im 100% canadian, I dont live in the US and wondering about your system.

so as i understand your political system, a president can only hold office 2 terms. in Trumps case, he served once already, does that mean he can only serve one more, or is the clock reset and he gets a shot at 8 years?

  • radix@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

    Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

    “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” doesn’t say consecutively. It would take a HUUUUGE leap of logic to insert that word where it doesn’t exist. I’m sure someone will make the argument, but by the letter and the intent of the law, Trump is done after this term.

    “and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.” If Trump has a heart attack and dies before January 20, 2027, Vance would take over and serve 2+ years as President, meaning he could only be elected once for one four-year term.

    The rest of Section 1 just means anyone who was in office at the time is grandfathered into the old rules (no limits).

    • SimplyTadpole@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      6 days ago

      Now I’m curious: if Person A serves two full terms as US president, then Person B (from the same party) runs and chooses A as their vice-president, and then steps down, what would happen? Would A be unable to be picked as B’s Vice President in first place, or would A simply be legally unable to be sworn in as President after B stepped down and the Speaker of the House gets the position instead?

    • Rentlar@lemmy.ca
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      7 days ago

      It would take a HUUUUGE leap of logic

      US Fifth Circuit of Appeals and Supreme Courts: “Hold My Beer”

      For example, if Trump’s Republican Congress gets rid of elections, then this Amendment doesn’t matter.

      • Jay@lemmy.ca
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        7 days ago

        They probably won’t get rid of elections… they’ll just have sham elections like Russia has to give the impression of “legitimacy” but I guarantee they’ll be heavily rigged in their favor.

      • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        7 days ago

        In that case they should free his would be assassins, nothing illegal about trying to kill a movement, just ask the CIA, they do it all the time.

      • edgemaster72@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        Then I too declare myself to be Trump. I’ll take the Presidency Mon-Tues, he can have it Weds-Thurs, and we’ll do alternating Fri-Sat-Sun weekends.