Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Interesting and unnerving analysis of what could happen if Piggy invaded Greenland: [View all]Fiendish Thingy
(22,115 posts)23. The mechanisms are in the constitution
You know how impeachment works, and yes it would take some time, but not as much time as Trumps or Clintons previous impeachments. It probably could be done within 30-45 days under the extreme circumstances described above, if not quicker. Remember, impeachment is not a legal proceeding, and Trumps typical delay tactics would not affect a truly determined congress.
If an order to invade was imminent, the 25th amendment might need to be used to forestall or countermand such an order. From Wikipedia:
Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department [sic][note 2][7] or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department [sic][note 2][7] or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
So, my reading of that section is the VP and majority of the cabinet can buy Congress at least 21 days to act. If the US were facing the cataclysmic consequences described in the OP, I think the motivation and momentum would be there. Its very likely there would be some significant Sabre-rattling by the EU, Canada, Japan and others, both publicly and behind the scenes- for example, threats to sell off US treasury bonds, crashing the dollar, which would give Trump and congress advance notice of the conflagration that would follow an invasion of Greenland.
PS- I know how important word-parsing is to you, but I couldnt find the phrase immediately impeach and remove in any of my posts in this thread.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
66 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Interesting and unnerving analysis of what could happen if Piggy invaded Greenland: [View all]
Ocelot II
14 hrs ago
OP
Good analysis. Horrifying that this is who we are now. Every once in a while, the magnitude of that
Scrivener7
14 hrs ago
#2
All true, and why I said yesterday Trump would be impeached and removed- by Republicans
Fiendish Thingy
14 hrs ago
#3
I just reread all my comments in this thread, and I don't find the word "immediately" anywhere
Fiendish Thingy
11 hrs ago
#38
It sickens me to my core to know that piece of shit believes he will one day be President...
Moostache
11 hrs ago
#34
It's not my analysis. I know the US has a long-standing treaty regarding the military base
Ocelot II
12 hrs ago
#7
The U.S. has ONE base only. Breaking the NATO treaty will be an unlawful order to the U.S. Military. The NATO Treaty is
ancianita
12 hrs ago
#8
Cool. What Congress thinks or votes on adds validation for a decision that is the U.S. Military's alone;
ancianita
10 hrs ago
#46
As Trump has shown in just the past week, treaties can be torn up or ignored. Nt
Fiendish Thingy
11 hrs ago
#16
The people of Greenland&Canada should launch a class-action lawsuit against the US for tRumps terror campaign against us
Fords Crackpipe
12 hrs ago
#10
And Vladimir Putin will have gotten everything he wants, and he won't even have had to leave the building.
Aristus
12 hrs ago
#11
A very clear, concise, and I believe correct accessment. Thank you Ocelot II
flashman13
12 hrs ago
#12
See the first word? It's IF. That makes the piece a total hypothetical. Not an analysis. The fact that it's on a social
ancianita
10 hrs ago
#44
Don't be trying to school me. I suppose you think the world will thank us for for attacking an ally.
flashman13
4 hrs ago
#60
Pfffft school you? about a hypothetical not being logical? Believe what you want.
ancianita
4 hrs ago
#62
Yep, that's Putin's plan that Trump is carrying out. Break up NATO and destroy the US economy from within.
Fozzledick
12 hrs ago
#14
I have always thought something drastic would have to happen to make people wake up.
Katinfl
11 hrs ago
#21
Obviously this is a worst-case scenario, and all things that COULD be done by the EU and other NATO members.
Ol Janx Spirit
11 hrs ago
#24
Britian has just said in one of this a.m.'s bulletins on DU that they would put troops in Greenland now. If true,
SWBTATTReg
9 hrs ago
#47
Sounds to me like Corporate America better get their shit together and reign in their puppet.nt
Trueblue Texan
4 hrs ago
#61
Chilling that the donor class hasn't gotten their shit together to stop him
Ruby the Liberal
3 hrs ago
#63