Balkinization: Maybe God Cares About the US After All

Maybe God Cares About the US After All

Sandy Levinson

I note the following story just posted on the NYTimes web site about Dick Cheney's forthcoming visit to the hospital to check his "abnormal heart rhythms." So let's assume that the condition turns out to be serious, and his physicians advise immediate resignation. (In the interests of good taste, I put to one side even more dire possibilities.) So what should George W. Bush do in that eventuality? Should he 1) just leave the vice presidency vacant, since it's a dumb office that should probably be eliminated, which would mean that Nancy Pelosi would succeed should anything happen to the President; 2) nominate some Republican worthy (say, his father) to fill the now vacant VP slot until January 20, 2009; or 3) nominate the winner of the November 4 election? And, for those of you who choose "3," is it self-evident that George W. Bush should not himself resign and make way for his successor?

Posted 12:00 PM by Sandy Levinson [link]

Comments:

Sandy:

Have you really descended to wishing life threatening illness on opposition political leaders to drive them from power?

C'mon now, you are better than that.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 12:29 PM

Duh, he should nominate Sarah Palin.

# posted by

mushr00m : 12:38 PM

Have you really descended to wishing life threatening illness on opposition political leaders to drive them from power?

The man is a warmongering criminal. What's wrong with wishing poor health for him?

# posted by

Bartbuster : 12:50 PM

No seriously, nominate Sarah Palin. That way they can get her off the ticket. It's bold! It's rash! It's stupid! It can't fail, can it?

# posted by

mushr00m : 1:05 PM

It's just an episode of "afib"; atrial fibrillation. Not as bad as the deadly ventricular fibrillation (which, untreated immediately, will kill you in minutes).

Afib puts more of a load on the heart, though, and can progress to congestive heart failure.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:16 PM

BTW, Prof. Levinson, I heard Rush Limbot today say that some "Hahvahd perfesser" had suggested that Dubya step down early after the elections. Is he confoozed about your affiliation, or is there someone else suggesting the same thing?

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:19 PM

"Bart" DeHallucinating said:

[to Prof. Levinson]: Have you really descended to wishing life threatening illness on opposition political leaders to drive them from power?

C'mon now, you are better than that.

Yes. Which is why he didn't say that. OTOH, isn't it immoral and unjust to accuse people of things that they haven't done?

And even had someone done so (which they didn't), wouldn't such be a tad better than yelling "Kill him!" at McSame rallies?

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:23 PM

Re: Second comment above. I saw your previous post, Prof. Levinson. Nevermind....

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:25 PM

Sandy,

While I agree with many of your structural criticisms of the Constitution, I'm not so sure about your transition point. Since there is no tradition of a shadow cabinet in this country, how exactly would a new President get an Administration up-and-running in the time frame that you are talking about? President Clinton, as I recall, didn't fill many important posts (for example, the AG) until months after he was inaugurated.

Gerard N. Magliocca

# posted by

Gerard N. Magliocca : 1:48 PM

What I "wish" is truly beside the point. I assume that there are a number of people in this great country who interpret events through a "providentialist" lens and who might wonder why God has picked this particular time to call Dick Cheney's health into question.

Gerard Magliocca's question is, of course, a very serious one. The major reason for advocating the
"25th Amendment option" right now is the seriousness of the present crisis and the very high costs to the US of functionally not having a genuine government, in any but the technical legal sense, for the next 13 weeks or so. My hope is that a "convention" might be generated by which presidents do indeed make way early for newly elected presidents of the opposition party, which would create a very high incentive for those candidates to have in place a set of nominees for the major offices. I also believe, of course, that our political system would be considerably better, and less monarchical, if candidates actually had to give us an indication of whom they would be naming to such essential positions as State, Defense, DOJ, and Treasury (for starters), as well as National Security Advisor and the like.

# posted by

Sandy Levinson : 1:55 PM

"The man is a warmongering criminal. What's wrong with wishing poor health for him?"

That's obvious: you can't indict a corpse. May he live to be 100.

# posted by

Charles Gittings : 2:14 PM

But who would move George W's lips if a successor were not designated?

# posted by

Shag from Brookline : 2:26 PM

He should appoint Hillary Clinton and resign, thereby getting credit for the first female president.

# posted by

Anonymous : 2:33 PM

Well, I'd go with 2, since I don't think the successor would be ready to step in that fast, and Pelosi ought to be kept far, far away from the White House.

# posted by

Asher : 4:37 PM

a bit OCD on this eh ??

# posted by

Jkat : 5:23 PM

Maybe he should nominate Lewis Farakkhan who then can, like a Muslim John the Baptist, prepare the way for the Messiah.

Or did you not intend to take the religious theme that far?

# posted by

mls : 7:57 PM