Any well-run organization has a great process. The United States is such an organization. We have a great process in place for presidential succession. This topic continues to trend. Did many Americans ditch civics class when this was taught? Wait. Maybe there was no civics class. ? If the President is unable to assume the duties of his respective office, who is next? Here is the line of succession according to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947:
Vice-President (Mike Pence)
Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi)
President pro tempore of the Senate (Chuck Grassley)
Secretary of State (Mike Pompeo)
Remaining cabinet members according to their seniority
Initially, the President pro tempore of the Senate was next in line after the Vice-President, followed by the Speaker of the House, but that order was reversed in 1947.
Why did I just read in a major newspaper that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would be next in line for the presidency if either Messrs. Trump or Pence were unable? Here we have one academic sowing seeds of doubt with the line of succession based on a contrived technicality.
With all due respect to that professor, the succession line is what the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 says it is. This act clarifies who’s on first, second, third, etc., if you know what I mean.
Wonder what will happen if no president is elected when the electors meet in December 2020? There’s a process for that! If no candidate receives the majority of electoral college votes (270), the election goes to the House of Representatives. The House chooses from the top 3 candidates who garnered the most electoral college votes. Each state gets one vote. A majority of votes (26) is required to win. Remember that while this process is going on, the current President remains in office until January 20, 2021.
Note: If the House of Representatives fails to choose a President by Inauguration Day, the Vice-President will serve as acting President until the House selects a President.
Now you’re in the know!
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship.??