#Vice Presidential Vacancies

[deadpresidents]

Has there ever been a time when we haven't had a vice president?

John Adams was sworn in as our first Vice President in 1789 and in the 234 years since then, we've gone without a VP for 37 years and 290 days.

Until the ratification of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, there was no mechanism for filling a vacancy in the Vice Presidency, so in several instances we've gone almost entire Presidential terms without a Vice President.

7 Vice Presidents Died In Office: •George Clinton (Jefferson's second VP & Madison's first VP), died April 20, 1812, leaving the Vice Presidency vacant for 318 days. •Elbridge Gerry (Madison's second VP), died November 23, 1814, leaving a vacancy for 2 years, 101 days. •William Rufus DeVane King (Pierce's VP), died April 18, 1853, leaving a vacancy for 3 years, 320 days. •Henry Wilson (Grant's second VP), died November 22, 1875, leaving a vacancy for 1 year, 102 days. •Thomas A. Hendricks (Cleveland's first VP), died November 24, 1885, leaving a vacancy for 3 years, 99 days. •Garret A. Hobart (McKinley's first VP), died November 21, 1899, leaving a vacancy for 1 year, 103 days. •James S. Sherman (Taft's VP), died October 30, 1912, leaving a vacancy for 125 days.

2 Vice Presidents Resigned: •John C. Calhoun (VP under John Quincy Adams and Jackson's first VP), resigned on December 28, 1832, leaving a vacancy for 66 days. •Spiro Agnew (Nixon's first VP), resigned on October 10, 1973, leaving a vacancy for 57 days.

9 Vice Presidents Succeeded to the Presidency: •John Tyler (William Henry Harrison's VP), assumed office upon President Harrison's death on April 4, 1841, leaving a VP vacancy for 3 years, 333 days. •Millard Fillmore (Taylor's VP), assumed office upon President Taylor's death on July 9, 1850, leaving a VP vacancy for 2 years, 238 days. •Andrew Johnson (Lincoln's second VP), assumed office upon President Lincoln's death on April 15, 1865, leaving a VP vacancy for 3 years, 323 days. •Chester Arthur (Garfield's VP), assumed office upon President Garfield's death on September 19, 1881, leaving a VP vacancy for 3 years, 166 days. •Theodore Roosevelt (McKinley's second VP), assumed office upon President McKinley's death on September 14, 1901, leaving a VP vacancy for 3 years, 171 days. •Calvin Coolidge (Harding's VP), assumed office upon President Harding's death on August 2, 1923, leaving a VP vacancy for 1 year, 214 days. •Harry S. Truman (FDR's third VP), assumed office upon President Roosevelt's death on April 12, 1945, leaving a VP vacancy for 3 years, 283 days. •Lyndon B. Johnson (JFK's VP), assumed office upon President Kennedy's death on November 22, 1963, leaving a VP vacancy for 1 year, 59 days. •Gerald Ford (Nixon's second VP), assumed office upon President Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974, leaving a VP vacancy for 132 days.

Only two Vice Presidential vacancies have been filled under the provisions of the 25th Amendment. Gerald Ford was appointed to the Vice Presidency by President Nixon following Spiro Agnew's resignation in October 1973 and was confirmed by Congress in December 1973 (a nominee to fill a Vice Presidential vacancy must be confirmed separately by a majority vote of both chambers of Congress). On August 9, 1974, Nixon resigned as President and Ford succeeded to the White House, leaving the Vice Presidency vacant for the second time in less than a year. President Ford nominated Nelson Rockefeller as Vice President on August 20 and he was confirmed by Congress in December 1974.

[worldofwardcraft]

Is he headed for the Trump dump?

August 8, 2024

With the Democratic Party's recent surge in enthusiasm and the rise of its presumptive nominee in the polls, Republicans are starting to wonder if Donald Trump made a horrendous mistake listening to his idiot offspring, Don Jr., and Russian agent Tucker Carlson in choosing Ohio Senator J.D. Vance (pictured above with attention-seeking ear martyr) to be his running mate.

Partly this is because Vance (who changed his name from Hamel) brings absolutely nothing to the ticket, not even the state of Ohio. In his 2022 senatorial race, he badly underperformed every other statewide Republican on the ballot. Putting it politely, Vance is not particularly well liked in his home state. Moreover, as a vice presidential candidate, he embarrassingly crashed and burned right out of the gate.

Given the slew of internet memes ridiculing him, his disparaging remarks about women without children (calling them "cat ladies" and "sociopaths") and his sleep-inducing speaking style, it's little wonder that many GOPers are experiencing buyer's remorse over their party's prospective veep. One anonymous House Republican told news outlet Axios, "He was the only pick that wasn't the safe pick. And I think everyone has now realized that."

Even worse, Vance's fake folksiness and unrelenting weirdness compare unfavorably with the "everyman" persona and "midwestern dad" likeability of Democratic VP nominee Tim Walz. In fact, Vance is the least-liked running mate in at least 44 years, as data analyst Harry Enten commented on CNN last week,

I have gone all the way back since 1980. He is the first guy immediately following a convention — a VP pick — who actually had a net negative favorable rating, that is, underwater.

Added Enten, “In this case, he’s dragging Trump down.” So, will Vance get thrown over the side? Trump, with a history of backing losers, insists he's sticking with this one. Still, the Republican National Committee's Rule 9 does allow for filling a vice-presidential vacancy "which may occur as the result of death, declination, or otherwise" by reconvening its national convention. However, there's less than three months left to do so.

