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[-] dhork@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Sigh. I keep reminding people that the 25th Amendment was not meant for this. It was meant for when a President is physically incapacitated. Like, if a President was shot in the head, and is still alive, but in a coma. Because all the President has to do is say "Naw, I'm good", and he gets his office back. If the VP and Cabinet still agree, it takes a 2/3 majority of both Houses to make the expulsion stick. And even then, the VP carries in as "Acting President", which is not formally defined anywhere.

Impeachment is the way to handle this. It has a lower threshold. It doesn't require the VP or Cabinet to sign off first, and only needs 1/2 the House to start the process. And once the President is removed from office by 2/3 of the Senate, the VP becomes the actual President, no "acting" involved.

[-] grue@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

You're 100% right on the mechanics of it, but only 90% right overall. There is one small thing you might not be considering: Republicans might be more supportive of removing an "incapacitated" president than impeaching a tyrannical one because of the less damaging connotation of it.

[-] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago

It was meant for when a President is physically incapacitated.

Dementia is physical incapacitation.

[-] m4xie@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago

What is impeachment usually meant to do? Because he's been impeached twice and here he is.

[-] Klox@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Colloquially it is also meant to include conviction by the Senate. Impeach + convict. But yes, Republicans have been assholes for many decades. It still needs to happen though, so it is what continues to get demanded.

[-] dhork@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Impeachment is meant as a check on an Imperial Presidency. In the Constitution, it is supposed to be triggered in response to "High Crimes and Misdemeanors". It leaves to Congress what that means. So it does not have to be a chargeable crime. The President is supposed to uphold the Constitution, and Treaties like the NATO treaty are supposed to have the same force as the Constitution. Threatening to attack our allies should count as impeachable.

However, he has been impeached twice and failed because Republicans in Congress have his back. In particular, the second time around McConnell said that Trump deserved punishment, but it was better done in the courts. Then Surprise! the Courts said the only way to hold a sitting President to account was through impeachment. It was an ouroborous of letting him off the hook.

We may have to live with the fact that there is no way to fix this, other than voters (or God Himself) intervening, as long as Republicans are too chickenshit to stand up to Trump.

[-] jj4211@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago

Because all the President has to do is say "Naw, I'm good"

Or, historically, his wife claims he's good, but can't speak to anyone directly, so she would talk with him away from everyone and come back with his feedback.

I predict Stephen Miller would be the one to assume that role this time.

[-] jacksilver@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I like you're assumption that's not already happening. Trump doesn't have the capacity to orchestrate what's currently going on, there is definitely multiple people using him for their own interests.

this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2026
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