With the U.K.’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, headed for the exits, it is worth exploring whether or not Joe Biden will last his term or be forced into retirement. With growing expectations that the Republicans will sweep the House of Representatives and take back the U.S. Senate, I believe it is worth exploring whether Democrats want to cut their losses before the election and dump Biden or will they encourage him to resign before the Republican controlled legislative bodies take control in January.
If the Democrats wait until after the Republicans are sworn in to engineer Biden’s exit, they face a real risk of not being able to appoint the Vice President to fill the job left vacant by Kamala Harris, who would replace Biden. Why? Any nominee put forward by Harris would have to be voted on by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Here are the relevant portions of the U.S. Constitution:
Article II, Section 1, Clause 6:
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.
Twelfth Amendment
The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.
Twenty-Fifth Amendment, Section 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.
Here are four possible scenarios:
- Joe Biden and Kamala Harris complete their first term.
- Joe Biden completes his first term but Kamala Harris resigns and a replacement is required.
- Joe Biden resigns the Presidency after January 1, 2023 and Kamala Harris replaces him as President.
- Joe Biden resigns the Presidency before January 1, 2023 and Kamala Harris replaces him as President.
If Joe Biden is unable to complete his term and either resigns or is removed from the Presidency under the 25th Amendment, the critical issue Democrats must consider is the timing.
If Biden resigns while the Democrats control the House and Senate there is little chance that the legislative bodies would block newly installed President Kamala Harris’ choice for Vice President. But that is not the current reality. The Democrats only control the Senate because Vice President Harris can break the 50/50 tie. If she is elevated to the Presidency she loses her vote as a tie breaker. That means Republican Senators will have a decisive voice in selecting Kamala’s successor. Let’s call this scenario 1.
Pursuing scenario 1 for a moment, what happens if Kamala nominates Barack Obama to be her Vice President. I am pretty sure most Democrats would welcome that move because they do not believe Harris could organize a three car funeral. With Obama waiting in the wings the Democrats would have the illusory hope that there was an “adult” who could take charge if Harris stumbles.
One little problem with naming Obama as Vice President–it is not clear whether Obama could take on the Vice Presidency in light of the restrictions presented in the 12th and 25th. The 12th Amendment states:
But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.
In light of the 25th Amendment limiting any person to two terms as President, there is a Constitutional question whether Obama (or George W. Bush) could be a Vice President. My point in raising this is to point out that nominating the wrong Democrat to the Vice Presidency under scenario 1 will likely be disputed and litigated.
Now for scenario 2–if Biden resigns when the Republicans control the House and the Senate the Republicans could refuse to accept any nominee from Harris. Instead, the Republicans could opt to leave the office vacant, which would mean the Republican Speaker of the House would be the de facto Vice President (i.e., the person next in line to Constitutionally succeed President Harris if she does not complete her term). Alternatively, the Republicans could try to nominate their own Vice President candidate. This too would be a Constitutional question given that the existing language states the President nominates and the legislature approves with majority vote. Scenario 2 is fraught with political chaos as well.
I think it is highly likely that Joe Biden will not complete his term. The key issue is whether he resigns voluntarily, is replaced under the 25th Amendment or does not come down for breakfast and goes to meet God. Interesting times ahead.
I agree, there is no way he (Pretendent Biyme) completes his term. If Kamala is President it will be a brazen visual reminder of how bad American citizens were duped and how voting for a conservative/republican is needed. Americans need to learn and be reminded that our media is a horrible place to receive truth regarding politicians, and they need to learn the hard way to pay attention to deeds, instead of tweets!
dunno the duping of american people in presidential election scam already going on for decades , my amazement is how so many american still think voting between any 2 puppets will make a major difference of the future of USA.
i find it hilarious people on both side of this “artificial divide aka left/right rep/demo cons/lib” still blamed past puppets like trump or obama or bush when it is rather obvious these people are there to sign approval and act presidential.
my advise for american deepstate is this , choose a president from hollywood acting business , they are professional actors and can laugh or cry on demand.. Get Tom Hanks or even Oprah winfrey or Dr Oz .. wait the last one is real
One big stumbling block I see is no one wants Harris in that chair even the Democrats.
Old Joe has trouble reading the prompts but he can read most of it. Harris breaks down into hysterical laughter whenever you ask her pointed question.
I myself would love to see Harris elevated, it would be a huge exclamation point on this entire absurdity.
She makes George W. Bush look like a particle physicist.
