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Who would rule the world if Joe Biden dropped dead tomorrow (of natural causes)? (feddit.nl)

submitted 5 months ago by SLfgb@feddit.nl to c/asklemmygrad@lemmygrad.ml

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Who would run the US empire until the new President is elected and sworn in?

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[-] ksynwa@lemmygrad.ml 21 points 5 months ago

The president of the US already does not really run the US, let alone the world. While they obviously have a lot of power and privilege, they are ultimately beholden to the capital owners of their country. For example, US is not supporting the genocide in Gaza because Biden is a Zionist. Rather, it's that his Zionism was mandatory for him being the president.

Besides the pedantry, Harris would become the interim president. I would love if it happened though. The scenario sounds hysterical.

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl 2 points 5 months ago

Thank you. Follow-up question: Would Harris become Interim President or President? I mean, it seems like there should be a distinction because if Trump gets elected and then drops dead within a month, is a new election called or does his VP just automatically take over for the full term unelected? omg I'm picturing a President Pompeo now 😱

[-] ksynwa@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 5 months ago

The VP (now President) serves out the remainder of the term

[-] cfgaussian@lemmygrad.ml 19 points 5 months ago

Same people who run the empire now. Biden doesn't run shit.

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl -1 points 5 months ago

except he has the nuclear codes...

[-] SugandeseDelegation@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 5 months ago

The nuclear football is just for show really. If it comes down to it, a president saying no to nuclear war won't stop the nukes from flying.

I'm reading a book on this atm and I've only read about the early Cold War so far, but for instance, it was widely believed among the military involved with nuclear weapons that Eisenhower had delegated authority to nuke to a bunch of generals under some very lax circumstances that occurred daily like loss of communication (which happened super often due to weather back then), and these generals then did the same with their subordinates. Nobody knew if that authorization was actually real, but they all acted like it was. In essence, you had very decentralized authority to nuke the Soviets/Chinese (US policy lumped them together even in case the Chinese would stay out of a war with the US). I doubt much has changed, perhaps others can comment

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl 2 points 5 months ago

That's interesting. What's the name of the book?

[-] SugandeseDelegation@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 5 months ago

Sorry, didn't have all the details when I wrote my reply so I left it out. I tend to forget book titles and authors these days...

It's called "The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner" by Daniel Ellsberg, the guy who leaked the Pentagon Papers (which describe the US' involvement in the Vietnam War and how it was much more extensive and violent than they had been telling the public, including bombing Cambodia and Laos, and which helped turn public opinion against the war). Ellsberg worked with the DoD on national security and with the RAND Corporation on US nuclear strategy.

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Omg yes!! I want to read that. I'm trying to read his other book, Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers, atm but have been too distracted to get far unfortunately. I'll get there.

The world owes Dan a lot for his courageous and principled actions.

Ellsberg also was a great advocate for Julian Assange's freedom, even giving evidence at his extradition hearings. It's sad he didn't get to see his release. Great man. RIP

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl 1 points 5 months ago

😯

[-] Shinhoshi@lemmygrad.ml 12 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

The VP "shall become" president according to the 25th Amendment. Before that, the precedent for this was established when President Harrison actually dropped dead in office in 1841 after having only been president for a month.

As mentioned by others, the empire can run itself without a president, despite the line of succession that has been arranged if such a scenario actually were to occur.

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl -1 points 5 months ago

The VP “shall become” president according to the 25th Amendment. Before that, the precedent for this was established when President Harrison actually dropped dead in office in 1841 after having only been president for a month.

Wait, so even in that case when the President dies within a short time of taking office, a new election isn't called immediately while an interim president fills the seat for a short duration until a new President is elected? 😮

[-] Shinhoshi@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 5 months ago

Right, it's common knowledge in the US that the VP could become the president while in office. This was used to fearmonger to racists due to Biden's age and declining health that Kamala would take over during his term.

Interim elections are called for members of Congress as needed, but no, presidents will simply appoint a new vice president if needed and serve the remainder of the term.

[-] ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Its such a niche case scenario that no one has bothered to prepare for it, as demonstrated by the fact that it only happened twice in US history; once in 1841 due to an extremely unexpected illness, and once in 1865 due to an assassination after the Civil War when there would have been no way to set up a national election. Also with the way US elections work, there would be absolutely no way you could call an election on such a short notice. It would be an utter disaster.

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl 0 points 5 months ago

Also with the way US elections work, there would be absolutely no way you could call an election on such a short notice. It would be an utter disaster.

Why is that? The UK did it... Why does an election campaign have to go for half the term in the US?

[-] ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 5 months ago

Because of the way party conventions and nominations work, with the way the US system is currently designed there would be essentially no way to get parties to elect their officials, tell everyone about the candidate, and then vote for a half term.

Don’t forget that the entire UK could fit into one US state and the entire population of the UK is smaller then the population of Texas and California alone.

Further, because of the sheer size of the United States, many people have to travel could need to travel upwards of 30-45 minutes one way to vote, so many people rely on mail in votes, which would be close to impossible to distribute and then collect in the time the snap election happens. It would just be easier to wait until the next election.

It is also expected that the vice president would carry on the plans of the original president since they are from the same party, so there aren’t any major changes in course expected.

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl 1 points 4 months ago

I don't really know how party conventions and noninations work, but I'll take your word for it.

vote for a half term. why half a term? Why not just a full term starting as soon as the newly elected Presidenn takes office?

Further, because of the sheer size of the United States, many people have to travel could need to travel upwards of 30-45 minutes one way to vote, so many people rely on mail in votes, which would be close to impossible to distribute and then collect in the time the snap election happens. It would just be easier to wait until the next election.

Sounds like they need more funding for more voting booths...

[-] davel@lemmygrad.ml 9 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Didn’t you ask this question on lemmy.ml yesterday or the day before? I answered you then. Do you expect to get a different answer here? What answer do you want someone to give you?

ETA: Yes, you did: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5214479

EETA: And you’ve posted it to heaxbear as well.

Stop wasting our time.

[-] SLfgb@feddit.nl -2 points 5 months ago

Wait - why can't I see any of the comments and votes on any posts on hexbear? Feddit-hexbear federation issue? I'd assumed it hadn't worked, that's why I posted it on ask lemmygrad after.

Yes, I do expect more interesting answers here than aslemmy, since asklemmy I realised isn't really for political discussion.

No need to be rude. x

[-] ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Look up the "United States presidential line of succession", there is an entire order for who becomes President in case the acting president is no longer able to carry out the duties of their office, are killed/presumed dead, or abdicate their position. While succession has been planned out to the point of dozens of successors, the top five in order are:

Vice President
Speaker of the House of Representatives
President pro tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury

If you pay attention to major US political events, you will notice that you will never see all of those people in the same place at any given time; even during the State of the Union in Congress.