NationStates Jolt Archive

So .... what happens if a President goes bonkers?

I mean ... what would be the plan if George Bush woke up tomorrow morning and had an epiphany that caused him to suddenly become a liberal hippie peace-nik Pagan?

How do you suppose the country would react? I mean ... it's never happened before, but people can change quite suddenly ...

He'd be arrested on charges of terrorism.

The 25th Amendment to the Constitution says, in part:
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.So there is a mechanism for the VP to take over in the event of a disabling event. This arose because of the severe illness Eisenhower suffered in the latter days of his second term, which meant that Nixon (as VP) was doing most of the work without the constitutional authority to do it.

The 25th Amendment to the Constitution says, in part:
So there is a mechanism for the VP to take over in the event of a disabling event. This arose because of the severe illness Eisenhower suffered in the latter days of his second term, which meant that Nixon (as VP) was doing most of the work without the constitutional authority to do it.


I'm aware of that ... but how is changing religions and/or political viewpoint in any way disabling?

I'm aware of that ... but how is changing religions and/or political viewpoint in any way disabling?

If it happened i think everyone would talk about it, but he cant be taken out of office if he doing nothing wrong.

I'm aware of that ... but how is changing religions and/or political viewpoint in any way disabling?

If Cheney and the executive heads disagreed with the change, it'd be a 'disability'. But since the Republican party doesn't control 2/3 of both houses it wouldn't be very effective. (If Bush went liberal then the Democrats probably wouldn't vote to make Cheney the acting president)

So they'd probably just arrange to have him whacked.

be funny to see
just can't imagine him binning his bible, lighting up a bifter and giving his secretary a good seeing to in the broom cupboard, theye'd impeech him for it :)