Last week, I heard a commentator on National Public Radio suggest that because of the success of President Barack Obama’s televised appearance before an annual Republican congressional meeting that he ought to do it more often. The commentator suggested that the president should, as is done in the United Kingdom, appear for weekly questions with Congress.

Prime minister’s questions (PMQs) (officially questions to the prime minister) is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom, where every Wednesday when the House of Commons is sitting the prime minister spends half an hour answering questions from members of Parliament (MPs).

The most high-profile contributors at prime minister’s questions are, of course, the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, who speak opposite each other at the dispatch box. I am not sure how much really is accomplished in these 30-minute weekly sessions, but I have watched many times and it does make for interesting theater to be sure. If you are interested you may view past PMQs at the following Web site: http://www.number10.gov.uk/number-10-tv

What does the United Kingdom have to do with Southern Indiana? Wouldn’t it be interesting to have such a thing for local governments? For example, Jeffersonville Mayor Tom Galligan or New Albany Mayor Doug England appearing once per week before the council and residents for 30 minutes or school superintendents before the taxpayers who pay their salaries, perks, benefits ... you get the picture. These would be referred to as MQTs, SQTS (mayor’s question time and superintendent question time).

Of course, this endeavor would have to be organized to avoid chaos. In the United Kingdom, questions are submitted — not censored or screened — and placed into a box and drawn out randomly. The speaker of the House of Commons then calls upon the person who submitted the question to ask it of the prime minister.

The MQT might have questions of the New Albany mayor about sewers. Perhaps in the Jeffersonville MQT, a taxpayer might ask what happens to the proposed canal when there is no water overflow? Can we have some water in it all the time and perhaps rent little boats on summer evening for couples to paddle up and down the length of it? A resident of Italian ancestry fondly thinking of Venice might ask if he might start a business with gondoliers serenading and name the canal the amore canal (the Love Canal) or not.

Hey, that got me thinking, Papa John’s could be a sponsor (John Schnatter, a hometown boy) and gondoliers would sing “When the moon hits your eye like a big Papa John’s pie that’s amore ...”

Sorry about that. Sometimes I suffer from short attention span.

The point is while it may be theater, it also demonstrates what type of grasp the local leadership has on the issues of the day and how well they can manage themselves under close scrutiny of people to whom they are accountable. Whether it is an issue of personnel, local government projects or zoning issues, the official must address what is asked as clearly as possible.

I just wonder if our local officials could handle the pressure of thinking on their feet and sticking to the issue and clarifying points effectively. Margaret Todd, professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania, thinks the House of Commons Question Time shows an intellectual liveliness that is lacking the American system, but wonders whether any U.S. president would have the courage to meet members of Congress face-to-face and answer their questions.

The other side of the coin is that local officials have the opportunity to “sell” an idea before those that would question it.

Some have said that such an arena in Britain keeps the prime minister on his toes with the issues. Others say that such a system in the United States wouldn’t work as Americans do not place a very high value on true debate.

It has been said of prime minister’ Question Time that performance on the dispatch box, or podium, requires a quick wit, eloquence, humor and a broad grasp of varied policy issues. Prime ministers often rely on a large, multi-annotated handbook of facts and policy matters in order to produce the facts and figures required to give a solid response to an unexpected or jarring question.

I am all for a Question Time for our mayors and school superintendents — keeping them on their toes with issues and the voices of those they serve. For the constituents, we will benefit by seeing if our leadership are still the sharpest knives in the drawer and can cut the cheese, or if they simply cut the cheese.

— Tim McDonald can be reached at timothy.mcdonald@agsfaculty.indwes.edu