As Kenneth Mayer, retired political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, points out, impending state deadlines pose a significant issue. And the complications would only multiply once ballots were printed. It would be, he says, "extraordinarily disruptive" both logistically and politically to replace Vance as the vice-presidential nominee.

Yet, in 1972, Democrat George McGovern dropped his vice-presidential nominee, Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton, after only 18 days on the ticket. Trump, on the other hand, may find it's too late to consign Vance to the scrapheap.

[urbtnews]

President Joe Biden Quits

President Joe Biden Quits in a move that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is ending his presidential re-election campaign. This abrupt decision brings a humbling conclusion to Biden's storied half-century-long political career and scrambles the race for the White House just four months before Election Day. Download the URBT News App from your App store. Apple / Andriod Biden, 81, has been facing growing sentiment within his party that he was too frail to serve another term and that his re-election bid was destined to lose to former President Donald Trump in November. This sentiment, combined with mounting pressure and concerns about his health, ultimately led to his decision to step aside. The Announcement - President Joe Biden Quits The announcement came in the form of a letter released from the White House, where a visibly emotional Biden spoke directly to the American people. "After deep reflection and discussions with my family, I have decided that I will not seek re-election in 2024," Biden said. "This has been the honor of my lifetime, but it is time for me to step aside and allow a new generation of leaders to guide our nation forward." Biden's decision marks the end of a remarkable political journey that began in 1972 when he was first elected to the United States Senate. Over the years, he has served as Vice President under Barack Obama and as the 46th President of the United States, navigating the country through a global pandemic, economic challenges, and intense political division. Reaction from the Political Arena The reaction to Biden's announcement has been swift and varied. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-N.Y.) praised President Biden as a “true patriot and Biden has dedicated his life to public service". The Democrats must now focus on uniting our party and presenting a strong candidate for the American people. Republicans, on the other hand, have seized the opportunity to criticize Biden's presidency and capitalize on the uncertainty within the Democratic Party. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy remarked, "Biden's decision to drop out is a clear sign that even his own party recognizes the failure of his administration. The American people deserve better." The Impact on the 2024 Race With Biden out of the race, the Democratic Party faces the urgent task of selecting a new candidate who can rally the base and compete effectively against Donald Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been a prominent figure in the administration, is seen as a potential frontrunner. Nonetheless, Democratic leaders, such as Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, along with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, are similarly likely to consider their own bids for the nomination. The sudden vacancy at the top of the Democratic ticket has injected a new level of unpredictability into the 2024 presidential race. Political analysts are scrambling to reassess the landscape and consider the potential strategies and outcomes for both parties. Health Concerns and Political Pressure Biden's age and health have been subjects of ongoing scrutiny throughout his presidency. While he has repeatedly assured the public of his fitness for office, occasional public lapses and his demanding schedule have fueled speculation about his ability to serve another term. In recent months, whispers within the Democratic Party grew louder, with some party members expressing concerns about his stamina and electoral viability. These internal pressures, coupled with the daunting prospect of facing Donald Trump in a highly polarized and contentious election, ultimately led Biden to make the difficult decision to step aside. By doing so, he has opened the door for new leadership and potentially a fresh start for the Democratic Party. A Legacy of Service As Biden steps down from the political stage, his legacy remains a subject of debate and reflection. Supporters praise his decades of dedication to public service, his leadership during a time of crisis, and his efforts to promote unity and progress. Critics, however, point to perceived shortcomings and challenges during his presidency. Regardless of one's perspective, Biden's impact on American politics is undeniable. His decision to end his re-election campaign signifies the conclusion of an era and heralds the beginning of a new chapter in the nation's political history. 4o NEWS Presidential Hopeful Joseph Collins Jr. Promises Bold Solutions to Tackle Economic Inequality in America - Read Now! President Joe Biden Quits President Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race has left the nation and the political world reeling. As the Democratic Party scrambles to find a new standard-bearer and the country braces for an intense and unpredictable election season, the legacy of Biden's long and storied career will continue to be a topic of discussion and analysis. The coming months will reveal how this seismic shift will shape the future of American politics. Read the full article

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Andrew Prokop at Vox:

In a normal presidential campaign, the announcement of a running mate gets a lot of media attention — but has little immediate importance.  But Donald Trump’s campaign this year is not normal. And his veep pick this year could well be the most important such choice of our time – with major implications for the future of both the Republican Party and American democracy as a whole.

The vice presidency of the United States is an odd office. Its main function is to simply have someone on deck if the president dies or resigns. But the office has very few formal powers. Modern presidents sometimes delegate tasks for their vice president to do, but veeps mostly just hang around waiting for their chance at the big job. “I am nothing, but I may be everything,” the country’s first vice president, John Adams, famously said. [...]

So usually, the veep is the (possible) future of the party, but a new veep typically has to wait eight years (through a presidential reelection campaign) to get to that future, and his or her nearer-term importance in governing is less clear. But there are three unusual features about Trump’s situation that mean his veep pick will be more immediately important than usual.

1) Trump is term-limited, and there’s much uncertainty about the post-Trump GOP: Let’s start with the obvious: If Trump wins in November, the Constitution is clear that he can’t be elected for another term in 2028. So unless there’s a total collapse in constitutional government and the rule of law — fingers crossed there’s not! — he starts as a lame duck. Enter his vice president. Modern veeps are nationally known figures who have at least a good shot at winning their party’s presidential nomination in the future. There have been 20 presidential elections since World War II, and 12 have featured a veep — current or former — on the ballot. So Trump’s VP will be widely interpreted as his possible successor. On top of that, Trump’s persona has loomed so large over GOP politics for the past decade that it’s hard to imagine what the post-Trump Republican Party will look like. His choice could well determine whether the party gets even more extreme, or whether there’s a relative return to normalcy.

