"Leader of the Loyal Opposition of the United States of America"

J.D.Ward

Donor
It occurred to me during the 2008 Presidential Election that one consequence of the USA electing their Head of Government by popular vote, (as compared with the UK parlimentary system), is that there is no Leader of the Opposition in the American system.

The closest position is the House Minority Leader, but he is not a President-in-waiting.

How does American politics and history change if there is a Leader of the Opposition shadowing the President?
 
It occurred to me during the 2008 Presidential Election that one consequence of the USA electing their Head of Government by popular vote, (as compared with the UK parlimentary system), is that there is no Leader of the Opposition in the American system.

The closest position is the House Minority Leader, but he is not a President-in-waiting.

How does American politics and history change if there is a Leader of the Opposition shadowing the President?

How would such a leader be selected, unlike in the UK it's very unclear who it would be, the defeated Presidential candidate, the House or Senate minority leader, head of the RNC/DNC?

You'd need a completely different Constitution for such a position to exist.
 
Unlike state governors and senators, the President of the United States of America is not elected through a popular vote, one of few, if not, the only elected official in the country not to be, as the United States uses the Electoral College.
 
Unlike state governors and senators, the President of the United States of America is not elected through a popular vote, one of few, if not, the only elected official in the country not to be, as the United States uses the Electoral College.

I'm aware of that but along with being the guy who gets up to oppose the PM at Question Time the Leader of the Opposition is also undisputed leader of the Opposition Party. Who is the leader of the Republicans right now? Gingrich who leads the Presidental Primary Polling, Boehner as leader of the Republicans in the Reps, Reince Priebus head of the RNC?

The only way I could see you getting a "Leader of the Opposition" is by having the post of R/D NC Chairman combined with Party Leader in the Reps plus a tradition that the Presidential nominee is always drawn from the House of Reps with the election for party leader being the method of selection rather than Presidential Primaries.
 

Philip

Donor
How would such a leader be selected, unlike in the UK it's very unclear who it would be, the defeated Presidential candidate, the House or Senate minority leader, head of the RNC/DNC?
Go back to the original way the VP was select: Second place finisher in the presidential race is the VP/leader of the opposition.
 
Go back to the original way the VP was select: Second place finisher in the presidential race is the VP/leader of the opposition.

That wouldn't work. Many times in American history, a parties nominee was someone who was everyone's favorite choice but was chosen because he was the only person available or the least bad. Others that were chosen lost support after losing the election. Al Smith the 1928 Democratic presidential candidate wasn't the recognized Democratic leader in 1932 and Wendell Wilkie the 1940 Republican candidate wasn't the recognized Repubican leader in 1944.
 
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