Mainstream Media Slams Daly's Question Time in SF ProposalHarrison Chastang, KPOO FM Radiobyline‚ Jul. 10‚ 2006Most mainstream media outlets in town haven't been too thrilled with Supervisor Chris Daly's proposed Charter amendment to have the mayor of San Francisco appear before the Board of Supervisors once a month to report on what the mayor is doing and to answer questions from the Supervisors. A San Francisco Chronicle column by former Canadian Parliament aide Eric Schellhorn dismisses Daly's idea, calling it "a cheap political spectacle" while the Examiner's Ken Garcia called Daly's plan a "legislative ruse." Daly's proposal would require the Mayor's presence at a local version of the British Question Time, the raucous weekly hour long session of the British Parliament where the Prime Minister is peppered with questions on the issues of the day from supporters and opponents in the House of Commons. During Question Time, the Prime Minister had better be quick and accurate with answers, because while responses from supporters will be greeted with hurrahs and yeas, opponents will respond with boos and jeers that will grow louder the longer it takes to answer a question or to correct an obvious misstatement of fact. The Prime Minister is required to attend Question Time every Wednesday the British Parliament is in session. |