Wow. Okay guys. THIS is the break America’s been waiting for — half of America anyway. Thank GOD for Constitutional amendments, amirite?
Imagine that! A black president for not one, not two, but three terms? Wow. Okay. Sorry. I’m really all over the place. All this news is just so damn exciting. Yes the 22nd Amendment is a real thing, but have you actually read it, I mean REALLY read it? Me neither. Cause if we had, we’d know that:
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. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.
Now, it’s the second clause I’d really like you to pay attention to. Because if you’re reading what I’m reading, then you’ll know there’s exactly nothing that President Barack Obama can do. HOWEVER, I’ll continue typing because it feels good on my fingers and my brain feels nice when I type the words.
So, you might be asking, what the fuck are you writing this for then? Well, the intention is two-fold.
1. To see how many people would just blindly share this without really reading it.
2. To more importantly, get a discussion going about what we/Congress can do from a realistic(-ish) standpoint, given the extent of Russia’s involvement and the appointment of several pro-Russia members to Trump’s cabinet and administration.
1. Section 2, Article 4 of the US Constitution aka Impeachment
The 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.
2. Amendment 25: Presidential Disability and Succession aka Get him outta there, get him out
1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.
4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
3. Total and complete do over aka #Revote
Don’t get me wrong, this is a more out-there theory (wish? hope?) than thinking that Republican electoral college voters will elect Hillary. The key thing to note is that this is 2016, LITERALLY ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. And if you don’t believe me, remind yourself why i’m writing this — Donald Trump a man mired in REAL scandal and conflicts of interest, is president-elect of the United States of America. 2016 is a year which saw David Bowie and Prince gone too soon. A year which saw those grandkids leave Pawpaw hanging at his cookout. A year which saw the United Kingdom vote to leave the European Union. Wild things are happening man, so what’s one more insane thing? If America’s going to break with the tradition of having free and fair elections (cough cough with the standard meddling and voter suppression efforts that have become commonplace) and just be 100% totally cool with Russia(!!!!!) influencing its election, making America look like the nerd in contrast with Russia’s burly jock on the world stage, I say, yeah! Go ahead and break with that tradition so America might A. Save face and B. Save the human race from whatever comes next.
We don’t need to spend a ton of money either. Everyone is totally capable of making a paper ballot at home which they can and should take somewhere once it’s filled in. Before they fill it in (again) they should take a minute to reflect long and hard on the last month—technically the last 35 days (and boy has it been an insane 35 days!) and vote accordingly. I’m obviously suggesting paper ballots vs. an online Twitter poll because I’d hate for the Russians to hack the #Revote efforts and knock us back to square one.
Anyway, my fingies are tie tie now so in the words of the great Robert Reich, what do you think?