Comments on: Changing the Culture II: Role of the VP http://www.undiplomatic.net/2008/12/07/changing-the-culture-ii-role-of-the-vp/ Bringing foreign policy back, girl. Those other countries don't know how to act. Mon, 21 May 2012 17:54:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Midwest McGarry http://www.undiplomatic.net/2008/12/07/changing-the-culture-ii-role-of-the-vp/#comment-6440 Midwest McGarry Sun, 07 Dec 2008 20:49:39 +0000 http://www.undiplomatic.net/?p=2125#comment-6440 I think the order of presidential succession and the electoral college are two ticking time bombs in the Constitution. Both should be subjects of national dialogue and calm, rational reform. However, I predict neither will be reformed in such a manner... and one of these bombs will go off in the next 25 or so years. Either we will have 1) a tie in the electoral college and a nation-rending Senate debate which will start with battles over seating, go to the Supreme Court, and end who knows where... and/or 2)the death or incapacitation of the president coupled with a vice presidential and/or Speaker vacancy leading to a political battle royale and, again, SCOTUS. Or any permutations on the above. But the political will to fix this won't happen without a crisis... I think the order of presidential succession and the electoral college are two ticking time bombs in the Constitution. Both should be subjects of national dialogue and calm, rational reform.

However, I predict neither will be reformed in such a manner… and one of these bombs will go off in the next 25 or so years. Either we will have 1) a tie in the electoral college and a nation-rending Senate debate which will start with battles over seating, go to the Supreme Court, and end who knows where… and/or 2)the death or incapacitation of the president coupled with a vice presidential and/or Speaker vacancy leading to a political battle royale and, again, SCOTUS.

Or any permutations on the above. But the political will to fix this won’t happen without a crisis…

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