Congratulations, you're the Head-of-State: Now what?

[Jordkloden]

I'd appoint Bernie as my VP, then promptly resign.

[Mienon]

Throw a few parties before exposes corporate ownership of the government. Then I'll just frantically do everything I can to remove all the bought politicians from office before I get assassinated.

[Sanctissima]

Like I said, I'd try to get the backing of the military. I wouldn't really take the legal aspect of it into account. It would be something I'd do either way.

The Canadian military making a putsch? Meh.

Eh, not necessarily a putsch. Just a mostly non-violent political ousting. The Governor General wouldn't have any real way of resisting, so it would mostly just be a matter of, well, escorting them off the premises. If any MP's had an objection to this (which I imagine there'd be more than a few) it's not like I'd have them executed or anything. Their objections would simply fall on deaf ears.

I dunno, maybe I'm being too optimistic. But the Canadian Army takes enough crap from the government that I think I'd be able to get enough generals on my side to gain control over the situation.

[Sanctissima]

The Canadian military making a putsch? Meh.

A coup detehhh?

Kudatah anyone?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-ndp-kudatah-1.3401690

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

The Canadian military making a putsch? Meh.

Eh, not necessarily a putsch. Just a mostly non-violent political ousting. The Governor General wouldn't have any real way of resisting, so it would mostly just be a matter of, well, escorting them off the premises. If any MP's had an objection to this (which I imagine there'd be more than a few) it's not like I'd have them executed or anything. Their objections would simply fall on deaf ears.

I dunno, maybe I'm being too optimistic. But the Canadian Army takes enough crap from the government that I think I'd be able to get enough generals on my side to gain control over the situation.

Wait... If you were the head of state of Canada... Wouldn't you be the king of the UK?

[The Two Jerseys]

A coup detehhh?

Kudatah anyone?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-ndp-kudatah-1.3401690

It's the English version, like Quebecker.

[Sanctissima]

Eh, not necessarily a putsch. Just a mostly non-violent political ousting. The Governor General wouldn't have any real way of resisting, so it would mostly just be a matter of, well, escorting them off the premises. If any MP's had an objection to this (which I imagine there'd be more than a few) it's not like I'd have them executed or anything. Their objections would simply fall on deaf ears.

I dunno, maybe I'm being too optimistic. But the Canadian Army takes enough crap from the government that I think I'd be able to get enough generals on my side to gain control over the situation.

Wait... If you were the head of state of Canada... Wouldn't you be the king of the UK?

De jure, yes. But I was speaking more in de facto terms. The British monarch has very little influence in Canadian politics aside from appointing a Governor General. And even through the Governor General, the monarch's influence is quite limited. The Prime Minister is, de facto, the Canadian Head-of-State, since they're the one who actually runs the country.

[Camelza]

Head-of-State? I guess I'd visit schools, visit other countries to strengthen relations and stand like a stick during parades (slightly bowing whenever a flag passes by).
(Hooray for parliamentarian Presidents!)

[The Two Jerseys]

Wait... If you were the head of state of Canada... Wouldn't you be the king of the UK?

De jure, yes. But I was speaking more in de facto terms. The British monarch has very little influence in Canadian politics aside from appointing a Governor General. And even through the Governor General, the monarch's influence is quite limited. The Prime Minister is, de facto, the Canadian Head-of-State, since they're the one who actually runs the country.

Couldn't you be GG and dissolve Parliament, then consolidate the PM's power with your own?

[Redern]

If I was the Grand Leader of America (My current country of residence), I feel like I would change a good bit. First one would be an immediate replacement of local elections with proportional ones in fact doing the opposite to what the OP said. We would institutionalize the party system and would have people vote on a preferred party, the party board would meet and discuss what to do with its seats. If there are actual people who are still Senators or the likes it would be a purely ceremonial position, with the party boards being the real power. Also ballots would include all parties nominated.

