[ExI] My prediction

[spike at rainier66.com]

...> On Behalf Of Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat
Cc: Ben Zaiboc <benzaiboc at proton.me>
Subject: Re: [ExI] My prediction

On 07/01/2026 23:43, spike wrote:
>
>>... John, the constitution is what empowers the office of POTUS.  There is
no operating outside those limits.  On 20 Jan 2029, SCOTUS will swear in
someone who is not the current POTUS, that person will receive the nuclear
codes, absolutely regardless of the circumstances or cockamamie reasons to
do otherwise.  This I can calmly assure you.

>...I'm not sure I understand this. Not being very familiar with the
american system, I may be wrong, but hasn't he already been doing several
unconstitutional things without any significant repercussions?

There are serious repercussions: the cases end up in court.  Usually the
action is on hold pending adjudication.  The system works.

>...You say "There is no operating outside those limits". Just for clarity,
what is meant to happen if the POTUS does try to operate outside the limits
that the constitution imposes on that role?
-- 
Ben

_______________________________________________

Ben, a good example of the limits of presidential power is the recent
example of a budget passed by the lower house of the legislature but blocked
by the senate.  The current POTUS, with majorities in both houses of the
legislature, with his own party working in perfect unison, were unable to
stop the opposition party from shutting down the government.  The Supreme
Court could do nothing.  The government shut down against the will of POTUS
and the majority in both houses.  There are no emergency powers available to
POTUS to reopen government.  So... it stayed shut down for a record
duration, with indications that the record would be broken next time around,
possibly starting next month when the temporary measures expire.

Regarding the constitutional protections against a POTUS attempting to hold
office after his term expires: the framers of that document had just spent
years fighting a tyrant, so they were tuned into preventing the
establishment of another one.  The system they invented distributes power.
Even if a POTUS has high public approval, such as the current one does, the
power of that office is still limited such that he could not countermand the
minority of senators who refused to pass the proposed budget.  A POTUS
cannot hang onto power after his term expires.

For the record, I agree with the protesting senate minority, even if not for
the same reasons they shut down the government, and I am unhappy with them
for caving.  

spike