How far should politicians compromise to get into power?
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Tuesday, 9 Sept. 2010
|18:00 - 19:00 GMT
Is compromise a necessary part of politics?
The Liberal Democrat party in the UK certainly thinks so. Earlier this year they went into a coalition government with the Conservative party - the first time any coalition has occurred in Britain since the Second World War.
Now their leader Nick Clegg has told party members that two heads are better than one, and the political system works better with two parties in power, even if they disagree with each other on key policies.
But is that really true? Or is something inevitably lost when political parties have to bargain their way into power?
Dun in Uganda - True leadership evolves as needs shift. We have a political leadership in Uganda that has the same, now obsolete principles they held in the 1980s. Progress is hampered unless new priorities are set.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:51
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Matthew emailed WHYS - The notion of coalition politics would be a welcome change in the US. The 'party over everything' principle threatens to ruin the political system. I am saddened that the vast majority of our elected officials seem incapable of voting with their consciences.
Comment sent via BLOG
18:48
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Alan in Arizona on the blog - I think a government comprised of 2 leaders from different parties would be great. I would have loved McCain as President and Obama as Vice-President. It would have made for a strong government and Obama would be perfectly placed to learn and carry on.
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18:48
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Rafael - National progress should not be hindered by a group's views, unless they gained the majority support of the nation.
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18:44
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Pius a Ghanaian living in Dallas emailed WHYS - Coalitions will probably be the new model when people start voting beyond historical party lines. If you have to join to be in power, then so be it. Half a loaf is better than none.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:42
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Moses Mphatso - In Malawi, the law is tough against the opposition bench than government's bench. To speak against the ruling party is to speak against the president. And so, its party first, self second, and if need be, nation last.
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18:40
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Chintan in Houston on the blog - Hearing the conversation on the show I really like the coalition in the UK because to stay in power it forces them to work together and give workable solutions to the people. This probably helps public opinion of the politicians because there is no victor or vanquished.
Comment sent via BLOG
18:39
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Irene in Texas on the blog - Bill Clinton compromised too much. He was forced to during the Monica Lewinsky crisis. Obama also has compromised too much. He should have come out fighting. He was naive to think that Republicans would work with him.
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18:38
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Mark in the UK - What I liked about Nick Clegg was that he didn't come across as a career politician. He does now though, and it's a shame
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18:35
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Carlos on the blog - The Lib Dem Party has ceased to exist. No one will ever trust a party that has betrayed every single principle in the book.
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18:33
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Louisa Arndt, San Rafael emailed - Look at the United States if you want to see what happens when compromise and cooperation are rejected. The Republicans have stated outright that they want our President to fail, and they've spent the last 20-some months saying NO! to every proposal. Our Congress has become frozen in time, achieving next to nothing.
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18:30
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Rafa'ili Kayigwa - Depends on what is at stake. National progress should not be hindered by a group's views unless they garnered the majority support of the Nation.
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18:30
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Joni Chung - Lib Dem is another clear example of one of the political parties that acts in the interest that they didn't choose at first place so in this case they have shown their weakness which is lack of honesty.
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18:29
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Sarah Rex - Whatever party they are with, politicians are elected to represent the wishes and needs of the people of their district/county/state/country. If the politician cannot be flexible enough to represent ALL the people in those places once they are elected to their position, regardless of the people's individual political leanings, then they don't need or deserve to be in that office.
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18:27
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Tholumusa Favoured Mlalazi - Ladies and gentlemen, do not confuse the terms COMPROMISE and SACRIFICE. can these two terms be used interchangeably? Politics is a DIRTY GAME characterised with a COMPROMISE of Vales and other common goods.
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18:23
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Chinedu Chioke - Compromise seems to me to be that action or decision which the opposition usually takes in order to get a shot at power.
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18:23
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John Luswata - The questions unfortunately, for many african leaders, have no honest answer. For the simple reason that the two have no outstanding place in the way the political game is played.
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18:22
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Michael Vivar in Pittsburgh, PA - As an American Liberal who supported Barack Obama, I understand the need to compromise in order to get things done. However, if you compromise too much, the result is something that’s at best, ineffective, and at worse, damaging to an agenda. This happened to a Health Care Reform bill with no teeth and a Stimulus bill that was not big enough.
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18:20
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Allison Corona - Compromise is required for governmnets to work and fully function. But politics is also part game, where you need to stick to your principals and your plans in order to keep power.
