The value of politicians

I am always hesitant about criticising the political systems of other democracies but an interesting difference between ours and the American one has come to light. In England the Chancellor of the Exchequer is a politician, someone elected who has climbed the greasy pole, as Disraeli put it. The first thing he would do on producing a rescue plan would be to check that it was going to be acceptable to the voters' representatives, to save himself from the ignominy of defeat. Hank Paulson, by contrast is used to issuing commands and having them obeyed, and voters never like that.

There is the danger of another difference: that in America at least the voters' representatives are being consulted. In my view it would not have been inappropriate to recall parliament early to discuss the crisis and vote on the plan (if there is one).