The Constitution’s Article 1, Section 2, spells out a very broad role for the Speaker: “The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.” The Founders’ vision appeared to be for the Speaker to serve as a parliamentarian and peace maker, more along the lines of the Speaker in the British House of Commons. There wasn’t a detailed description of the Speaker’s role in The Federalist, the collection of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, but the role changed as the political scope of the national government grew as the Founding era ended.
The U.S. Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 outline the presidential order of succession. The line of succession of cabinet officers is in the order of their agencies’ creation.
- Vice President
- Speaker of the House
Presidential Succession Act
July 18, 1947
On July 18, 1947, President Harry Truman signed the Presidential Succession Act. The original act of 1792 had placed the Senate president pro tempore and Speaker of the House in the line of succession, but in 1886 Congress had removed them. The 1947 law reinserted those officials, but placed the Speaker ahead of the president pro tempore.
That is all that is written in our Laws about the Speaker of the House. The rest of the things you here are all fluid based on the Rules of the House. These rules are subject to change with the change of power in the House.
The current mess the Republicans have made in the House has not just made them look like the Narcissistic Fools that they are, but has put the line of succession in jeopardy. In todays world of 80 something year old Presidents and the high risks of Terror we face to not have a clear line of succession is dangerous on multiple levels.
So what is a speaker pro tempore?
After September 11, the House adopted a new rule making it possible to have a speaker pro tempore even if the speaker of the House is unable to name one — or the speakership suddenly becomes vacant.
The rule was adopted as a measure to ensure “continuity of government” — so that Congress would not be paralyzed after a terrorist attack. A speaker pro tempore has the power to lead, to pass emergency measures and even a declaration of war.
At this point in time having to come to a Declaration of War is a very likely possibility. We are engaged on two fronts that could both equally ignite a third World War. We are also in the midst of an Honest Impeachment Investigation that has already uncovered direct payments to the sitting President from a Foreign Nation.
The Republican House of Representatives of the 118th Congress is an F’ing disgrace. This slim majority House has never had the ability to accomplish a lot due to the Democrat control of the Senate and the White House. That being said, they’ve been the biggest clown show of a majority that has ever existed. Now since they can’t perform a self cranial-rectal removal they have actually managed to become more embarrassing than the treasonous senile git currently pretending to be President.
The Republican party has a long history of snatching defeat from the hands of victory, but this is beyond embarrassing.
Now, since the “Republican Party” is unable to actually do the basics of their job and elect a Speaker, the Congress is run by “Rules” that they make up as they go along. A new bullcrap rule will be made up to cover their ineptitude to function as a Party giving this Un-Constitutional Speaker power that can not be delegated to him, but yet will be.
They have no clue of the anger they have brought down upon themselves. This group has given all the proof ever needed that Term Limits need to be placed on our Elected Representatives. They can not govern when their reelection is their main priority, and the business of the Country isn’t even a close second. The only way that ends is forced Term Limits, which we will see no time soon. So where does that leave us?
It leaves us first as the world’s worst political joke. The people running the U.S. are a contingent of special-ed children and an old man that doesn’t know when he’s crapped himself anymore. All this while the world is igniting on fire, and the U.S. Economy is in freefall.
“May you live in interesting times.” That curse is in full effect. If I could ever get my hands on the clown who said that, he and I would have a very intense conversation. He, however has been dead for centuries, (lucky bastard) and like me, I’m sure he had no power to change the course of anything.
There is only one thing besides speaking truth to power that we, the common man can do: PRAY. Unlike the majority of those that lead us, We The People do, in the majority, regardless of party, still believe there is a God. The sad thing is that our leaders have brought us to the point where we fear he may be the only one who can fix this mess.
So please, let us bow our heads in prayer.
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