February 28, 2017

Taking The Text Of The Twenty-Fifth Amendment Seriously

Donald Trump is constitutionally unfit to live on President of the United States.  The Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the U.S. requires the Vice President to assume the presidency whenever “the President is unable to discharge the powers as well as duties of his office.”  The Twenty-Fifth Amendment does non status the temporary or permanent removal of the president on the president existence “physically” or “medically” unable to discharge the powers as well as duties of his or her office.  Rather, the Vice-President is to assume the powers of the presidency when, for whatever reason, "the President is unable to discharge the powers as well as duties of his office.”  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 president who is a congenital liar as well as a bigot, nether the explicit words of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is unable to discharge the powers as well as duties of his or her office.

The terminal paragraph of Section four supports claims that the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is non express to physical or medical conditions.  That paragraph authorizes Congress to resolve, yesteryear a two-thirds vote of both Houses, whether a president is able to discharge the powers as well as duties of the presidency.  Members of Congress equally a whole possess got no item expertise on physical, medical, or psychiatric conditions.  That is for medical professions, who are given no role inward the constitutional procedure for removing the president.  Members of Congress exercise possess got expertise on whether a president, for whatever reason, is capable of discharging his or her responsibilities.  Thus, given that Congress cannot create upwardly one's hear whether a president is a sociopath, but tin displace create upwardly one's hear whether the president is a congenital liar, the best reading of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is that Congress should focus on whether the president is able to discharge the powers as well as duties of role as well as non on whether the argue for that failure is approximately physical or medical problem.

The reverse lay has absurd consequences.  Consider a president who goes on a permanent opor-garai as well as refuses to discharge whatever of the powers as well as duties of the office.  For political purposes, no departure exists betwixt that president as well as the brain-dead president.  If nosotros boundary the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to presidents amongst physical or medical conditions, however, nosotros tin displace solely take away the brain-dead president.  Consider a president who lies repeatedly, consistently utters bigoted remarks as well as makes irrational decisions.  If nosotros boundary the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to presidents amongst physical or mental conditions, nosotros tin displace take away that president solely if nosotros break that the behaviour is query is caused yesteryear a encephalon deformity or yesteryear low caused yesteryear the expiry of a loved one.  For constitutional purposes, no departure exists betwixt the congenital liar suffering from encephalon lesions, the congenital liar suffering from low as well as the congenital liar who is but a rotten human being.

Donald Trump apparently meets the standards for removal from role nether the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 congenital liar cannot discharge the powers or duties of office.  As Heidi Kitrosser points out inward an of import book, the constitutional separation of powers requires earth possess got the data necessary to concord regime officials accountable.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 president who averages several major lies a day, as well as who cannot enjoin the truth virtually matters ranging from attendance at the inauguration to the facts underlying his revenue enhancement as well as immigration policies cannot perform the duties of role necessary for constitutional accountability.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bigot cannot discharge the powers or duties of office.  The Fifth Amendment yesteryear representative constabulary as well as Fourteenth Amendment explicitly mandate that neither the U.S. nor whatever acre shall “deny to whatever somebody inside its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 president committed to white supremacy is unable to implement congressional legislation promoting this commitment to equality nether constabulary or appoint justices as well as other officials who volition human activity consistently amongst the constitutional commitment to equality.

That Donald Trump is constitutionally unfit for role is equally much a thing for constitutional politics equally constitutional law.  No politically sane somebody expects that Republicans inward Congress volition accept seriously their constitutional obligation to create upwardly one's hear whether Donald Trump has the capacity to discharge his presidential responsibilities equally long equally they believe Trump volition sign revenue enhancement cuts for their donors as well as appoint reactionary justices to the federal bench.  Nevertheless, whether removal is politically possible at introduce or politically desirable should Democrats gain command of Congress is a split number from the to a greater extent than key query whether the electrical current occupant of the White House is capable of asset office.  On that question, the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is clear.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 president unfit for role is non entitled to deference or respect, fifty-fifty if for transient political reasons that president is non removed from office.




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