2) Trump poses threats to democracy — would his VP stand up to him? Typically, the veep’s only formal power of note (besides being the successor-in-waiting) is being the tie-breaking Senate vote, as the president of the Senate. But on January 6, 2021, another VP duty — presiding over Congress’s counting of the presidential electoral votes — became hugely important as Trump tried to steal the election from Joe Biden. The count is usually a formality, but Trump pressured Vice President Mike Pence to effectively seize control of the vote count, tossing out swing state results where Biden won. Had Pence actually done that, it would have thrown the process into chaos. But, relying on legal advice that he had no such authority — and, perhaps, on his own conscience — Pence refused. What if someone more unscrupulous had been in the VP job on that day?  The exact circumstances of the 2020 election crisis are unlikely to repeat. But a second-term Trump may well try to degrade democracy in other ways that are difficult to precisely foresee. Which raises the question: Will Trump’s future veep stand up and defend democracy, or not? [...]

3) Trump’s age and corruption make it more likely he’d leave office involuntarily ahead of schedule: Finally, though veeps have often gone on to be elected president, the more common way they’ve ended up in the job is through its sudden vacancy, due to health or scandal reasons. Both are a bit more likely to befall Trump than the average president. Trump is about to turn 78, and his advanced age makes it somewhat more likely that health reasons would prevent him from making it all the way through another four-year term. The odds of that are probably still low — Trump isn’t known to have serious health problems and would benefit from top-notch care. Still, sometimes old people decline quickly. (All this applies to Biden as well, of course.) Apart from death, the only other reason the presidency has been vacated early is a corruption scandal, when Nixon resigned to avert certain impeachment and removal from office. Trump is famously corrupt and is already the only president to be impeached twice. So it isn’t much of a stretch to suspect that there might be some corruption or abuse of power scandals leading to another Trump impeachment effort in his next term.

Vox’s Andrew Prokop analyzes the importance of Donald Trump’s Vice President pick, ranging from how to chart a path to a post-Trump GOP, whether that person would follow Mike Pence’s path to reject Trump’s worst authoritarian impulses or feed them instead, and readiness to step in should Trump be driven out or die in office.

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Wednesday, 6th December

Welcome, hoş geldiniz, mirë se vjen, chào mừng 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 6th December through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

6th December 2017 🗓️ : Event - Donald Trump Donald Trump's administration officially announces the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump received a Bachelor of Science in economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968, and his father named him..."

Image by Shaleah Craighead

6th December 2013 🗓️ : Death - Stan Tracey Stan Tracey, English pianist and composer (b. 1926) "Stanley William Tracey (30 December 1926 – 6 December 2013) was a British jazz pianist and composer, whose most important influences were Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. Tracey's best known recording is the 1965 album Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood", which is based on..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Suqpecoc at en.wikipedia

6th December 1973 🗓️ : Event - Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution The Twenty-fifth Amendment: The United States House of Representatives votes 387–35 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President of the United States. (On November 27, the Senate confirmed him 92–3.) "The Twenty-fifth Amendment (Amendment XXV) to the United States Constitution deals with presidential succession and disability. It clarifies that the vice president becomes president if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office through impeachment, and establishes how a vacancy in the..."

Image by Ssolbergj

6th December 1922 🗓️ : Event - Irish Free State One year to the day after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the Irish Free State comes into existence. "The Irish Free State (6 December 1922 – 29 December 1937), also known by its Irish name Saorstát Éireann (English: SAIR-staht AIR-ən, Irish: [ˈsˠiːɾˠsˠt̪ˠaːt̪ˠ ˈeːɾʲən̪ˠ]), was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish..."

Image by Éire

6th December 1823 🗓️ : Birth - Max Müller Max Müller, German-English philologist and orientalist (d. 1900) "Friedrich Max Müller (German: [ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈmaks ˈmʏlɐ]; 6 December 1823 – 28 October 1900) was a German philologist and orientalist, who lived and studied in Britain for most of his life. He was one of the founders of the western academic disciplines of Indian studies and religious studies ('science..."

Image by Alexander Bassano

6th December 🗓️ : Holiday - Anniversary of the Founding of Quito (Ecuador) "The national public holidays in Ecuador include: The anniversary of the annexation of the Galapagos Islands and Charles Darwin's birthday are also celebrated on February 12th as Galapagos Day (dia de la Provincia or dia de la Provincia de Galápagos). This is sometimes described on the mainland as..."

[pashterlengkap]

