AHC WI Presidential seccession beyond the vp

The USA has managed to avoid a double vacancy despite deaths illnesses and other factors threatening it

could this have become routine?

How often would special Presidential elections happen as provided for under the first succession law?
 

Kaze

Banned
It happened under the Nixon Administration. President Gone. Vice Gone. Then came Carter.
 
It happened under the Nixon Administration. President Gone. Vice Gone. Then came Carter.
Not really. Ford was appointed vice president and then as vice president he succeeded Nixon.

This would be if Carl Albert had of succeeded Nixon if the vice presidency was still empty when Nixon left office.
 
Until 1967, there was no provision for replacing the vice president if he left the office, be feet first, in handcuffs, or by getting a surprise promotion. It wouldn't have been hard for both offices to be vacant.
 
I had another thought: What sort of stimulus would be needed to get Congress to enact a deep presidential succession act--as in establishing an order of succession that declares the order that Congressmen, and then governors--perhaps even lieutenant governors--would assume the mantle of President or Acting President. Some time ago, for one timeline, I wrote one up.
 
I found my Deep Presidential Succession Act, drawn up hastily as a massive plague (engineered) was sweeping the solar system several hundred years from now. When/if I restart Tomorrow's Mountain, it's important. It's designed to ensure continuity of government almost no matter what.

A deep presidential succession act

The Presidential succession as ordained by other acts, both previously and subsequent to this act, shall take precedence over the order listed herein; this act is to provide for presidential succession in the event that none designated by other acts shall be eligible.

If no candidate under the existing succession shall be eligible, than presidency shall fall to the seniormost eligible senator, determined as follows:


Time in the senate shall determine seniority


If multiple senators have equal time in the senate, then precedence shall be determined in the order of the senator’s state’s admission to the Union.


If both senators from that state should be equal in seniority, than the one from the first district shall be president.


If no Senator shall be eligible, than presidency shall fall to the seniormost eligible member of the House of representatives, determined as follows:


Time served in the House of Representatives shall determine seniority


If multiple Representatives have equal time in the senate, then precedence shall be determined in the order of the Representative’s state’s admission to the Union.


If multiple Representatives from that state should be equal in seniority, than the one from the lowest numbered district shall be president.


If no president shall be chosen, then a state governor shall be president, with precedent determined by the state’s order of entry into the Union.

If no president shall be chosen, then a state lieutenant governor shall be president, with precedent determined by the state’s order of entry into the Union.

If no president shall be chosen, then the senior surviving member of the United States Military shall be president.


 
Tyler being killed on the Princeton would have made Willie Mangum (acting) president for about a year. Franklin Pierce being killed in that railway crash would have made David Rice Atchinson president, presuming William King dies on schedule.

A 'deep' presidential succession act is an interesting idea in the modern world, but I can't see any need for it historically; how plausible is it really that the presidency, vice presidency and the chair of both houses of Congress will all be vacant at the same time, barring a 'designated survivor'-type situation? Even if they were, presumably a rump Senate could always meet in emergency session to elect a president pro tempore.
 
Congress addressed this potential issue with the Presidential Succession Acts of 1792, 1886, and 1947.
 

Marc

Donor
Keep in mind that any succeeding President still has to meet the basic Constitutional requirements:
A presidential candidate must be a natural born citizen of the United States, a resident for 14 years, and 35 years of age or older.
 
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