Suppose a newly inaugurated Republican President is revealed as a Russian agent

[Orrex]

What happens next?

I truly can't imagine a Republican congress impeaching him, even if we find a blood-signed contract in which the President pledges to serve the interests of Russia in preference to the United States.

So what would happen next?

[mainer]

1. We learn to speak Russian.

because the GOP will never impeach one of their own. Even if he is a Russian agent.

[Cosmocat]

6. YEP

I mean, they are 100 percent behind him as their candidate, as unimaginably horrific as he is ...

[duffyduff]

12. Yeah, they would. He is HATED by the party regulars.

Pence was put on the ticket "just in case" of the remote chance Trump won the election.

[zenabby]

2. This question is almost like..

What would happy if I suddenly turned 20 years old again, and became a unicorn. It's not going to happen in 2016/17 - the republican president, I mean.

[Orrex]

4. Obviously the two questions are nothing alike, as I'm sure you're aware.

The prospect of you turning 20 years old again and becoming a unicorn is a mathematical impossibility.

A Republican president getting himself inaugurated in 2017 is not likely but is far from impossible.


Thanks for playing.

[duffyduff]

13. The fact is the OP is not reality.

Trump is never going to be president.

[zenabby]

20. You are right.

That was an unnecessarily mean response from me. I'm sorry.

I still refuse to entertain the thought of a Trump presidency though. It is unproductive IMHO.

[Orrex]

22. No problem.

It was pointed out to me down-thread that my question was poorly asked, so your reply wasn't entirely out of line.

(and I guardedly agree that President Trump is as real as 20-year-old unicorns)

[getagrip_already]

27. you would be a very lonely 20 year old unicorn....

because you would be the only one. Also, republicans would want your blood. So you wouldn't be very happy.

[ck4829]

3. Shut down the government from day one, challenge his legitimacy at every angle

Deny his office funding, kind of like what was threatened when Cheney said he wasn't part of the executive branch and so he didn't need to be under executive branch transparency requirements and Democrats responded by saying "So maybe your funds shouldn't be part of the executive funding bill... must obviously be some sort of error that someone did"

This is what the Republicans will do when Hillary wins, but she's not a Putin pawn.

[apcalc]

5. We end up with Pence? Sucks.

[getagrip_already]

28. not necessarily

if it came to it, the entire administration would need to go. Cabinet and entire plumb book. It would all be suspect.

[jberryhill]

7. If he is not impeached, then he continues to be president

There has been a rash of strange questions at DU recently on basic Constitutional stuff.

Yes, he can have an oath to Kim Jong Un tattooed on his back, but if the Congress does not impeach him then he remains president.

Alternatively, the Cabinet can declare him unfit and communicate that finding to Congress, in which case the Vice President will serve as president until such time as the president sends a counter-notice to Congress. If the Cabinet maintains its position, then Congress decides whether he is fit to serve.

This is all written down in relatively simple language.

[Orrex]

15. i.e., "Google is your friend." Thanks bunches.

Every now and then, it's possible that someone just might pose a question in hope of generating discussion, strange though that might be to believe.

Supposing such a presidency, it's hard to imagine circumstances that would lead a Republican congress to impeach him, and it's even hard to imagine circumstances that would lead that president's own cabinet to declare him unfit.

So I guess that the original question was poorly stated and shouldn't have specified "what happens next?" but should simply have left it as "what happens?"

What happens to the country at large when such a president makes it into office, and the congress declines to dislodge him?

[jberryhill]

16. Then that person remains president

There are five ways a president can cease to be a president.

1. Death
2. Impeachment
3. Incapacity declared by cabinet.
4. Resignation.
5. Completion of term.

That's it. That's all. There is no "discussion" to be had around it.

If the electorate finds the president to be exceptionally odious, and the House will not impeach, then it is at most two years before that House is up for re-election, and those House members have to answer to the voters. In any practical scenario, it is a lot less than two years. House members are perpetually running for re-election.

That's all there is. Period. End of story. There no super-secret way to remove a president. The rules are clearly set forth in a remarkably brief document.

Ultimately it is up to voters to make responsible choices. If that doesn't work, then that's too bad. We get the president we elect, and there is no easy way to remove him or her. That's a feature, not a bug.

[Orrex]

18. Well, I guess everything will be ok then.

Color me relieved.

[jberryhill]

19. The rules don't guarantee that anything will be "okay"

The basic idea is that we shouldn't elect crazy people. But if we do, that's that.

Alternatively, we could have everyone who wants to be president take a battery of tests - psychological, legal, intelligence, aptitude, swimsuit and talent - and appoint the winner. Hell, put Donald Trump in charge as emcee.

[LisaL]

8. Putin comes over and becomes our glorious ruler!

[pinboy3niner]

9. He uses the Red Phone instead of the secret server

[sunonmars]

10. its like an episode of 24......

[duffyduff]

11. A lot of the reason people are voting for Trump is because of Pence

I think the GOP WOULD remove Trump, but guess who we get?

[DFW]

14. What do you expect?

The Republicans will say "get over it," and that will be that....товарищ.

[TrekLuver]

17. I'm sorry but I highly doubt the American people and the media would not be up in arms and

outraged...and Trumpass would be impeached and jailed.

[Cha]

21. The Siberian candidate as someone on here dubbed him.

Not an option.

[Orrex]

23. That meme is brilliant.

"The Siberian Candidate."

Saw that yesterday but can't remember who coined it. Any idea?

[Cha]

24. No sorry, I can't remember.. I saw it 'bout a week ago

Ha! I just did a Search and it looks like Paul Krugman came up with it on July 22, 2016.

Krugman: "Donald Trump, the Siberian Candidate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=2281497

[Orrex]

25. Thanks!

I thought it was someone here on DU, but whatever the source I'm happy that it exists at all!

[Cha]

29. Maybe they did come up with all on their own like GMTA..

Anyway there was a thread about it and everyone thought it was perfect. I said the "KGB candidate" but then agreed that Siberian was smoother and an awesome play on The Manchurian Candidate.

Hey there may be a movie like that someday starring Alec Baldwin as Donald trump.

Orrex

[no_hypocrisy]

26. President Pence will pardon the poor bastard.

[get the red out]

31. The revelation would be thrown into the CP pile

The people who revealed it would be shamed by the news media.

[CanonRay]

34. Nothing. He's a Republican

[sarae]

35. Deplorables would have to learn Russian,

quite a challenge considering they can barely speak their own language.

[Orsino]

36. Ryan will unendorse that president for at least three weeks.

Then get back out on the trail campaigning for a candidate whose name he won't say.