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Trump: What's that?

funinspace

funinspace

Don't Panic
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Sigh a sitting president doesn't even know how he could be removed from office...I really shouldn't be surprised.

I thought this was an interesting article, though it is hard to fathom the WH being that consumed by such insanity. Then again, it was odd for a sitting Repug Senator saying that El Cheato is setting us on a path to WWIII... As much as it would be fitting for Don the Con to be carted off in disgrace by his own cabinet, it would certainly make for a few crazy weeks. As far as I remember we haven't had a president shit-canned for being crazier than a coconut.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/donald-trump-is-unraveling-white-house-advisers
In recent days, I spoke with a half dozen prominent Republicans and Trump advisers, and they all describe a White House in crisis as advisers struggle to contain a president who seems to be increasingly unfocused and consumed by dark moods. Trump’s ire is being fueled by his stalled legislative agenda and, to a surprising degree, by his decision last month to back the losing candidate Luther Strange in the Alabama Republican primary. “Alabama was a huge blow to his psyche,” a person close to Trump said. “He saw the cult of personality was broken.”
<snip>
Several months ago, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversation, former chief strategist Steve Bannon told Trump that the risk to his presidency wasn’t impeachment, but the 25th Amendment—the provision by which a majority of the Cabinet can vote to remove the president. When Bannon mentioned the 25th Amendment, Trump said, “What’s that?”
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Horatio Parker said:
"Increasingly unfocused"... compared to what? Hasn't he always been unfocused?
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"Increasingly unfocused" is a rethuglican euphemism for "a menace to all life on this planet". When they decide that he hurts their re-election chances (by destroying the planet, or other means) more than he helps them, they'll revert to the latter phrasing.
 
Elixir said:
sharon45 said:
Nice take on producing an Onion piece.
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I wish...
Here's the actual onion piece:
attachment.php
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"Ha, see, I can easily pretend to be a qualified journalist like those sad losers at NBC."
 
Elixir said:
Horatio Parker said:
"Increasingly unfocused"... compared to what? Hasn't he always been unfocused?
Click to expand...

"Increasingly unfocused" is a rethuglican euphemism for "a menace to all life on this planet". When they decide that he hurts their re-election chances (by destroying the planet, or other means) more than he helps them, they'll revert to the latter phrasing.
Click to expand...

I see - it's a feature when they need him, but a bug when they don't.
 
Horatio Parker said:
Elixir said:
"Increasingly unfocused" is a rethuglican euphemism for "a menace to all life on this planet". When they decide that he hurts their re-election chances (by destroying the planet, or other means) more than he helps them, they'll revert to the latter phrasing.
Click to expand...

I see - it's a feature when they need him, but a bug when they don't.
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That's politics.
 
As an outsider, it looks like Trump is doing pretty well for himself. Despite all the nagging, absolutely no steps are being taken to remove him, and republicans have no trouble getting their agenda passed. Only things that are seemingly at an impasse are things like "the wall" or healthcare repeal, irrelevant pissing contests.
 
Steve Bannon told Trump that the risk to his presidency wasn’t impeachment, but the 25th Amendment—the provision by which a majority of the Cabinet can vote to remove the president. When Bannon mentioned the 25th Amendment, Trump said, “What’s that?”
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Why would a majority of the Cabinet vote to remove Trump? Most of them pretty much drank the same bat-shit tainted Kool-Aid that he did.
:realitycheck:
 
Kilgore Trout said:
Steve Bannon told Trump that the risk to his presidency wasn’t impeachment, but the 25th Amendment—the provision by which a majority of the Cabinet can vote to remove the president. When Bannon mentioned the 25th Amendment, Trump said, “What’s that?”
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Why would a majority of the Cabinet vote to remove Trump? Most of them pretty much drank the same bat-shit tainted Kool-Aid that he did.
:realitycheck:
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Yeah, that would be fine with Trump, because he doesn't mind drinking, as long as there is no alcohol in it.
 
barbos said:
Majority of the Cabinet can really fire Trump?
What is included in the Cabinet?
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Vice President and the heads of the Executive Departments (Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Secretary of Housing, etc. etc.)

The text of the amendment says it has to be "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", so Pence essentially has a veto.

They don't really fire the President, they just declare him incapacitated. The President can contest it and unless the Senate and House of Representatives each vote by 2/3rds majority that he is in fact incapacitated he resumes his duties. The 25th Amendment doesn't seem to set any limit on how often a bypassed President can force such a vote...
 
jonatha said:
barbos said:
Majority of the Cabinet can really fire Trump?
What is included in the Cabinet?
Click to expand...

Vice President and the heads of the Executive Departments (Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Secretary of Housing, etc. etc.)

The text of the amendment says it has to be "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", so Pence essentially has a veto.

They don't really fire the President, they just declare him incapacitated. The President can contest it and unless the Senate and House of Representatives each vote by 2/3rds majority that he is in fact incapacitated he resumes his duties. The 25th Amendment doesn't seem to set any limit on how often a bypassed President can force such a vote...
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Interesting, but what if Trump fires them first?
Members of the Cabinet (except for the Vice President) serve at the pleasure of the President, who can dismiss them at will for no cause.
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I think we have votes of suicide squad for sure.
 
barbos said:
Interesting, but what if Trump fires them first?
Members of the Cabinet (except for the Vice President) serve at the pleasure of the President, who can dismiss them at will for no cause.
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Dunno. (Section 4 of the 25th amendment has never been invoked.)

There are presently 15 Executive Departments. Some possibilities:

1) Vacancies mean the number of votes required for a majority is reduced. (If all 15 departments have principal officers, you need 8 votes to invoke section 4. If 8 of the positions are vacant, you only need 4.)

2) Acting heads (assuming they've been named - or maybe that's not necessary) count as principal officers
a) and get a vote (back to 8 needed)
b) but don't get a vote (see item 1)

3) Congress gets pissed and names an "other body" whose members aren't subject to dismissal. (This would presumably require overriding a veto.)

In anything but the most straightforward of circumstances (all 15 departments headed by people confirmed by the Senate), I suppose the Supreme Court would have the final say on the rules.
 
Generally, the Electoral College was created to prevent needing to do this with an unhinged moron. The President would really need to be mentally incapacitated in order for the Cabinet maneuver to work.
 
Jimmy Higgins said:
Generally, the Electoral College was created to prevent needing to do this with an unhinged moron. The President would really need to be mentally incapacitated in order for the Cabinet maneuver to work.
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Well, if FFvC started screaming at his generals for refusing to nuke say NK or Iran; and started firing each one; seeking one that would comply; that might trigger a cabinet revolt...
 
funinspace said:
Jimmy Higgins said:
Generally, the Electoral College was created to prevent needing to do this with an unhinged moron. The President would really need to be mentally incapacitated in order for the Cabinet maneuver to work.
Click to expand...
Well, if FFvC started screaming at his generals for refusing to nuke say NK or Iran; and started firing each one; seeking one that would comply; that might trigger a cabinet revolt...
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I'm an optimist... and have hope it wouldn't take nuclear armageddon to get the Cabinet involved.
 
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