Posted on 09/14/2018 4:43:07 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Are you rooting hard for President Trump to be impeached and removed from office? Or, as the anonymous New York Times op-ed last week discussed, hoping there will be an invocation of the (completely unrealistic) 25th Amendment? Or better yet, for him to hang his head in shame and resign?
If so, you’re certainly not alone, as every passing day there is new reason to doubt Trump’s competence and evidence linking him to criminal behavior is piling up. But there’s a huge risk: If Trump vacates the office, we could face almost 10 years of President Mike Pence. Is that something you really want?
After all, Pence is a true believer right-wing conservative. He is virulently anti-abortion and anti-gay rights and has a long history of slashing government programs. He once even had a talk radio show that he himself described as “Rush Limbaugh on decaf.”
Anyone with basic knowledge of the U.S. presidency and Constitution is probably a bit puzzled by the possibility of Pence serving 10 years, given the two-term (eight-year) limit.
Originally, there were no term limits for the presidency, but for a century and a half those who held the office followed George Washington’s model of serving only two terms. Until, that is, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected four times in a row. He and his supporters argued that his continued service was needed during extraordinary times (World War II). After FDR died just months into his fourth term, the issue of term limits for the president became a national priority.
As a result, in 1951, the Constitution was amended. The 22nd Amendment now limits the president to two four-year terms: “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice.”
How could Pence get around this limit and serve a possible 10 years total? The 22nd Amendment has something akin to small print. If someone becomes president by filling a vacancy in the office (such as when the president is impeached, resigns or dies) – but does so for less than two years – that person can run for office two more times, not just once.
In other words, if Pence became president anytime after noon on January 20th, 2019, he would be allowed to run for two more terms.
Of course, this is not a terribly likely scenario. But, as January 20th approaches, it’s not completely far-fetched either. Consider this. It is looking increasingly likely that the Democrats will take back the House this November 6th and maybe even the Senate (though that’s much less likely). The new Democratic-controlled Congress begins service on January 3rd. All it takes to impeach a president in the House is a majority vote. Given all that we know about President Trump, the House might act quickly and then send the impeachment to the Senate, which needs a two-thirds vote to remove the president – a much taller order.
Even under the most optimistic Democratic scenarios, the party will not have a two-thirds majority in the Senate. But maybe by this point, if there is in fact a big blue wave in November, enough Republican senators will have gotten the message that Trump is toxic. Or maybe other Republicans, after a big defeat in November, will look at Pence and see a stable (read: boring), staunch conservative who can redeem the Republican Party after the chaos of Trump. So, enough Republican Senators join the Democrats to get to two-thirds, removing Trump from office.
Or it could happen much quicker than that. Fearing bruising congressional investigations or even an imminent indictment, he could decide it’s smarter to resign, like President Nixon did, rather than suffer the consequences of a public airing of all that Special Counsel Robert Mueller – or even prosecutors in the Southern District of New York – have been gathering.
If he were to leave office in either of these ways, it would be entirely possible that Pence would just be a placeholder and the Democrats would take over after the 2020 election, like Gerald Ford after Nixon resigned. But it’s also possible that the country would feel massive relief from someone who, no matter what you think of Pence’s politics, is not Donald Trump. Would that translate into Pence winning national elections? Who knows, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility that, just by virtue of not being Trump, Pence could get a huge boost.
If that were to happen, we could be facing Pence running for president twice after completing Trump’s first term and ultimately serving in the office for up to 10 years. When you read the fine print of the Constitution, that’s perfectly acceptable.
So, for those of us clamoring for Trump to be removed from office or resign in disgrace, we really have to be careful what we wish for.
This author is as deep state as deep state gets!
***********************************************************
David S. Cohen (attorney) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_S._Cohen_(attorney)
David S. Cohen (born 1963) is an American attorney who served as Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2015 to 2017. Originally from Boston, Cohen previously worked at the U.S. Treasury Department and as an attorney in private practice.
Preceded by: Avril Haines
President: Barack Obama
Succeeded by: Gina Haspel
Born: 1963 (age 54–55)
and good riddance.
