why do her allies in the House not just promptly impeach her to mercifully put an end to her agony?

And that’s where the deceit comes in. Gloria, we suspect, doesn’t even care whatever form of government is in place. Charter change is a tactic meant to divert attention from mounting calls for her to resign or be kicked out.

It’s so patently obvious. No wonder nobody is taking up her challenge to a "great debate" or a "cheap debate" on charter change for that matter.