Ron DeSantis appoints hate group member to state appeals court

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has appointed anti-LGBTQ+ attorney Roger Gannam to serve as a judge on Florida’s Sixth District Court of Appeals. Gannam previously worked for the Liberty Counsel, an anti-LGBTQ+ legal advocacy group that opposes any expansion of queer civil rights and has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SLPC). DeSantis appointed Gannam to fill the court’s vacancy after the governor elevated its former Chief Judge Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court last May. He will now sit amongst its nine justices. --- Related Stories GOP official calls people fleeing Ron DeSantis’s anti-LGBTQ+ Florida “perverted” Parents who support LGBTQ+ students’ well-being are just perverts, according to the Republican leader. --- Gannam began working for Liberty Counsel in 2014 and served as Liberty Counsel’s assistant vice president of legal affairs beginning in 2016. While working for the Liberty Counsel, Gannam wrote a column for the Florida Times-Union that said that a trans-inclusive anti-discrimination policy would lead to sexual assaults against women in bathrooms and changing areas. Get the Daily Brief The news you care about, reported on by the people who care about you. Though the Liberty Counsel claims to take cases involving “religious freedom,” it actively opposes same-sex marriage, anti-discrimination laws, and gender-affirming therapy — something it refers to as “mutilation.” Liberty Counsel also advocates for conversion therapy, the widely disavowed form of psychological torture that purports to change people’s sexual orientation and gender identity. Liberty Counsel group has claimed that LGBTQ+ “pedophiles” seek to “indoctrinate” kids and society at large to embrace and reward “perversion” and “harmful sexual behavior.” The group says same-sex marriage causes disease and destroys “our very social fabric.” It also calls homosexuals “immoral” and “unnatural,” the SLPC noted. Nikki Fried, Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, criticized Gannam’s appointment to the appeals court, calling it “outrageous.” “After [Republican Florida Gov.] Ron [DeSantis] threw out a democratically elected State Attorney this week, he has continued his crusade to consolidate the courts and stack the judicial bench with activist judges like Roger Gannam, who has a long history of attacking women’s rights and the LGBTQ+ community,” Fried said, according to The Ledger. “How can the people of Florida seriously expect a fair and impartial hearing when he can’t even answer a question about his own biases?” Fried added. “He should be nowhere near a courtroom — in Florida or anywhere else.” In early August, it was revealed that DeSantis and his 2024 presidential campaign affiliates had given $95,000 to The Family Leader Foundation, an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group in Iowa. http://dlvr.it/SvBbjm

[dan6085]

All 27 amendments to the United States Constitution, along with a brief description of each:

1. First Amendment: Protects the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

2. Second Amendment: Protects the right to bear arms.

3. Third Amendment: Prohibits the government from forcing citizens to quarter (house) soldiers in their homes without consent.

4. Fourth Amendment: Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

5. Fifth Amendment: Protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, and guarantees the right to due process of law.

6. Sixth Amendment: Guarantees the right to a speedy and fair trial, the right to an attorney, and the right to an impartial jury.

7. Seventh Amendment: Guarantees the right to a trial by jury in civil cases.

8. Eighth Amendment: Prohibits excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

9. Ninth Amendment: States that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution shall not be construed to deny or disparage other rights retained by the people.

10. Tenth Amendment: States that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.

11. Eleventh Amendment: Limits the ability of individuals to sue states in federal court.

12. Twelfth Amendment: Revised the procedure for electing the President and Vice President.

13. Thirteenth Amendment: Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude.

14. Fourteenth Amendment: Defines citizenship, guarantees equal protection under the law, and prohibits states from depriving individuals of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

15. Fifteenth Amendment: Guarantees the right to vote regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

16. Sixteenth Amendment: Establishes the federal income tax.

17. Seventeenth Amendment: Allows for the direct election of senators by the people, rather than their appointment by state legislatures.

18. Eighteenth Amendment: Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors (Prohibition).

19. Nineteenth Amendment: Guarantees the right to vote regardless of sex (women's suffrage).

20. Twentieth Amendment: Sets the dates for the beginning and ending of presidential and congressional terms of office, and establishes procedures for succession to the presidency.

21. Twenty-first Amendment: Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment (Prohibition).

22. Twenty-second Amendment: Limits the President to two terms of office.

23. Twenty-third Amendment: Grants residents of the District of Columbia the right to vote in presidential elections.

24. Twenty-fourth Amendment: Prohibits the use of poll taxes as a condition for voting.

25. Twenty-fifth Amendment: Establishes procedures for presidential succession and for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President.

26. Twenty-sixth Amendment: Lowers the voting age to 18.

27. Twenty-seventh Amendment: Limits the ability of Congress to grant itself pay raises.

[chubbycaucasianchristiancloseted]

The words 25th amendment or a politician’s ability to hold office should never come out the mouth of a democrat ever again

The words 25th amendment or a politician’s ability to hold office should never come out the mouth of a democrat ever again. With the state of our current president, they have no ground for them to stand on and that would be considered ableism. As you read through this article I would encourage you to not only see how this applies to Trump but maybe see it can apply to Biden?

This article goes on to indicate that Trump might not have the ability to “really govern”. It also talks about what people within Trump’s inner circle would say about him off and on the record. I’m glad everyone shows so much respect towards Joe Biden. Just remember Biden might not be able to “really govern” but at least he is “truly a nice guy”.

This article even confirms that it most likely could not be used against Trump because he is still “lucid and able to communicate”. The same can be cause about Biden but what individual is closer to needing the 25th amendment?

Direct Quotes:

What is the 25th Amendment?

Briefly, the 25th Amendment is intended to clarify what happens in the event of the president or vice president’s death, resignation or removal from office. It also outlines how an Oval Office vacancy should be filled if the president becomes disabled and cannot fulfill his or her duties.

What is Section 1?

The amendment’s first part states that if the president dies, resigns or is removed from office, the vice president will then become president.

What is Section 2?

Section 2 details the process for filling a vice presidential vacancy. If there is no vice president, the president shall nominate someone to fill that vacancy. He or she will take office following confirmation by a simple majority from the House of Representatives and the Senate.

What is Section 3?

Section 3 states that should the president inform Congress that he is unable to “discharge the powers and duties of his office,” the vice president will become acting president until the president is once again capable.

What is Section 4?