How far should politicians compromise to get into power?
| Tuesday, 9 Sept. 2010 | 18:00 - 19:00 GMT
Is compromise a necessary part of politics?
The Liberal Democrat party in the UK certainly thinks so. Earlier this year they went into a coalition government with the Conservative party - the first time any coalition has occurred in Britain since the Second World War.
Now their leader Nick Clegg has told party members that two heads are better than one, and the political system works better with two parties in power, even if they disagree with each other on key policies.
But is that really true? Or is something inevitably lost when political parties have to bargain their way into power?
Your comments
Comment sent via Facebook
Dun in Uganda - True leadership evolves as needs shift. We have a political leadership in Uganda that has the same, now obsolete principles they held in the 1980s. Progress is hampered unless new priorities are set.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Matthew emailed WHYS - The notion of coalition politics would be a welcome change in the US. The 'party over everything' principle threatens to ruin the political system. I am saddened that the vast majority of our elected officials seem incapable of voting with their consciences.
Comment sent via BLOG
Alan in Arizona on the blog - I think a government comprised of 2 leaders from different parties would be great. I would have loved McCain as President and Obama as Vice-President. It would have made for a strong government and Obama would be perfectly placed to learn and carry on.
Comment sent via Facebook
Rafael - National progress should not be hindered by a group's views, unless they gained the majority support of the nation.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Pius a Ghanaian living in Dallas emailed WHYS - Coalitions will probably be the new model when people start voting beyond historical party lines. If you have to join to be in power, then so be it. Half a loaf is better than none.
Comment sent via Facebook
Moses Mphatso - In Malawi, the law is tough against the opposition bench than government's bench. To speak against the ruling party is to speak against the president. And so, its party first, self second, and if need be, nation last.
Comment sent via BLOG
Chintan in Houston on the blog - Hearing the conversation on the show I really like the coalition in the UK because to stay in power it forces them to work together and give workable solutions to the people. This probably helps public opinion of the politicians because there is no victor or vanquished.
Comment sent via BLOG
Irene in Texas on the blog - Bill Clinton compromised too much. He was forced to during the Monica Lewinsky crisis. Obama also has compromised too much. He should have come out fighting. He was naive to think that Republicans would work with him.
Comment sent via Facebook
Mark in the UK - What I liked about Nick Clegg was that he didn't come across as a career politician. He does now though, and it's a shame
Comment sent via BLOG
Carlos on the blog - The Lib Dem Party has ceased to exist. No one will ever trust a party that has betrayed every single principle in the book.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Louisa Arndt, San Rafael emailed - Look at the United States if you want to see what happens when compromise and cooperation are rejected. The Republicans have stated outright that they want our President to fail, and they've spent the last 20-some months saying NO! to every proposal. Our Congress has become frozen in time, achieving next to nothing.
Comment sent via Facebook
Rafa'ili Kayigwa - Depends on what is at stake. National progress should not be hindered by a group's views unless they garnered the majority support of the Nation.
Comment sent via Facebook
Joni Chung - Lib Dem is another clear example of one of the political parties that acts in the interest that they didn't choose at first place so in this case they have shown their weakness which is lack of honesty.
Comment sent via Facebook
Sarah Rex - Whatever party they are with, politicians are elected to represent the wishes and needs of the people of their district/county/state/country. If the politician cannot be flexible enough to represent ALL the people in those places once they are elected to their position, regardless of the people's individual political leanings, then they don't need or deserve to be in that office.
Comment sent via Facebook
Tholumusa Favoured Mlalazi - Ladies and gentlemen, do not confuse the terms COMPROMISE and SACRIFICE. can these two terms be used interchangeably? Politics is a DIRTY GAME characterised with a COMPROMISE of Vales and other common goods.
Comment sent via Facebook
Chinedu Chioke - Compromise seems to me to be that action or decision which the opposition usually takes in order to get a shot at power.
Comment sent via Facebook
John Luswata - The questions unfortunately, for many african leaders, have no honest answer. For the simple reason that the two have no outstanding place in the way the political game is played.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Michael Vivar in Pittsburgh, PA - As an American Liberal who supported Barack Obama, I understand the need to compromise in order to get things done. However, if you compromise too much, the result is something that’s at best, ineffective, and at worse, damaging to an agenda. This happened to a Health Care Reform bill with no teeth and a Stimulus bill that was not big enough.
Comment sent via Facebook
Allison Corona - Compromise is required for governmnets to work and fully function. But politics is also part game, where you need to stick to your principals and your plans in order to keep power.