Could Obama Have Won The Election, Probably Not. However, He Still Might Try To Do It The Old Fashioned Way--Making Sure His Successors Don't Show Up For Inauguration!
What would happen if the President Elect and Vice President Elect could not serve due to death, disability, infirmity or other issue preventing him/her from taking their place at the Inauguration? It is obvious that the 25th Amendment would take effect after the Oath of Office had been administrated. But what happens if the issue arises between the election and January 20? Would/could the standing President a) stay in office until a new election was held and a new leadership team be inaugurated b) Allow the Speaker of the House to become President c) move to have his position become permanent?
The Amendment dealing with this issue (the 25th) does not address the issue of assumption of power between between the election and the inauguration. It only discusses a standing President. Here is what the Amendment says as reported in Wikipedia::
The text of the 25th Amendment:
Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.
Section 4. Whenever 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, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.[3]
If something were to happen to Trump and Mike Pence, would President Obama choose a road not travelled before? We fear so. If given the choice, Obama would stay in office (as he feels he deserves being there for a third term), saying he would hold elections at a point in the future--which, like Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, will never happen.
Maybe this explains some of the moves he has made recently. The NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) which now allows the Pentagon to judge what news is real and what is fake. Like the Pentagon has never or could never be politicized. It would be nice to have someone on your side deciding to stomp on real news and only put out the "company line" ala the old Soviet News Agency, Pravda.
It also explains the tenor of his actions against Israel. Obama has emasculated Israel in the world's view. It is no longer in charge of its future, the UN (and Obama) is. It would show he has the power to hurt any country that does not agree with him.
He has pardoned 3-4 times as many criminals serving sentences than any other President. Are these his shock troops and/ or a dependable voting block?
The talk of war with Russia, trying to put Putin back in his box. He is trying to do things that he has not done in his entire administration.That of being strong. This change of tactics makes us wonder what is going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
And we still have 20 days to go before our fears go away. That is a lot of time to do damage.
For those of us who thought that the worst was over when Trump was elected, it appears as if Obama was not thinking the same way. We fear (and hope we are wrong) that the President has other things up his sleeve and will not leave the Presidency the way the Constitution prescribes. Let's hope that we just had a bad dream and the transition is seamless!
Conservative Tom
