I propose a new amendment to the US Constitution.

I don't expect it to pass anytime soon, but here goes:

AMENDMENT XXVIII

1. The President and/or Vice President shall be subject to a recall election in the event that at least twenty-five percent of the number of persons who voted in the most recent election for Presidential and Vice-Presidential electors in each of two thirds of the states petition the Congress for such an election. Such an election shall be carried out in the manner prescribed under Amendment XII of this Constitution.

2. Members of Congress shall be subject to a recall election in the event that at least twenty-five percent of the number of persons who voted in the most recent election for that position petition their respective state legislature for such an election.

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I mean, if the governor of California can be recalled, why not the President and his cronies? Surely Bush & Cheney would face such an election soon if this were acceptable.

BTW: Let's not forget an amendment to ban voter fraud.

How could we get something like this going?

something like the "vote of no confidence" they have in countries with parliamentary governments.

:bluebox:

Tom Tomorrow - The Bush Dynasty 08.05.03

too late!

in parlimentary democracies.

Aren't there hard right loons out there amounting to 25% of voters who would recall any Democratic President?

Most states have recall provisions for their governors (and some for members of Congress too), but only one or two other governors have ever been recalled in the last century other than Davis.

Trying to recall someone is "hard work." Most states require 25% of the number of people who voted in the last election to sign petitions. In California, that figure is 12%.

While some states would likely see 25% of their voters sign petitions to recall any Democratic president, that would be far short of the required 34 states.

For peetssake, the current constitution, were it being read, would
have separated the 4th estate from being a press release agency... so many
things were the barbarian hoardes educated enough to understand
the constitution as it was written, in the frame of the enlightenment.

There were unenumerated rights, all sorts of things that have been forgotten
in the blaze to modify something that we should at least try enforcing first.

I'm for shredding the constitution and starting over, if that's what you
want, as really, its not worth the hemp its written on, for all the credence
it has over modern corporations.

If it were 25%, the fundies would have had Clinton contantly battling recalls his entire term. Since Republicans make up almost half of the US, the bar would have to be set a LOT higher. Like 75% or so.

The problem, of course, is that in the US the people don't elect the president, the states do (via the electoral college). If you really want a recall provision, it would need to be much simpler. Require the states to each draft recall guidelines, but leave it up to them how they're implemented. If 2/3rds of the states vote to recall, lame duck the president until a popular election can be held (requiring a "within 90 days" clause wouldn't be a bad idea).

It would be unlikely for more than a handful of state Repub parties would be able to organize a recall.

because it fell so easily. I'm up for any suggestions.