Succession question (a la Pence and January 6)

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

There is a discussion going on elsewhere that somebody is saying "Trump will never become dictator because We Have A Constitution!" (obviously, we know where this guy stands on the political fence.)

Question is: If the mob had gotten hold of Pence and prevented him from certifying the electoral college results (as someone pointed out, it happened for 12 hours on January 6...and his response was "but it didn't happen! The election results were certified!") BUT, if they'd turned the effigy into reality or something else happened, what would have been the result of the January 6 uprising?

His argument is "Constitution! Constitution! Constitution!" :What are you afraid of that Congress will make legislation that makes him a dictator?" We've argued that Germany had a Constitution until Hitler ripped it up. They don't have to *legislate* him into a dictatorship and so on.

My argument to his "But he certified the election! We have a Constitution!" is that we don't have a mechanism to replace the VICE President as President of the Senate and to oversee and certify the results. We have a line of succession if the PRESIDENCY is vacant, but not if the VICE Presidency become vacant. That position is filled by appointment and confirmation, *not* succession. So the Speaker of the House does not automatically assume the role, and he would come (in the line of succession) before the President pro tempore of the Senate.

So we become a vacuum? And (?) then to alleviate the vacuum since there's no certification, it becomes a vote by the House? Where, even if the *uncertified* election results have Harris/Walz as the winners, the House would overrule the results and reinstall Trump? Because Lord above knows, we don't have any John McCains sitting in the House right now.

Walk me through this please and thank you and I'm sorry for putting this hellscape into the ether.

[leahcar]

The new house will be sat on January 3rd. Democrats are favored to take over the house so there wouldn’t be a Speaker Johnson allowed to have shenanigans.

The rules around objecting also changed. You need 1/5 of each chamber now and I don’t think they’ll have that (especially in the Senate).

That + Biden being in office + the increased security at the Capitol makes me think certification won’t be the issue this time. I am still nervous about violence, but feel much better since TFG won’t be directing things this time.

[sju]

This may not be the right place but would Trump referring to having a little secret be a way to threaten speaker Johnson and in reality they are not truly collaborating? I know they are all capable of doing all sorts of shady things to get their way.

[sonrisa]

Looking back at what almost happened.

If the Vice Presidency becomes vacant, the President appoints someone who must be confirmed by the house and senate. we would be in limbo until that happened. If a murderous mob killed thr VP and members of congress, that could tip the scales on how Congress would vote in that confirmation.

Our rules weren’t made assuming a violent mob isn’t rampaging around.

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Thanks. leahcar that makes me feel a little better. I hope we get the House back and Johnson becomes irrelevant.

[underwaterrhymes]

Elie Mystal shared something that is frightening. I think she will win, but this shit right here is what I’m most worried about:

www.thenation.com/article/politics/little-secret-trump-johnson-election/tnamp/

Read at your own risk. It’s dystopian AF.