This is where things get a bit more complicated. Section 4 outlines what should happen in circumstances when the president is disabled but cannot or will not declare this fact. This might be the situation if the president is in a coma or his plane crashed, he is missing, the administration cannot communicate with him and no one knows whether he’s alive or dead.

According to Section 4, if the vice president and a majority of his cabinet say that the president is disabled and cannot “discharge the powers and duties of his office,” then the vice president becomes president.

but that the president’s inability to “really govern” is testified to on a daily basis by his Cabinet.

“Read the things that these people, members of his inner circle, his personally selected appointees, say daily through anonymous quotations to the press. (And I assure you they say worse off the record.) They have no respect for him, indeed they seem to palpate with contempt for him, and to regard their mission as equivalent to being stewards for a syphilitic emperor,” Douthat wrote.

He believes that commentators like Douthat and Cohen might think Trump is nuts and unfit for the office, but says that the fact that he’s still lucid and able to communicate would make problematic the use of Section 4 as a means for removing him from office.

[narashikari]

welp if he got it during his inauguration and the people that he visited and that attended the inauguration are infected, welp it spells doom for the government as a lot of positions, not just the President and Vice President will be vacated if worse comes to worse.

Not to mention it's been a week since then, and he has since met with various foreign dignitaries and other government officials.

Juan Ponce Enrile, who's been appointed as the presidential legal counsel, also apparently tested positive for COVID before the inauguration (he didn't make it to his swearing in). If they met before then, it's possible that Marcos had already been exposed, and just didn't test positive due to the incubation period.

It should also be said that one of the vacancies yet to be filled on the Cabinet is the Secretary of the Department of Health... how fucking ironic.

[robertreich]

4 Key Takeaways from the Harris-Pence VP Debate

The Vice Presidential debate didn’t have the fireworks of the first presidential debate but Pence’s lies were just as egregious as Trump’s.

The only honest thing about Pence last night was the fly on his head.

From the moment he was tapped to be Donald Trump’s second-in-command, Mike Pence has served a single purpose: To put a placid, half-way respectable face on the disastrous, cruel policies of his boss. And that’s exactly what he did last night. Pence lied just like his boss, he flouted the debate rules like his boss, he evaded hard questions like his boss.

1. And just like Trump last week, Pence refused to condemn white supremacy.

After Harris highlighted Trump’s 2017 comments characterizing neo-Nazis in Charlottesville as “very fine people”, Pence attacked the media and tried to justify Trump’s despicable remarks. He touted the fact that Trump has Jewish grandchildren, as an apparent excuse for Trump’s repeated refusal to condemn white supremacy and tackle the lethal threat it poses. He concluded his non-answer by omitting any outright condemnation of white supremacy -- instead claiming, outrageously, that systemic racism doesn’t exist.

2. He said he hoped Amy Coney Barrett would get a “fair hearing.”

As Kamala Harris pointed out, 4 million people have already voted in this election and 56 percent of Americans think the winner should fill the Supreme Court vacancy. Meanwhile, Pence’s boss has instructed Senate Republicans to stop negotiations over the stimulus, so Republicans can focus on ramming through Trump’s nominee, after they refused to give Obama’s nominee a vote for 293 days. There’s nothing fair about this process -- and Pence knows it.

3. He doubled-down on Trump’s dangerous conspiracy theories. 

When asked about Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, he rehashed Trump’s conspiracies about impeachment and the Russia investigation, and pushed Trump’s absurd claim that mail-in voting creates a “massive opportunity for fraud.” Rubbish. The right-wing Heritage Foundation, after examining 36 years of mail-in ballots, found only 1,285 cases of voter fraud out of nearly two billion votes cast — a rate of .0000007 percent.

4. Most importantly, Pence refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if Trump loses. This is a worrisome sign of what may be to come.

Throughout the entire debate, Pence talked over Kamala Harris and moderator Susan Page -- who allowed him to go way overtime, avoid her questions, and lie endlessly. He showed utter contempt for the debate process. He even had the gall to demand Harris answer his own questions -- in typical misogynistic fashion -- even as he repeatedly evaded the moderator’s questions. 

Make no mistake: Pence is a slick version of Trump, and just as dangerous as the liar-in-chief.

[deadpresidents]

Regarding the relationships between the Presidents and the Vice Presidents, which ones would you say were the most toxic among one another or disagreed with each other the most?

Maybe it's just recency bias, but I seem to remember President Trump not only throwing Vice President Pence under the bus and calling him a coward for not helping to overturn the results of free and fair election, but very publicly doing so while hordes of Trump's supporters were chanting "Hang Mike Pence!" and attacking the Capitol (the place where Pence was physically located at the time) during a violent insurrection.

I mean, plenty of Presidents and Vice Presidents have said bitchy things about one another, but I feel like that one has to be the gold standard for toxic POTUS/VP relationships.-- which is pretty remarkable considering how embarrassingly loyal and personally subservient Pence had been for the initial 3 years and 350 days of the Trump Administration.

Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun at least deserve an honorable mention. At the end of his Presidency, Andrew Jackson said his two biggest regrets were that he was "unable to shoot Henry Clay or to hang John C. Calhoun". Calhoun was Jackson's Vice President for most of his first term and it's clear that they weren't teaming up to solve mysteries like Obama and Biden. Calhoun -- who had also served as Vice President under Jackson's immediate predecessor, John Quincy Adams -- eventually resigned as VP, partly to take a vacant seat in the U.S. Senate, partly because Martin Van Buren had been elected to replace him as Vice President in the 1832 election, and partly because his disagreements with President Jackson over the Nullification Crisis were getting pretty tense and openly hostile.

