Andrew Johnson was impeached and almost removed from office, the one office decided against it on the grounds that it would illigitamize the presidency and make removals from office commonplace, if he had been removed from office, would this prediction come true and if so, how would it affect politics in the future.
what if Andrew Johnson is successfully removed from office?
- Thread starter Mister Abbadon
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Tenure of Office Act means that the Senate will henceforth have a very large say in who is in the Cabinet; Presidents had best not make formal nominations before canvassing that body. In the short term, this could be a good thing - perhaps Grant gets a better Cabinet than he got in OTL?
I don't honestly think it weakens the Presidency in any way other than that (not that that isn't enough). Johnson put a lot of effort into being unpopular and insensitive; not many can rise to his level.
As the successful prosecutor of the President, what does Benjamin Butler go on to? Might he have a shot at the Presidency in 1876? Do Thaddeus Stevens and John Bingham get Cabinet positions or other honors for their parts?
I don't honestly think it weakens the Presidency in any way other than that (not that that isn't enough). Johnson put a lot of effort into being unpopular and insensitive; not many can rise to his level.
As the successful prosecutor of the President, what does Benjamin Butler go on to? Might he have a shot at the Presidency in 1876? Do Thaddeus Stevens and John Bingham get Cabinet positions or other honors for their parts?
Not a lot of difference in the end.
Very few Presidents were so controversial as to rally two-thirds of the Senate against them, so it remains very much a one-off. The Presidency may be weakened a trifle, but in peacetime it was relatively weak anyway, so not much change.
Note that only weeks later, seven southern states were readmitted under Republican governments, whose Senators would have overwhelmingly voted for conviction. So the Reps could easily have brought new articles of impeachment, and got Johnson out with no trouble at all, had they really wanted. They did not bother to do so. The whole business had been more of a temper tantrum than anything, and they had now got it out of their system.
Very few Presidents were so controversial as to rally two-thirds of the Senate against them, so it remains very much a one-off. The Presidency may be weakened a trifle, but in peacetime it was relatively weak anyway, so not much change.
Note that only weeks later, seven southern states were readmitted under Republican governments, whose Senators would have overwhelmingly voted for conviction. So the Reps could easily have brought new articles of impeachment, and got Johnson out with no trouble at all, had they really wanted. They did not bother to do so. The whole business had been more of a temper tantrum than anything, and they had now got it out of their system.
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Impeachment Day Parade.
Bills of Impeachment are fairley common OTL. Most of them go nowere. They could be taken more seriously but, result in little action. Commentators could explain why this is or isn't like the Andrew Johmson situation. The exception might be Richard Nixon. He counted noses in the Senate. Seeing the votes were there to impeach him Nixon decided to resign. The day of Andrew Johnson's impeachment would be a day of speaches about checks and ballences, the system works and clean goverenment. I look for a parade too.
Bills of Impeachment are fairley common OTL. Most of them go nowere. They could be taken more seriously but, result in little action. Commentators could explain why this is or isn't like the Andrew Johmson situation. The exception might be Richard Nixon. He counted noses in the Senate. Seeing the votes were there to impeach him Nixon decided to resign. The day of Andrew Johnson's impeachment would be a day of speaches about checks and ballences, the system works and clean goverenment. I look for a parade too.
Ok, I can't think of anything that got people angry at Andrew. So what happened to make them mad. I know the trail of tears, and he had some problems but nothing too horrible.
Edit: Im going to go look it up.
Edit #2: Got it mixed with Jackson, that was my problem. Opps
Edit: Im going to go look it up.
Edit #2: Got it mixed with Jackson, that was my problem. Opps