Should leaders in democratic countries live in the same building where they work?
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@evan it's important to have a good work/life balance
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@evan I said yes, separate, but… within walking distance and of average means for their constituents
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@evan Yes, but that should apply to any and every citizen. You should be able to live walking distance from work. Daily commute is the worst invention.
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@evan
I think it's fine. Saves time and money. We don't really want to have a crisis blow up because the President is stuck in traffic on his daily commute.Of course, I mean "President" generically. With the current one, the less he does, the better.
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@evan I said yes, separate, but… within walking distance and of average means for their constituents
@neontapir yes is same, not separate.
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@evan No, but they should make (no more than some small multiple of?) the minimum wage and be required to commute on public transport.
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@evan I feel like they should live in the communities they represent. Which are often nowhere near where they work.
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@evan I'm trying to imagine having to build apartments into Parliament. Nope.
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@evan
I don't think anyone should live in the exact space they work, unless that's easier and more comfortable for them. Feeling constantly at work isn't good for many people. However, they should live in the community that they work in to understand the realities of the people. -
@evan The Prime Minister of the UK is also a local Minister of Parliament, and so has at least three places of work: the PM's office (10 Downing St. or Burnham's Northern equivalent), the MP's constituency office somewhere else in the country, and Parliament. They certainly can sleep at Downing Street if the hours demand it, but, like anyone else, they should have some time off in their own home.
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@zak it's not in any way harmful or out of bounds to discuss how our elected officials use the buildings we pay for and how it symbolizes our national systems of government.
Some countries like the US, France, and Brazil have a presidential palace that combines an official residence with a ceremonial centre and an administrative office.
Others, like Japan, Germany and Norway separate these functions into different buildings. Some heads of state even live in private homes.
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@zak it's not in any way harmful or out of bounds to discuss how our elected officials use the buildings we pay for and how it symbolizes our national systems of government.
Some countries like the US, France, and Brazil have a presidential palace that combines an official residence with a ceremonial centre and an administrative office.
Others, like Japan, Germany and Norway separate these functions into different buildings. Some heads of state even live in private homes.
@zak changing from a palace system to a professionalised administration has been an egalitarian reform for a lot of nations. It makes our executive leaders less like feudal lords, and more like managers doing the public's work.
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@evan One thing is that the leader and family move in and make millions of $$$ of decoration and even structural changes (not referring to only the current US one).
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@evan The Prime Minister of the UK is also a local Minister of Parliament, and so has at least three places of work: the PM's office (10 Downing St. or Burnham's Northern equivalent), the MP's constituency office somewhere else in the country, and Parliament. They certainly can sleep at Downing Street if the hours demand it, but, like anyone else, they should have some time off in their own home.
@y6nH 10 Downing Street in the official residence of the Prime Minister. Prime Ministers and their families do actually live and work in the building.
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@evan Democratic countries should provide security for the *office* not the *officeholder*. If one individual is incapacitated by malicious intent, there are multiple competent and polity-approved backups who may instantly and seamlessly assume their duties. An executive council of 5-7, with a rotating presidency, would assure coverage during all watches and not create any "most important building in the country" security issues.
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@evan Democratic countries should provide security for the *office* not the *officeholder*. If one individual is incapacitated by malicious intent, there are multiple competent and polity-approved backups who may instantly and seamlessly assume their duties. An executive council of 5-7, with a rotating presidency, would assure coverage during all watches and not create any "most important building in the country" security issues.
@evan I think it important that a "leader" be able to function similarly to other adults in their society, without a huge team of security to insulate them from ever witnessing normality. A mayor should use their city's public transportation. A governor should take their state/province's intercity trains. A national representative should fly on a public airline in the cheap seats.
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@evan No, they should live in the communities they govern. Yes if they work from home I guess, but I want them to see and live with their decisions daily.
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@evan no, but it might be convenient for protection reasons. Or they should live in a shed in the Head of State's backyard, like's it been in Canada for a generation or so.
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@evan no, but they should be required to spend some nights sleeping on the steps outside if this is the condition they expect of their most vulnerable constituents.
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@evan Not yet. If we get there someday where the risk of confusing personal and professional roles is minimal, I wouldn't mind. But definitely not yet.
@malte looking it up, it seems like the Prime Minister of Denmark works from the Christiansborg Palace, but has a private residence?