Political rivalries were at the root of the issue between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson when they were President and Vice President (1797-1801), and things got nasty, but nobody was threatening to kill each other. Their war of words took off more after Adams left office and Jefferson succeeded him, but they also reconciled and enjoyed one of history's great pen pal partnerships for the rest of their lives.

When Jefferson became President in his own right, he had his own beef with his first Vice President, Aaron Burr, over the 1800 Election. It didn't really result in much drama once Jefferson was on solid footing in the White House, and nobody got killed. Well...except for Alexander Hamilton. He totally got killed. The incumbent Vice President of the United States actually killed a fellow Founding Father, eventually returned to Washington, and presided over the Senate despite catching a murder indictment from the State of New Jersey. Even though he got himself a different VP for his second term, Jefferson never let go of the grudge he held against Burr, and pushed for Burr eventually getting charged with treason for sketchy dealings he had going on in the area recently acquired via the Louisiana Purchase. Much to Jefferson's disappointment, Burr was eventually acquitted.

Now that I'm laying out the facts, the Jefferson/Burr relationship definitely sounds pretty toxic when the ingredients include shady maneuvering over their initial election, murder and treason.

But it's important to remember that Vice Presidents played almost no role in the Executive Branch until the second-half of the 20th Century when Presidents started carving out a role for them, so it was really easy for a President to sideline his VP if they didn't get along. There were also long stretches of Vice Presidential vacancies because there was no mechanism for replacing a Vice President until 1967. We've had a President of the United States for over 234 years, and I once figured out that during that entire history, we've gone 37 years, 290 days of that time without a Vice President.

So, if there have been issues between a President and the Vice President, the VP has never had much leverage to use in order to better their position. As a federally-elected official in their own right, the Vice President is the one person that Presidents can't fire. But their only weapon has been their role as a tie-breaking vote in the Senate, and most Vice Presidents are in ideological lockstep with their President politically, so it's usually been rather unlikely that they'd have an opposing viewpoint on potential legislation requiring a tie-breaker. There are always issues that bubble to the surface between Presidents and Vice Presidents (or between their staffs and/or families) and we normally find out about them after the fact when folks are writing their memoirs and settling scores, but it's not usually anything too dramatic.

[worldofwardcraft]

The missing man.

May 16, 2024

At the Republican National Committee's spring donor retreat held at his Florida golf resort last week, Donald Trump mingled with a long list of potential running mates. Included were such reliable Trump toadies as senators Marco Rubio of Florida, J.D. Vance of Ohio and Tim Scott of South Carolina. Also in attendance were North Dakota governor Doug Burgum, South Dakota governor and puppy killer Kristi Noem, as well as New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

But little notice has been given to the fact that absent from this parade of flatterers and flunkies was Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence (pictured above leaving the MAGA formation). It's standard practice, of course, for presidents who are running for reelection to keep their vice presidents on the ticket. So why isn't Trump?

The answer to that is fairly straightforward: Pence refused to join in Trump's illegal fake electors plot to overturn the 2020 election and return him to office. It seems that when Trump incited thousands of armed rioters — some chanting "Hang Mike Pence!" — to attack the US Capitol in January 2021, that was the last straw. From then on, the once faithful veep was a committed never-Trumper. Said Pence later, "President Trump asked me to put him over the Constitution. But I chose the Constitution, and I always will."

Naturally, Trump never called Pence on or after January 6 to see if he was all right. And never apologized for putting his dependably loyal #2 in danger. Instead, Trump's response was about what you'd expect from a weak, petty individual who never forgets or forgives a slight. Last August, he wrote on his failing social media site:

WOW, it’s finally happened! Liddle’ Mike Pence, a man who was about to be ousted as Governor Indiana until I came along and made him V.P., has gone to the Dark Side. I never told a newly embolded…Pence to put me above the Constitution…He’s delusional, and now he wants to show he’s a tough guy.

Last year, Pence entered the presidential race himself, calling for a rejection of Trump's "siren song of populism" and for a return to the solid conservative policies of "limited government, free enterprise, fiscal responsibility and traditional moral values." But his words fell on deaf ears with a party mired in MAGA madness. He dropped out in October 2023.

And so it is that, with former VP Pence omitted from the Mar-a-Lago auditions, Trump's squadron of those who could serve as his campaign wingman has a noticeable vacancy.

[urbtnews]