Hopefully I am not impeached and or murdered by that point so that I can set my sights on the budget. I would cut the defense budget in half and make sure that the current funds would be used to keep our military at about the same size. I might also give the option for soldiers who enlisted for the effects of the GI Bill to be allowed to simply get the effects right away so in the future we wouldn't have to maintain as large of a standing army. We would also cut some of our military installations in Latin America and a few other places, but keep the majority of them in places of high tension. I would then take the nine percent of the budget that came out of the military and put two percent towards NASA, another three percent to the State Department, and put the rest into education.

With education we would force a mandatory spending bill, a state has to spend at least a certain amount on education based upon there annual state earned income. We would also standardize certain issues, climate change, history, and evolution being the big three. Also we would personally sentence every single member of the Texas textbook board to live in prison for screwing over so many Americans educations. Outside of that we would get rid of No Child Left Behind and would work with schools to move away from the SATs. Also we would make sure college is much more affordable.

Foreign Policy wise, America would cut a fair chunk of our funding to Israel in order to convince them to really work towards a two state solution. Despite that, we would hopefully host talks between Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran in order to lower tensions between the three. I would support a massive expansion of our aid programs and hopefully improve our international neighborhood. The two big ones would be improving literacy in Central America and bringing fresh water to Haiti. I would also ramp up investment into Africa, hopefully enough to match China. With China, I would increase the tariffs on them and decrease the current taxes on other nations like the Philippines or South Korea. Hopefully allowing us to move away from dependence on China. I would use joint spec-ops and aerial attacks to fight against ISIS but also directly train and arm the Kurds, promising them control over large chunks of Turkey and Syria as long as they agree to represent a larger group of minorities. The EU would also receive a small amount of funds to create a fifteen thousand man European Defense Force that would be stationed in the Baltics to defend against aggressors. In order to truly defeat Putin we would ramp up production of oil to crush the profits of Russians only real economic recourse and push other nations to do similar plans.

In the ever expanding issue of immigration, we would expand the amount of people allowed in and then allow undocumented immigrants to apply for a green card. We would also allow a secondary path for people both inside America and people who want to come where they would agree to work in some public service. Also no wall.

Finally the smaller stuff: Death penalty would be immediately and forcefully abolished, weed would be legalized and would also include other less dangerous drugs, for-profit prisons would be forcefully integrated with a permanent exile of everyone involved in those things, Guantanamo Bay would be closed, we would make it far easier for the poor to vote with more voting stations, and we would accept refugees.

[Wildtland]

Becoming the Head of State of Germany would be very fun. I would get to annoy the hell out of the Chancellor and veto anything he proposes, because I would find a way to deem everything 'unconstitutional'. He he he... I can see him now in my office, fuming about it. Screw you, future Chancellor.

[Old Tyrannia]

Wait... If you were the head of state of Canada... Wouldn't you be the king of the UK?

De jure, yes. But I was speaking more in de facto terms. The British monarch has very little influence in Canadian politics aside from appointing a Governor General. And even through the Governor General, the monarch's influence is quite limited. The Prime Minister is, de facto, the Canadian Head-of-State, since they're the one who actually runs the country.

Head of Government=/=Head of State.

[Sanctissima]

De jure, yes. But I was speaking more in de facto terms. The British monarch has very little influence in Canadian politics aside from appointing a Governor General. And even through the Governor General, the monarch's influence is quite limited. The Prime Minister is, de facto, the Canadian Head-of-State, since they're the one who actually runs the country.

Couldn't you be GG and dissolve Parliament, then consolidate the PM's power with your own?

Heh, I could, but I'd never be able to pull it off. The Governor General does technically have that power, but if they ever actually used it... well, they probably wouldn't remain Governor General for long.

As PM you have considerably more power. Keep in mind that the PM has to be elected (albeit indirectly), so you're already going into office with a sizable amount of popular support. This gives you far more influence than the Governor General, who is essentially just a stand-in for the British monarch, who is herself little more than a cultural figurehead.

