Obama obama ...

So Newspapers and news websites lose a significant portion of their news feed today. Obama becomes president and becomes convincingly. My few cents

1. I watched McCain on CNN. He was composed and he is not rhetorical like Obama.Wish India had such politicians.
2. he thanked his family and wife ,a very uncommon thing in India everyone thanks either Sonia Gandhi or their party leader

I guess Westminster model has failed us.It has led to fragmented polity and Prime minister is changed based on whether local candidate i of my caste or my drainage is working or not. All big countries in world USA, Russia, China, Brazil, Australia, France and Germany have a presidential system. Only in a highly homogeneous society like UK or Canada or small countries parliamentary system can work.It is time we get rid of romantic notions about parliamentary system and brace ourselves for a new system.

3. On TV people were seen crying in crowds.One of my friend remarked we can't feel this thing I said why you should you are not an American. Then he said "No, I mean in India whoever becomes I don't feel any emotion". This is why we need presidential system. This will make last man in street a direct participant in the process.Significant numerical communities but in effect disenfranchised like Muslims will get a new voice in such a system.

In India I guess people would have cried in similar way when Janata party came to power in 1977 and I saw some die hard nationalists like my grandpa weeping with joy when Atalji formed first 13 day government. But it has been a dream gone sour.Now whether at local, national or state level there is little to differentiate between BJP and congress

4. People are are unduly overjoyed at Obama win without realizing that he is sworn enemy of outsourcing, will twist India's arm on Kashmir and at least will affect salaries and jobs of us MBA's but media is still communist liberal so a sensible chap like McCain is equated with Bush and Obama is treated as new deal while essentially he is only a black JF Kennedy.

Indian Democracy : a million mutinees now

Well one can get cynical about recent things going on for confidence vote but I find it very interesting.
First of all it empowers small parties but more importantly becuase it comes so near to general election it empowers individual MPs. It is not the time when party bosses can dictate whatever they want but MPs even in BJP and congress can get hei voice heard for the first time.

true decentralization !!

I think basic reason for this new found defiance of MPs is that now election are not being fought on ideology but on the basis of image or influence of the particular individual. A simple corollary is you can not put an outsider somewhere and hope that he will election simply because he is famous nationally or or form some big party. this is why we have so many minister coming from rajya sabha now.

so this government stays or goes at least public in each constituency can now vote for a candidate of its own choice.

three cheers to Indian democracy!!! and to small parties and to all rebel MPs