Hard Power and Soft Power

[Spekkio]

I mean, let's play this out. There are 23 Democrat state governors and 27 Republican ones. If Trump were on the ballot in every state with a Republican governor (which would be astonishing), he cannot possibly win 270 electoral college votes due to the way our population is distributed.

There's a dark horse chance that nobody among the 3 candidates wins 270 votes and a GOP majority House selects Trump to a 3rd term, but I sincerely doubt that would happen because whoever is listed as the GOP candidate in the 23 states with Democrat governors would also be on the ballot in the other 27 states as the 'legitimate' GOP candidate or an independent. Thus, the vote gets split and the Democrat candidate wins in a landslide.

 

[taxi1]

there will be an effort to give Trump a 3rd term

No fighting father time, though

 

[taxi1]

Mr. Trump said Ukraine “should have never started” the war...

WTF?

 

[Spekkio]

Also the quip "what do you mean you wanted a seat at the table? You could have negotiated three years ago..."

Ummm... negotiated what? The annexation of Ukraine, execution of Zelenskyy, and murder of millions of people?

 

[Flash]

The operative word is "Elected". There is nothing to prevent Vance from running as President with Trump as Vice President, then Vance resigning on Day 1. And no, the 12th Amendment also involves the word "Elected". Probable? No. Possible, Yes.

Yes there is, in the very text of the amendment that you quoted.

22nd Amendment. Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.

 

[JTS11]

WTF?

It's some level of chess I can't comprehend...I guess

 

[Spekkio]

Yes there is, in the very text of the amendment that you quoted.

Flash, there is nothing that stops a former 2-term President from being on the VP ballot, succeeding as President from the VP role, or being appointed as VP due to vacancy.

 

[Flash]

Flash, there is nothing that stops a former 2-term President from being on the VP ballot, succeeding as President from the VP role, or being appointed as VP due to vacancy.

That's a pretty questionable take, and would likely have to be decided by the Supreme Court if someone actually tried to do it.

EDIT: And then there is the last sentence of the 12th Amendment.

But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

 

[Spekkio]

I don't think it's that questionable. Depends on how you want to interpret "the office of the President." Does that mean the President specifically, or does that mean President, VP, his white house staff, and his cabinet members?

So you're saying a 2-term President could never be Secretary of State? WH Chief of Staff?

Considering the verbage used is "elected to the office of the President," I believe the amendment was talking strictly about the position of President.

 

[Flash]

I don't think it's that questionable. Depends on how you want to interpret "the office of the President." Does that mean the President specifically, or does that mean President, VP, his white house staff, and his cabinet members?

EDIT: And then there is the last sentence of the 12th Amendment.

But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

 

[JTS11]

Flash, there is nothing that stops a former 2-term President from being on the VP ballot, succeeding as President from the VP role, or being appointed as VP due to vacancy.

Why do you come on here with very fringe shit? I mean the 16th amendment will stay. Are you a constitutional law nerd/enthusiast?

 

[Griz882]

Don’t be so sure. Mark my words, there will be an effort to give Trump a 3rd term, regardless of his health and mental status. Probably from the a compliant legislative within the next two years. It’s been brought up before, and they have already proven they don’t care about the Constitution.

I hope I’m wrong about that.

I’ve heard the same and I really hope you’re wrong as well. I’m not fully convinced the House is that compliant (but it could be) but I am confident that the Senate won’t be on board at all.

 

[Spekkio]

@Flash, good catch on that last line of the 12th amendment. That's much more straightforward

 

[Spekkio]

I mean the 16th amendment will stay.

Of course it will. You completely missed the point of that discussion, but oh well.

 

[Spekkio]

I’ve heard the same and I really hope you’re wrong as well. I’m not fully convinced the House is that compliant (but it could be) but I am confident that the Senate won’t be on board at all.

As noted before... the arbiters of eligibility are the states to put a candidate on the ballot. House only gets a say if no one gets 270 electoral votes, and can't force someone to list Trump for a 3rd term. Senate can whine all they want, but they ultimately have no skin in the game.