The major issue I see in the analysis is the assumption that the Republicans will win big in November. I am not willing to wager on that. Since 2020 the Republicans have done exactly nothing to address the election fraud that put these two idiots in place.
The systems that selected them have been well documented and are still firmly in place.
Old Joe often repeats back things he had heard and doesn’t have the wits to distinguish between what he is supposed to say and what he is not. Biden already stated that the Dems will keep the house and gain 5 seats in the senate. Is dementia addled Joe raving again or repeating what he has heard. That prediction is pretty specific.
I think it is premature to assume a Republicans sweep in November, and sorry to say I hope it doesn’t happen.
The GOP is mostly no better than the Dems. We can all run the names, McConnell, Graham, Kinzinger, Cheney, et al. They aren’t going anywhere, and will the country be better off under their tender care? Not likely.
In fact the way the country is circling the drain the Republicans are not going to do anything radical to save it, if they take power, they will only be left holding the bag on the final collapse.
I say let Biden finish what he started. Later when the American people have finally suffered enough we can finally fix this.
I have liked the concept of a slow lingering death. Let’s get the damn thing over with.
But I believe the Dems are planning for a win in November. Should that fail, the Republicans should immediately impeach both Biden and Harris. Pelosi would be gone, in that case I say put Trump back for the revenge tour.
One thing he could do is re-issue the EO regarding the civil service. I can’t find the article right now but will post it in a reply. It would positively nuke the deep state.
Two weeks before the 2020 general election, on October 21, 2020, Donald Trump issued an executive order (E.O. 13957) on “Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service.”
https://brownstone.org/articles/the-astonishing-implications-of-schedule-f/
This would have been a revolutionary change, a complete remake of Washington, DC, and all politics as usual.
Trump’s EO 13957 was a dagger aimed directly at the heart of the beast. It might have worked.
It would have gotten us closer to the restoration of a Constitutional system of government in which we have 3 – not 4 – branches of government that are wholly controlled by the people’s representatives. It would have gone a long way toward gutting the administrative state of its power and returning the affairs of state to the people’s control.
The reversal of this EO was close to the first things the Biden group did when taking office.
Ah, a cynic after my own heart!
Although I despise progressivism, I must say the Dems are relatively honest about what they want. Most Republicans appear secretly to want the same thing the Dems do, but they lie constantly and pretend to champion the opposite.
There are several GOP senators who would likely switch sides and vote for a Harris VP nominee,
In about 2012 – I’m deeply ashamed it took me that long – I signed on to what I’ve heard called ‘the WWE Theory of US Party Politics.’ In essence, the theory holds that our two-party ‘competition’ is a carefully staged drama, like pro wrestling. After the prearranged legislative outcome is achieved, Pelosi, McCarthy, Schumer & McConnell party in the locker room, swilling taxpayer-bought Dom Perignon and high-fiving each other over what a great show they put on.
Thanks for the Brownstone link. I’m skeptical that a single EO will even pull the plug, let alone drain the swamp. But I’ll read it with interest.
There is no doubt the two sides are in on all of it and the election fraud has been going on for years if not decades.
I’m not sure of your age but I am old enough to remember all the old “throw the bums” out campaigns, you know, clean house. They all garnered enthusiastic support from all sectors but oddly (not so odd) none of these movements ever succeeded in throwing any bums out.
The country isn’t broken, it’s FIXED.
I was with you until you mentioned The Don as President again. Nope. He’s SO hated he wouldn’t get much of anything done either. Let the Dems be in charge while it swirls down the toilet. We are heading for a Constitution crisis IMO. Joe isn’t going to last. I think he’ll die or get 25thed. Then it will be on like Donkey King.
Kong. I wish we could edit our screw ups. 🙂
Think of the Don as a major destabilizing influence m, bull in the china shop as it were.
They went to extraordinary lengths to get rid of him, unprecedented lengths. Supposedly the left hated GWB but they never did anything like what they did to DJT. There was a reason for that. They saw him as an existential threat. That ended up being a gross overestimation. But the Don is a New York real estate developer, used to dealing with low level corruption and the mob. Those guys are like the St Albans Boys Chior compared to the DC Deep State, but I’d like to think the Don learned his lesson and I’d ready for payback.
relax , no one will vote for the “don” , many saw his real face of incompetence during his presidency and his shameless pandering to the israelis. But one thing The “Don” good for is to cause so much discontent and dislike / hate that some will choose to vote democeat or abstain from voting just to avoid the don..
the end result ? democrat won.. not that it will be much better if republican won
The Don actually won 2020. Counterfiet mail-in ballots, gamed voting machines, triple scanned ballots, adjudicated ballots and the “drop and roll” put Biden in place.