“Do these idiots really think it was coincidental that President Trump picked Pence as is running mate?”
I’m with you on that. Also, I remember reading that Saddam Hussein had a Christian Deputy Prime Minister (Taraq Aziz, I think), for a similar reason. Take out the top dog and the (mostly Muslim) country will be run by a Christian. It worked for him, at least against domestic enemies.
What I get from that is muller is holding back some results until after the November 2018 election, deliberately.
Odd that the article does not address retaliation by the right for a Trump impeachment.
Can this happen?
Nightmare fuel.
Clinton is elected Speaker of the House when dems gain majority.
Trump and Pence impeached.
The drama feminists and drama homosexuals are terrified of Pence. That’s why they troll with claims that he wouldn’t stay in office, because he doesn’t get them sexually aroused enough. He would easily be elected to serve two terms after adjusting to the Trump Administration, liking it and being so determined to complete its goals.
That’ll be two weeks after I’m elected Pope by the College of Cardinals. Come by and see me, I’ll have a well-stocked liquor cabinet, a gourmet chef and a killer pool table.
Whew!
Thanks!
Like what?
BTW, do you get how hard it is to impeach and convict a president? So hard, that it’s never been done in 242 years. And then to imagine it being done twice in a row over a period of months? There’d be a civil war, and you and I both know it. No, Hillary Clinton is finished as far as politics is concerned.
Thank goodness.
Hopefully her minime will fade into obscurity.
Job ONE is destroying the Marxist educational system that controls brainwashing from kindegarden through college and grad school....it brainwashes whole generations of youth by controlling the whole educational system AND journalism students so that once brainwashed, when former students become adults, their deception is continually maintained and massaged. The Marxists control the future with this methodology - and they are very patient.
We have at most 6 years before the Marxists take back control - only the next time they will make changes and laws that assure they never lose control again.
I am not a prophet, nor do I play one on TV - but apart from divine intervention (and national repentance & turning to God), the above is inevitable.
wrong Cohen posted by Cen-Tejas - comment #21. you can easily find photos of the RS one (Drexel College) online.
another doozy from Cohen:
15 Dec 2016: Rolling Stone: Will Electors Vote Their Conscience and Prevent a Trump Presidency?
Long-shot bid is underway to encourage GOP Electoral College members to vote for someone other than Trump Monday
by David S. Cohen
You may not realize it now, but December 19th, 2016 – this coming Monday – will be a historic day for America. Either it will mark the formal vote putting the most inexperienced and dangerous demagogue ever seen in U.S. politics into the White House, or it will be the day an antiquated institution finally serves its centuries-old purpose and puts its foot down to stop an impending national disaster...
In recent weeks, white-supremacist and former KKK leaders have celebrated their return to power, and individuals with no relevant experience are being picked for cabinet positions – including some who are hostile to the existence of the very agencies they’ve been picked to lead. What’s more, Vladimir Putin himself may have been involved in a Russian plot to interfere with the election in favor of the Republicans...
But according to Harvard professor Larry Lessig, there may be as many as 20 who are at least considering it. And there are two so far who have publicly declared they will not vote for Trump. Christopher Suprun of Texas, a 9/11 first responder, has said he will vote for John Kasich because Trump “chooses to stoke fear and create outrage.”...
There are many efforts underway to convince other electors to join Suprun...
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/will-electors-vote-their-conscience-and-prevent-a-trump-presidency-107863/
Mattis, and his appointed military staff, would be even better. They would really clean the swamp, and start with real elections after the swamp is gone. Voter ID via eye ball verification. I better watch out what I’m hoping for. ???? I,m sorry but it really disgusts me the way the 2016 losers portray themselves and behave. If you ask me Trump isn’t tough enough. There are too many asses that need kicking.
They certainly are! Liberalism is a mental disorder.
I do not trust Pence: Trump’s GHWB.
As for the rest: Pence is not anti-homoerotic rights; he is anti-homoerotic special privileges. As am I.
They are not entitled to more or greater rights than I am.
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