The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[Morrigoon]

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

The best news of all is that Bush II can never, ever be president again. Never ever.

This made me finally delve into whether Bill Clinton could Constitutionally be VP.

The answer is...slightly cloudy. It all depends on a semantic interpretation.

There are 3 rules in the Constitution that it all hinges on.

Article II says, "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

12th Amendment says "But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."

22nd Amendment says "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once."

So the answer depends on whether "shall not be elected" is equivalent to "is eligible". One interpretation says that it's not. That only Article II deals with eligibility, so as long as he meets those requirements and is not elected to the Presidency, he (or Dubya) can be VP and thus potentially President.

However if you take a less semantically literate view that the 22nd Amendment does constitute a condition for ineligibility, then clearly he would not be allowed to be VP.

While part of me would be amused at the acceptance of the pedantic, semantic reading, I can't imagine any Supreme Court buying it.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Duly noted. I will have to look for that. Coke with real sugar is awesome.

You can also sometimes find it with the Hispanic food products. I think I'll start a new thread.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

The best news of all is that Bush II can never, ever be president again. Never ever.

We can all hold out hope for Jeb, though.

(I'm joking, OK? Don't throw things at me.)

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

The best news of all is that Bush II can never, ever be president again. Never ever.

It may be worse: Imagine if you will:

1988---George Bush elected President
1992---Bill Clinton elected President
2000--George Bush elected President
2008--Hillary Clinton elected President
2016--Marvin Bush elected President
2024--Lauren Bush elected President
2032--Chelsea Clinton elected President

2037--Republican and Democratic parties dissolved......now everyone is either a Bushie or a Clintonite

[Gemini Cricket]

I'll say it once again. I'm not a fan of bush. I mean... Bush!

[JWBear]

I have a friend from Australia (not Lashie) who suggested that, once Dubya is out of office, we Americans hold a public Bush burning.....

[Gemini Cricket]

I'm wondering how history will remember Bush II?
As the hero with his arm around a fireman after 9/11?
or
As some sort of dufus in a flight suit underneath a Mission Accomplished banner?

I guess we'll know after he dies, like Reagan.
:shrug:

[JWBear]

Both.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

It may be worse: Imagine if you will:

1988---George Bush elected President
1992---Bill Clinton elected President
2000--George Bush elected President
2008--Hillary Clinton elected President
2016--Marvin Bush elected President
2024--Lauren Bush elected President
2032--Chelsea Clinton elected President

2037--Republican and Democratic parties dissolved......now everyone is either a Bushie or a Clintonite

I'm suddenly inclined to hate Che Guevara a little less...