Biden is wayyyy to stubborn to quit of his own volition and, if able, will run for re-election. The Professional Managerial Class will not be denied their power, even if its Maginot Line isn’t up to snuff.
biden might be stubbon .. if he still has his faculty and clarity of mind.l endless videos of biden acting senile and out of his mind , how come no one question his health and state of mind? i mean torturing old person so you can have your proposal signed is kinda inhuman , no ?
We the people have a more serious problem. It is not one of the quantity of those to be nominated, but of finding one ethical nominee. The Washington protected wetlands with its whores, dogs and lawyers (remembering Cicero Rome), has totally excluded any ethical person from being presented as a potential servant of the People.
If it is true that a People deserve the government they get; and it is also true that the Democraps destroy our social fabric by dividing us and the Repugnicants impoverish us with a reverse Robin Hood, then we deserve the continuous concentration of depravity we call the two party system.
We the People must decide if we are better than being sucked into the tribalism of street fighting called elections. We the People must also realize it will take courage, sacrifice and character to take care of our country as ONE people. When the people internalize this truth, a good solution can be a third party. A third party is necessary in order to negotiate with the Oligarchs’ “two party” deception. A third party would incrementally lead the country towards limiting the suffering caused by the oligarchs’ social and economic pathologies.
The truth is, nothing changes in our environment until we change ourselves. Our political environment is a direct reflection of who we are as a people, divided and conquered.
First, We need to change ourselves.
might as well call up the Cadian imperial guard to stem the force of chaos emanating in DC , your “we the people” are nothing more than random jumble of self interest egoistical people jolsting for DC money and the real patriots who abide by the law of the land are tiny and pitiful number.
Look at Sonar21 and compare them to the insane number of websites blathering and supporting warmongers and neocons in DC. I feel the way of true good people of america will open up when US stopped its hegemonic empire and USA turn into a normal nation.
> real patriots who abide by the law of the land are tiny and pitiful number
Who do you think We the People refers to?
Your “we the people”, “are nothing more than random jumble of self interest egoistical people jolsting for DC money…”, as I said, those are “The Washington protected wetlands with its whores, dogs and lawyers (remembering Cicero’s Rome)…”
So tell me who are “We the People? Did you read what is written?
Larry , if both biden and kamala unable or unavailable for one reason or another , is it possible the democrats fast track hillary clinton as president ? i feel the only person still lusting for the presidency is hillary. Michel obama might be lefty sheeps favorite but i dont see her doing anything presidential except showing displeasure on obama’s antics..
I see this as a very plausible scenario. Even if the Republicans take enough seats to do it. They GOP would much rather have Clinton than Trump, Clinton plays the game, will keep the gravy train on track and all snouts firmly in the trough. Plus the added bonus of a “splendid little war” over Ukraine with American and Nato boots on the ground.
Win-win for all. (Except us of course)
clinton (the female one) is the most ambitious one ever seen and she will get her presidency one way or another..
I spent a good amount of time in the States over the years, I maybe did 38 or 39 of them.
However not much in the last 15 years, so I find it hard to follow the ground swell anymore.
I will leave this to the locals with better knowledge than me but I am seeing more of this and it seems to have some traction. Is there a case for ‘none of the above’?
https://a.co/d/7KZ2zk0
There is a ray of hope and I dare say a movement. You can see its people on the Net abandoning tribalism, exchanging information and ideas. More importantly, they have defined the Oligarchs as the enemy. As you know defining the problem correctly is the first step to a solution.
“…or does not come down for breakfast and goes to meet God”. That made my day. Not in a sense that I am wishing death to someone. Definitely not! But the way of Larry expresses the death of an old man. The old fart is going to be removed and prosecuted, so angry mob would have their peace of meat to chew. The most popular vote for president. What a mess.
It doesn’t matter if you spread blue or red jam on American Toast, American TOAST is made and built on constitutional and liberal philosophical foundations of sand. Good luck
“It don’t really matter…” who MCs for the Bosses. They set the rules, make the deals, take the profits. They make and break the laws at will. The US citizen is a mere spectator at the circus. Take your bread and wine and enjoy the spectacle…remember to cheer.
Sen. Patrick Leahy recently fell and broke a hip. He is laid up, recuperating after hip replacement surgery. So for the time being the Democrats are reduced to 49 votes in the Senate.
You write this up as if the Democrats have some say in this matter. This is not a Parliamentary system where a majority can vote ‘no confidence’ and force a new govt or the ruling party is able to oust their own leader.