[The Two Jerseys]

Couldn't you be GG and dissolve Parliament, then consolidate the PM's power with your own?

Heh, I could, but I'd never be able to pull it off. The Governor General does technically have that power, but if they ever actually used it... well, they probably wouldn't remain Governor General for long.

As PM you have considerably more power. Keep in mind that the PM has to be elected (albeit indirectly), so you're already going into office with a sizable amount of popular support. This gives you far more influence than the Governor General, who is essentially just a stand-in for the British monarch, who is herself little more than a cultural figurehead.

You're already making a power grab, why would you care if people wouldn't like you dismissing Parliament and assuming the PM's powers?

[Malgrave]

Throw a party, invite people I know, maybe a few randoms, get absolutely smashed etc.

Do a few things I think need to be done which can be achieved with minimum effort.

Resign.

You better invite me to this hypothetical party.

[Sanctissima]

Heh, I could, but I'd never be able to pull it off. The Governor General does technically have that power, but if they ever actually used it... well, they probably wouldn't remain Governor General for long.

As PM you have considerably more power. Keep in mind that the PM has to be elected (albeit indirectly), so you're already going into office with a sizable amount of popular support. This gives you far more influence than the Governor General, who is essentially just a stand-in for the British monarch, who is herself little more than a cultural figurehead.

You're already making a power grab, why would you care if people wouldn't like you dismissing Parliament and assuming the PM's powers?

Oh, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't.

It's just that I'd like the best odds possible of pulling it off. I'd be changing the government's structure either way. It'd just be a lot easier as PM.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

You're already making a power grab, why would you care if people wouldn't like you dismissing Parliament and assuming the PM's powers?

Oh, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't.

It's just that I'd like the best odds possible of pulling it off. I'd be changing the government's structure either way. It'd just be a lot easier as PM.

I just grabbed my copy of the Canadian constitution, and... Oh boy, you have a lot to do if you want to change the government structure...

[The Corparation]

Quit and take my pension. Maybe hang around long enough to address the media about how odd it is that a random person got into high office by, like, magic or something.

You're looking at it wrong. You don't resign and take a pension. You resign and then charge people 6 figures to give a short bullshit speech about how any man can succeed if they're randomly uplifted to national leadership via magic.

[The Republic of American Freedom]

Repeal Obamacare. Privatize the Postal Service. Reduce Welfare Spending. Give the finger to the Military-Industrial Complex and Reduce Military Spending. Legalize Marijuana. Fund NASA. Close the Border with Mexico. Pardon perpetrators of Victimless Crimes. Lower Taxes. Do my best to pay off our massive debt. Abolish the Federal Reserve. Get rid of the Minimum Wage. Overturn Roe v Wade. Ban Same-Sex Marriages. Cut Foreign Aid spending. Give Israel the finger and shut down AIPAC. Shut down Guantanamo Bay. Abolish the NSA. Abolish the ATF. Start a rapprochement with Russia. Start closing bases in foreign soil. Demilitarize the Police. Reform the Educational System. Abolish salaries for Politicians. And overall defend the Constitution.

[Sanctissima]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't.

It's just that I'd like the best odds possible of pulling it off. I'd be changing the government's structure either way. It'd just be a lot easier as PM.

I just grabbed my copy of the Canadian constitution, and... Oh boy, you have a lot to do if you want to change the government structure...

Well, the whole thing's probably going to get the boot along with the Governor General. Like I'd said in the OP, I'd pretty much have assumed dictatorial powers by the time I make significant changes in the government. The usual judicial, legislative and executive processes for certain things would be, well, ignored.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Repeal Obamacare. Privatize the Postal Service. Reduce Welfare Spending. Give the finger to the Military-Industrial Complex and Reduce Military Spending. Legalize Marijuana. Fund NASA. Close the Border with Mexico. Pardon perpetrators of Victimless Crimes. Lower Taxes. Do my best to pay off our massive debt. Abolish the Federal Reserve. Get rid of the Minimum Wage. Overturn Roe v Wade. Ban Same-Sex Marriages. Cut Foreign Aid spending. Give Israel the finger and shut down AIPAC. Shut down Guantanamo Bay. Abolish the NSA. Abolish the ATF. Start a rapprochement with Russia. Start closing bases in foreign soil. Demilitarize the Police. Reform the Educational System. Abolish salaries for Politicians. And overall defend the Constitution.