President Joe Biden Quits

President Joe Biden Quits in a move that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is ending his presidential re-election campaign. This abrupt decision brings a humbling conclusion to Biden's storied half-century-long political career and scrambles the race for the White House just four months before Election Day. Download the URBT News App from your App store. Apple / Andriod Biden, 81, has been facing growing sentiment within his party that he was too frail to serve another term and that his re-election bid was destined to lose to former President Donald Trump in November. This sentiment, combined with mounting pressure and concerns about his health, ultimately led to his decision to step aside. The Announcement - President Joe Biden Quits The announcement came in the form of a letter released from the White House, where a visibly emotional Biden spoke directly to the American people. "After deep reflection and discussions with my family, I have decided that I will not seek re-election in 2024," Biden said. "This has been the honor of my lifetime, but it is time for me to step aside and allow a new generation of leaders to guide our nation forward." Biden's decision marks the end of a remarkable political journey that began in 1972 when he was first elected to the United States Senate. Over the years, he has served as Vice President under Barack Obama and as the 46th President of the United States, navigating the country through a global pandemic, economic challenges, and intense political division. Reaction from the Political Arena The reaction to Biden's announcement has been swift and varied. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-N.Y.) praised President Biden as a “true patriot and Biden has dedicated his life to public service". The Democrats must now focus on uniting our party and presenting a strong candidate for the American people. Republicans, on the other hand, have seized the opportunity to criticize Biden's presidency and capitalize on the uncertainty within the Democratic Party. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy remarked, "Biden's decision to drop out is a clear sign that even his own party recognizes the failure of his administration. The American people deserve better." The Impact on the 2024 Race With Biden out of the race, the Democratic Party faces the urgent task of selecting a new candidate who can rally the base and compete effectively against Donald Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been a prominent figure in the administration, is seen as a potential frontrunner. Nonetheless, Democratic leaders, such as Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, along with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, are similarly likely to consider their own bids for the nomination. The sudden vacancy at the top of the Democratic ticket has injected a new level of unpredictability into the 2024 presidential race. Political analysts are scrambling to reassess the landscape and consider the potential strategies and outcomes for both parties. Health Concerns and Political Pressure Biden's age and health have been subjects of ongoing scrutiny throughout his presidency. While he has repeatedly assured the public of his fitness for office, occasional public lapses and his demanding schedule have fueled speculation about his ability to serve another term. In recent months, whispers within the Democratic Party grew louder, with some party members expressing concerns about his stamina and electoral viability. These internal pressures, coupled with the daunting prospect of facing Donald Trump in a highly polarized and contentious election, ultimately led Biden to make the difficult decision to step aside. By doing so, he has opened the door for new leadership and potentially a fresh start for the Democratic Party. A Legacy of Service As Biden steps down from the political stage, his legacy remains a subject of debate and reflection. Supporters praise his decades of dedication to public service, his leadership during a time of crisis, and his efforts to promote unity and progress. Critics, however, point to perceived shortcomings and challenges during his presidency. Regardless of one's perspective, Biden's impact on American politics is undeniable. His decision to end his re-election campaign signifies the conclusion of an era and heralds the beginning of a new chapter in the nation's political history. 4o NEWS Presidential Hopeful Joseph Collins Jr. Promises Bold Solutions to Tackle Economic Inequality in America - Read Now! President Joe Biden Quits President Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race has left the nation and the political world reeling. As the Democratic Party scrambles to find a new standard-bearer and the country braces for an intense and unpredictable election season, the legacy of Biden's long and storied career will continue to be a topic of discussion and analysis. The coming months will reveal how this seismic shift will shape the future of American politics. Read the full article

[96thdayofrage]

Meet the women who could be Biden's pick for the next Supreme Court justice

News of Justice Stephen Breyer's expected retirement from the Supreme Court at the end of its current term has reignited questions of who will succeed him, as President Biden's pick is expected to make history.

Mr. Biden has pledged repeatedly that if given the chance to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court, he would nominate the first Black woman, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Wednesday he "certainly stands by that."

While the president declined to release a list of possible contenders for the Supreme Court during the 2020 presidential campaign, defying calls to do so from fellow Democrats, a number of names have emerged as likely to appear on Mr. Biden's shortlist.

If Mr. Biden's replacement for Breyer is confirmed by the Senate, she would not only make history as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, but it would also mark the first time two Black justices would be on the high court at the same time. Four women would also be on the bench simultaneously.

Here is a look at the possible candidates to succeed on the high court.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Jackson, 51, was one of Mr. Biden's first picks for the federal judiciary as president and is considered to be the frontrunner for the Supreme Court.

The president selected Jackson to replace Attorney General Merrick Garland on the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, considered to be the nation's second most powerful court, in March 2021, and she was confirmed by the Senate in June.

Three Republicans — Susan Collins of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — voted with all 50 Democrats to confirm Jackson.

Before joining the D.C. Circuit, Jackson was a U.S. district judge in the District of Columbia and vice chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission. At her confirmation hearing to the federal district court, Jackson was introduced by then-Congressman Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin who would go on to serve as House speaker before retiring in 2018. Ryan and Jackson are related by marriage.

"Our politics may differ, but my praise for Ketanji's intellect, for her character, for her integrity, it is unequivocal. She is an amazing person," Ryan told the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2012.

Jackson also worked as an assistant special counsel for the sentencing panel for two years, followed by two years as an assistant federal public defender. The judge has been hailed for her work as a former public defender, as judicial groups argue there is a dearth of professional diversity on the federal bench.

A graduate of Harvard Law School, she clerked for Breyer on the Supreme Court from 1999 to 2000.

California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger

Kruger, 45, hails from the home state of Vice President Kamala Harris and has been a member of its highest court since 2014. She was nominated to the California Supreme Court at just 38 years old by then-Governor Jerry Brown.

Before joining the state supreme court, Kruger worked at the Department of Justice in the Office of Legal Counsel as deputy assistant attorney general and in the Office of the Solicitor General as an assistant to the solicitor general and acting deputy solicitor general.

During her tenure in the solicitor general's office under President Barack Obama, Kruger argued 12 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. She also received the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service in 2013 and 2014.

Kruger also worked in private practice and clerked for Justice John Paul Stevens at the Supreme Court from 2003 to 2004. She graduated from Yale Law School.

Judge J. Michelle Childs

Childs, 55, was formally nominated to the D.C. Circuit by Mr. Biden earlier this month and has served as a judge on the U.S. district court in South Carolina since 2010.