Larry, the Republicans have zone absolutely nothing to address the election fraud we have in 2020 except deny it. The mechanisms are still in place and Biden said that the Dems expect to not only keep the house but grab 5 additional seats in the Senate.
Now we have the NYT reporting on the BA-5 subvariant which is on track to peak guess when.
I think the Dems are planning their Weekend at Brandon’s scenario up to 2024.
A teaser for constitutional lawyers.
My guess constitution would let Pelosi step up which would be a nightmare. Likely the speaker would be a republican if Biden resigns.
But I can’t see Biden stepping down. Popping his clogs or getting obviously I’ll, possibly.
Ps is anyone else getting complete block on Saker website. It’s either down or mass blocked. A shame.
US has to break the two party state somehow. Canada did that reducing conservatives to 2 representatives in past from a government position.They need to do it again.
Consistency is the refuge of fools in matters politic. Time to bin the entire current cohort. Get them all out. Wipe the board. Bar Rand Paul.
Trump is no saviour. Kushner pulled his strings. And Kushner is plugged into to Jewish neo con corrupt circle. Look at the disgraceful way he got trump to whitewash his dad’s deserved criminal record. Disgusting abuse of power by Trump.
Yes Comcast has it shadow blocked, but ProtonVPN gets right through
Thanks! Hopefully this site won’t get the same treatment.
Just lost The Saker. I had it working on http://thesaker.is Having been unable to get https://thesaker.is but now both are down.
But even a Jimmy Dore ‘Door 24’ who has his own one plus million followers channel has zero headwind against MSM!
Is there enough of a ground swell or push back yet? Can an outsider to the current well set system get enough mass to make the American people think twice?
PS. I am in no way advocating more comedians as heads of State but at least we know that can be done with enough support within set systems elsewhere.
Most entertaining ‘food for thought,’ as always Larry! And the comments equally so. ‘ [If Biden] pops a clog’ – ha!
It is great to have a site like this that exudes sanity. However, I think there are just to few to see it. This is why the deep state doesn’t even try hiding their intentions anymore. They think they are in the clear. Perhaps their hubris can still slow things down.
It was mentioned earlier in the comments that the two US political parties are engaged in a game of theater, with both sides on the same team (not ours). I am also of that mind.
The bright side is that all of this seems to be pre-discussed and sealed in the Book of Revelations. And, if you are a true believer, all is good and going as planned, with a very challenging but finite earthly future in store.
Dominion Voting Machines still count the votes in many states so the Demoncrats would win in all of those states. That means none of these scenarios would happen.
Twenty eight states use Dominion voting machines so all of those states will elect Demoncrats and will control the Senate.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_Voting_Systems
It’s beyond obvious that Biden’s being heavily protected by our MSM. Who else could present embarrassment after embarrassment and get away with it as much as he has? What POTUS has ever approached a press pool saying, “my butt’s been wiped”, much less without consequence? He’d likely be gone by now if VP Harris weren’t even more unpopular than he is.
While no current major political leader in the US has a net positive favorability rating in the Real Clear Politics polling composite, Trump is the LEAST unfavorable of the lot. FL governor DeSantis isn’t included in the composite and there’s a [slim] chance if he were, he may enjoy a net positive rating at the moment. Although, he ruffled quite a few feathers with FL’s legislation aimed at preventing sexual subject matter in little kids’ school curriculae, which brought out leftist knives BIG TIME.
Contrary to what some have supposed here, Hillary Clinton seems over-the-hill; VT senator Bernie Sanders is still game/looking to be bought off yet again; MA senator Elizabeth Warren is another perpetual hopeful. MN senator Amy Klobuchar may be the new, brunette Hillary, but CA governor Newsom seems to be Democrats’ Great White Hope for now.
Historically the 2020 DNC ticket will be known as the Placeholder ticket.
No one could be cynical enough to put Kamala (pronounced: tba) in for other than a pchy-ops whammy of a temporary nature. No one knows and gives this away better than Ms Harris herself. Expect her to resign, probably prior to the midterms due to… A candidate will be nominated immediately who is an undeniably qualified replacement (read: black female) who House & Senate Republicans could never vote against. For purposes of this example, let’s give her the name Michelle. So voters go into the midterms knowing the Obamas will return to living rent free again. The optimistic amongst us will pray this will be a 2nd time she ever loved her country. Americans are so swept up in the nostalgia of it all a Constitutional Amendment is immediately passed: hand counts of ballots are discriminatory, and therefore illegal….