General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI'm assuming that there is not a goddamn thing in the US Constitution that addresses
the intentional slow-walking and blocking of the transition between two presidential administrations, thereby hamstringing national security and thereby letting an uncontrolled and fatal pandemic murder hundreds of thousands of United States citizens unabated.
Would that be correct?
Response to LuckyCharms (Original post)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
Budi
(15,325 posts)Impeach them swiftly & end the bs.
Barr, Pence, Trump all on the same damn day & within an hour walk them out the WH doors.
Enough is enough.
Well that'd be my scenario..
I don't know if the House needs the Senate approval to remove Pence or Barr.
Probably, & that's why we need Georgia. They wouldn't be sworn in until the 1st week of Jan, but that's still enough time to send Trump out the door without collecting on the future perks a President receives after leaving Office.
And he better not get a portrait hanging on the wall next to Barack Obama either. 🤬
Response to Budi (Reply #8)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
central scrutinizer
(11,646 posts)But at least a vote could be forced
Budi
(15,325 posts)Appreciate it
dware
(12,352 posts)It has been pointed out numerous times that the House impeaches, the Senate convicts and removes, but for that to happen, a 2/3rd's majority of Senators are needed and there is zero chance of that happening.
Budi
(15,325 posts)Info flys fast around here & as I stated above, It's my own personal preferred scenario.
I haven't dug into all that goes with removal VP, Ag...which is why I asked the question.
I realize some here know far more than I about politics & Law, & some speak more than they know, but Is it ok to present a question I'm not sure of, on DU?
Maybe I'll just ask someone else. Never mind.
dware
(12,352 posts)including numerous times by myself and several others here just very recently.
Don't they teach Civics 101 in schools anymore?
Budi
(15,325 posts)I don't need to hear anymore of your condescenion.
Welcome to IGNORE . 🙄
dware
(12,352 posts)11 Bravo
(23,926 posts)dware
(12,352 posts)but it bugs me when, despite this being discussed many, many times, people still don't know how our system works.
Anyways, have a great Thursday.
BTW, that was a great line in that movie, Warren Oates was a great actor.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,315 posts)https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articleii
Article II, Section 4The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlei
Article I, Section 2The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.
Article I, Section 3The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present.
Article I, Section 5Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each House may provide.
Note it says "two thirds of the members present." A majority of the Senate would be 51 members so it could take as few as 34 for conviction following impeachment by the House. That's not likely.
Response to dware (Reply #19)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
onenote
(42,684 posts)somebody suggests it on DU.
Budi
(15,325 posts)Response to onenote (Reply #27)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
onenote
(42,684 posts)Theres a fucking pandemic killing more than 1000 people a day. There is legislation yet to be enacted to provide financial relief to these in need. The government is on the verge of having its latest funding extension expire.
And folks think that starting a symbolic impeachment actions that against folks who will be out of office in two months would be well received by the public?
Fortunately Biden, Pelosi and Schumer are smart enough to know what a bad idea this is.
uponit7771
(90,335 posts)... that were put in place by congress etc.
BComplex
(8,029 posts)There needs to be a vote of at least the "big 8" or whatever it's called, where the chairmen of the judicial/intelligence committees house/senate get together.
Demsrule86
(68,539 posts)dware
(12,352 posts)for people to start understanding this.
Response to uponit7771 (Reply #2)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
spanone
(135,816 posts)exboyfil
(17,862 posts)I know that is a joke, but that is supposed to be the way it works.
Demsrule86
(68,539 posts)is the point?
Sgent
(5,857 posts)on Article 2 dealing with the executive branch. John Woo's side won, and current jurisprudence says that Trump could fire everyone in the US government except for Article III judges and Congress -- the only thing that can check him is impeachment / removal.
Other countries have figured out a better system for a more devolved executive.
JHB
(37,158 posts)A second Constitutional Convention has been on the Koch brothers' wish list for decades, and they used their resources to promote the idea.
Any 2CC for the foreseeable future would quickly be high jacked by that faction to lock in the advantages of the super-wealthy. It would be a second Confederate constitution.
unblock
(52,183 posts)To count and certify the electoral votes and address any challenges.
So the transitions we normally have are actually on a very aggressive timeframe from a constitutional perspective.
Wounded Bear
(58,634 posts)to get mail from one end of the country to the other. Roads were virtually non-existant and most interstate travel was done over water. Communications were a bit more problematic back then.
BComplex
(8,029 posts)It is a totally genius document, for its time. But we're in a new world; one that our fore"fathers" could never have imagined.
It needs tweeking to prevent a fascist takeover. Trump was the SECOND attempt at a fascist takeover of our democracy. I don't want the third time to be the "charm".
Voltaire2
(12,995 posts)And guaranteed the civil war '4 score' years later.
BComplex
(8,029 posts)During this election season I've heard it said many times that allowing slavery from the start was our "original sin". That, and not bothering to think through that women were somehow capable of thinking enough so that they were also people, and should vote every bit as well as men. (WTF??)
You're right. It was terribly flawed from the outset.
IMHO without that compromise the country wouldn't have existed and would have been reabsorbed into GB in 1812. Its a very flawed document, its also the best one we could make and form a country.
Voltaire2
(12,995 posts)The elevation of the constitutional into some sort of holy text, the best possible or the greatest, is part of our national mythology and is part of the sickness that has lead us to where we are.
Cuthbert Allgood
(4,915 posts)There is nothing that is going to make Trump do anything other than, hopefully, pressure from the legislative branch to make sure that Biden and team are in place and up to speed when he takes office. Otherwise, there will be several days where we are seriously vulnerable. But there is no law in place or provision in the Constitution to make him.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)That's a relatively new phenomenon of Presidential change.
marie999
(3,334 posts)BComplex
(8,029 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)The idea that the president would put his own selfish interests ahead of the good of the country and the nation's security probably hadn't occurred to folks pre-Trump. There was a spate of reform legislation in the 1970s after Nixon was ousted to deal with some of the more egregious crimes of his administration. Most of those reforms have been repealed since then, but the 2020s could see a renewal of interest in reining in the Executive.
BComplex
(8,029 posts)death, our country couldn't get their brains around what trump was doing with putin was treason! It sure as hell IS treason!!! And he should be TRIED for treason!
mtnsnake
(22,236 posts)Wednesdays
(17,338 posts)always be composed of men of honor.
Steelrolled
(2,022 posts)So I'm not bothered.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)onenote
(42,684 posts)Checkmate.
RobinA
(9,888 posts)our system does depend on a certain amount of agreement to play by the rules. I'm realizing that more and more now that we have somebody in there that refuses to follow the rules of basic civility.
Kaleva
(36,294 posts)malaise
(268,885 posts)The election is called and you're the ex- Prime Minister. Pack and leave. There is way too much time between elections and departure in the US.