1. The president of the US can't overturn anything
2. So, he can't ban same-sex marriage either
3. How does one close a border?
4. *tries best to pay off debt. Abolishes Federal Reserve*

[Kernen]

Combine North and South Dakota, but publicly maintain that there are still 50 states.
Host presidential press conferences just to assure the people that I am still awesome.
Purposefully misdate every memo.
Pretend to annex Canada. Inform the UN that Canada is now part of the US. Ignore Canadian diplomats and politicians.
Edit memos and documents from past presidents to have incorrect dates.
Stop exporting turkey to Turkey. End all food exports to Hungary.
Airdrop Hustler and Playboy and cheap booze into the Middle East.
Try to sell Cuba to the Sudan.
Print maps without Northern Europe, Chile, Indochina, and Madagascar for regular distribution.
Treat Greenland as a major military threat.

I've had this planned since I was about 14, and my political goals have not changed since then. No, I do not have any intention of doing the job properly.

[Sanctissima]

Repeal Obamacare. Privatize the Postal Service. Reduce Welfare Spending. Give the finger to the Military-Industrial Complex and Reduce Military Spending. Legalize Marijuana. Fund NASA. Close the Border with Mexico. Pardon perpetrators of Victimless Crimes. Lower Taxes. Do my best to pay off our massive debt. Abolish the Federal Reserve. Get rid of the Minimum Wage. Overturn Roe v Wade. Ban Same-Sex Marriages. Cut Foreign Aid spending. Give Israel the finger and shut down AIPAC. Shut down Guantanamo Bay. Abolish the NSA. Abolish the ATF. Start a rapprochement with Russia. Start closing bases in foreign soil. Demilitarize the Police. Reform the Educational System. Abolish salaries for Politicians. And overall defend the Constitution.

Getting a few mixed messages from that.

You say you want to defend the US Constitution, but quite a few things you want done are unconstitutional. Abolishing the federal reserve and lowering taxes is going to make paying off the US debt difficult, and I'm not sure how you're going to enforce a closed border with Mexico with an underfunded military and demilitarized police force. Care to elaborate?

[The Two Jerseys]

Combine North and South Dakota, but publicly maintain that there are still 50 states.
Host presidential press conferences just to assure the people that I am still awesome.
Purposefully misdate every memo.
Pretend to annex Canada. Inform the UN that Canada is now part of the US. Ignore Canadian diplomats and politicians.
Edit memos and documents from past presidents to have incorrect dates.
Stop exporting turkey to Turkey. End all food exports to Hungary.
Airdrop Hustler and Playboy and cheap booze into the Middle East.
Try to sell Cuba to the Sudan.
Print maps without Northern Europe, Chile, Indochina, and Madagascar for regular distribution.
Treat Greenland as a major military threat.

I've had this planned since I was about 14, and my political goals have not changed since then. No, I do not have any intention of doing the job properly.

Not gonna lie, that's pretty funny.

[Forsher]

As head of state of a constitutional monarchy, I'd probably sign off bills, visit hospitals, pay official visits to other countries, keep my mouth shut about politics and generally follow my ministers' advice.

God Save the King.

Yes.

Indeed, as I would argue that a HoS should either not be elected, ever, or, possibly, not exist in the sense of a single person, with political power being nothing more than an iffy possibility that people don't want to ever gain clarity over, so I would definitely not do anything else. The question is whether or not I am somehow king, or if I am the de facto HoS... i.e. the GG.

From this point forth, I only answer to Jerry.