Before her appointment to the federal bench, Childs was a state court trial judge on the South Carolina Circuit Court and a commissioner of the state's Workers' Compensation Commission.

Childs also worked as deputy director of the Division of Labor at the South Carolina Labor Department. She graduated from University of South Carolina School of Law.

Childs is a favorite of South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, a Democrat who is the highest-ranking African-American in Congress and whose endorsement of Mr. Biden was crucial to him winning the state's presidential primary in 2020. Clyburn hailed Childs in an interview with The Post and Courier last year not only for her judicial experience, but also her different educational background. If selected by Mr. Biden and confirmed by the Senate, she would join a Supreme Court whose current membership includes eight graduates of Harvard or Yale law schools and one graduate of Notre Dame Law School.

Judge Candace Jackson-Akiwumi

Jackson-Akiwumi, 43, was also in the first group of Mr. Biden's judicial nominees and was a partner at the Washington, D.C., firm Zuckerman Spaeder until her nomination to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of  Appeals in 2021.

She was confirmed in June to the 7th Circuit by a vote of 53 to 40, earning GOP support from Graham, Collins and Murkowski, like Jackson.

For a decade, from 2010 to 2020, Jackson-Akiwumi was a staff attorney in the Federal Defender Program for the Northern District of Illinois. During her tenure there, she represented more than 400 indigent clients accused of federal crimes.

With her confirmation to the 7th Circuit, Jackson-Akiwumi became the first judge appointed to that court with a background as a federal public defender.

Jackson-Akiwumi is a graduate of Yale  Law School.

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Monday, 27th November

Welcome, willkommen, chào mừng, 欢迎 (huānyíng) 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 27th November through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

27th November 2021 🗓️ : Death - Apetor Apetor, Norwegian YouTuber (b. 1964) "Tor Eckhoff (22 November 1964 – 27 November 2021), also known as Apetor (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈɑ̂ːpəˌtuːɾ]), was a Norwegian YouTuber known primarily for his videos where he drank vodka while performing daring activities on frozen waters, like ice skating, swimming in ice holes and diving. He..."

Image licensed under CC BY 3.0? by Aurimas Valujavičius

27th November 2016 🗓️ : Death - Ioannis Grivas Ioannis Grivas, Greek statesman (b. 1923) "Ioannis Grivas (Greek: Ιωάννης Γρίβας; 23 February 1923 – 27 November 2016) was a Greek judge, who served as President of the Court of Cassation and served as the Prime Minister of Greece at the head of a non-party caretaker government in 1989...."

27th November 2013 🗓️ : Death - Manuel F. Segura Manuel F. Segura, Filipino colonel (b. 1919) "Manuel Felimon Segura (January 1, 1919 – November 27, 2013) was a colonel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with assigned serial number 0-3547 AFP. He was G-1 and adjutant general in the General Headquarters of the Cebuano guerrillas during World War II, with Col. James M. Cushing as his..."

27th November 1973 🗓️ : Event - Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution Twenty-fifth Amendment: The United States Senate votes 92–3 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President of the United States. (On December 6, the House will confirm him 387–35). "The Twenty-fifth Amendment (Amendment XXV) to the United States Constitution deals with presidential succession and disability. It clarifies that the vice president becomes president if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office through impeachment, and establishes how a vacancy in the..."

Image by Ssolbergj

27th November 1923 🗓️ : Birth - J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. J. Ernest Wilkins Jr., American nuclear scientist, mechanical engineer and mathematician (d. 2011) "Jesse Ernest Wilkins Jr. (November 27, 1923 – May 1, 2011) was an African American nuclear scientist, mechanical engineer and mathematician. A child prodigy, he attended the University of Chicago at the age of 13, becoming its youngest ever student. His graduation at a young age resulted in him..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Dan Dry

27th November 1823 🗓️ : Birth - James Service James Service, Scottish-Australian politician, 12th Premier of Victoria (d. 1899) "James Service (27 November 1823 – 12 April 1899), Australian colonial politician, was the 12th Premier of Victoria, Australia...."

Image by Unknown authorUnknown author

27th November 🗓️ : Holiday - Lancashire Day (United Kingdom) "Lancashire Day is the county day of historic Lancashire in England. It is held on 27 November to commemorate the day in 1295 when Lancashire first sent representatives to Parliament, to attend the Model Parliament of King Edward I. Lancashire Day was first held in 1996. Organised and coordinated..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Sodacan

[freetheshit-outofyou]

2016 vs. 2020

The Democrats are essentially claiming that there’s no difference between 2016 and 2020. If that’s the case, why are they changing their tune?

In 2016, Sen. Schumer said, “Every day that goes by without a ninth justice is another day the American people's business is not getting done.”

In 2020, Sen. Schumer said, “This vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.”

In 2016, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said, “There’s a duty to fill that vacancy, to make the system work.”

In 2020, Sen. Blumenthal said, “This close to the election, there is no way that the United States Senate can or should act before the voters decide.”

In 2016, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said, “Eight is not enough on the United States Supreme Court.”

In 2020, Sen. Klobuchar said that Republicans would face a “moral reckoning” if they attempted to fill the ninth seat on the Supreme Court.

In 2016, Vice President Biden said, “I made it absolutely clear that I would go forward with a confirmation process as chairman, even a few months before a presidential election. …The American people deserve a fully staffed Supreme Court of nine, not one disabled and divided, one that is able to rule on the great issues of the day.”

In 2020, Biden said, “Let me be clear. The voters should pick a president, and that president should select a successor to Justice Ginsburg.”