This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/opinion/trump-impeachment-succession.html
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Pence Is Implicated | |
(32 minutes later) | |
This article is part of David Leonhardt’s newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. | This article is part of David Leonhardt’s newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. |
The president led a conspiracy to use American foreign policy for his personal benefit. We’ve known that much for weeks. Yesterday, we heard a credible accusation that the vice president, among other top officials, was aware of the conspiracy and evidently did nothing to stop it. | The president led a conspiracy to use American foreign policy for his personal benefit. We’ve known that much for weeks. Yesterday, we heard a credible accusation that the vice president, among other top officials, was aware of the conspiracy and evidently did nothing to stop it. |
Imagine for a moment that congressional Republicans were willing to make good on the oath they have all taken to defend the Constitution. In that scenario (fanciful, I realize), both President Trump and Vice President Pence would be at risk of being impeached and removed. This combination would then create a new and separate political crisis. | Imagine for a moment that congressional Republicans were willing to make good on the oath they have all taken to defend the Constitution. In that scenario (fanciful, I realize), both President Trump and Vice President Pence would be at risk of being impeached and removed. This combination would then create a new and separate political crisis. |
Why? Because the second person in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president, is the speaker of the House, who is of course currently a Democrat — Nancy Pelosi. If both Trump and Pence were removed from office, Pelosi would become president, flipping partisan control of the White House and the executive branch. | Why? Because the second person in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president, is the speaker of the House, who is of course currently a Democrat — Nancy Pelosi. If both Trump and Pence were removed from office, Pelosi would become president, flipping partisan control of the White House and the executive branch. |
That should never happen. A scandal should be able to lead to the removal of individual officials, but it should not reverse which party won an election. “If the electorate says that such-and-such a party should have the White House for four years, it ought to have the White House for four years,” Dwight Eisenhower wisely said. | That should never happen. A scandal should be able to lead to the removal of individual officials, but it should not reverse which party won an election. “If the electorate says that such-and-such a party should have the White House for four years, it ought to have the White House for four years,” Dwight Eisenhower wisely said. |
The potential for a partisan reversal raises all kinds of problems. It creates incentives for one party to exaggerate a scandal (which, to be clear, is not happening in this case). It can also lead to more voters distrusting an impeachment process. “The whole point of having a line of succession is to ensure a smooth transition and a continuity of administration in a time of crisis,” my colleague Jesse Wegman has written. “Having a leader of the opposing party take over the White House, especially in an era of intense political polarization, would not achieve that, to put it mildly.” | The potential for a partisan reversal raises all kinds of problems. It creates incentives for one party to exaggerate a scandal (which, to be clear, is not happening in this case). It can also lead to more voters distrusting an impeachment process. “The whole point of having a line of succession is to ensure a smooth transition and a continuity of administration in a time of crisis,” my colleague Jesse Wegman has written. “Having a leader of the opposing party take over the White House, especially in an era of intense political polarization, would not achieve that, to put it mildly.” |
Or as Jonathan Bernstein of Bloomberg Opinion writes: “It’s contrary to the entire structure of the constitutional system, which separates legislative from executive institutions and forces them to share powers.” | Or as Jonathan Bernstein of Bloomberg Opinion writes: “It’s contrary to the entire structure of the constitutional system, which separates legislative from executive institutions and forces them to share powers.” |
The line of succession stems from a 1947 law, and it can be changed with a new law anytime. Pelosi and House Democrats should pass such a law as soon as possible, so that every potential successor comes from the executive branch. It would be a victory for good government — and would also send a message about the severity of Trump’s and Pence’s high crimes and misdemeanors. | The line of succession stems from a 1947 law, and it can be changed with a new law anytime. Pelosi and House Democrats should pass such a law as soon as possible, so that every potential successor comes from the executive branch. It would be a victory for good government — and would also send a message about the severity of Trump’s and Pence’s high crimes and misdemeanors. |
The Democratic debate | The Democratic debate |
I was pleased to see that last night’s moderators didn’t ask about Medicare — an obsessive focus of the early debates — in any of their first nine questions. Pete Buttigieg brought up the subject, and the moderators asked a few follow-up questions. But they didn’t allow Medicare to dominate the debate. They found time for climate change, voting rights, China, the wealth tax and more. Nicely done, moderators — Rachel Maddow, Andrea Mitchell, Ashley Parker and Kristen Welker. | I was pleased to see that last night’s moderators didn’t ask about Medicare — an obsessive focus of the early debates — in any of their first nine questions. Pete Buttigieg brought up the subject, and the moderators asked a few follow-up questions. But they didn’t allow Medicare to dominate the debate. They found time for climate change, voting rights, China, the wealth tax and more. Nicely done, moderators — Rachel Maddow, Andrea Mitchell, Ashley Parker and Kristen Welker. |
For more on the debate, I recommend the latest installment of The Times’s “Winners and Losers” feature. | For more on the debate, I recommend the latest installment of The Times’s “Winners and Losers” feature. |
If you are not a subscriber to this newsletter, you can subscribe here. You can also join me on Twitter (@DLeonhardt) and Facebook. | If you are not a subscriber to this newsletter, you can subscribe here. You can also join me on Twitter (@DLeonhardt) and Facebook. |
Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. | Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. |
Previous version
1
Next version