# Anything good that President Biden can do in the last two months? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2024, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756 "2024-11-06T04:47:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2024, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/41 "2024-11-07T19:24:44Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > This would very likely result in nuclear war. The key would be to keep the war conventional only while threatening Russia with nuclear retaliation if they go nuclear first. Thus this ensures that the war is fought on terms friendly to NATO (conventional only.) But I digress. Probably getting too far off-topic. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/42 "2024-11-07T19:26:18Z")
“ensures,” lol. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2024, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/43 "2024-11-07T22:04:02Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The key would be to keep the war conventional only while threatening Russia with nuclear retaliation if they go nuclear first. Thus this ensures that the war is fought on terms friendly to NATO (conventional only.) If this were a viable strategy, NATO and the USSR would have gone to war long ago. What would trigger nuclear release is a legitimate fear by Putin that Russia or his regime are existentially threatened. The fact is that Ukraine bombing something in Belgorod is not an existential threat. A full scale attack by NATO is a very existential threat. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2024, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/44 "2024-11-07T22:39:05Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Stop funding israel, which is why Kamala lost. The President can not do that lagally. We had a whole thread on what Bdien could do more than he has, and the consensus was- nothing- legally. > [@DWMarch](#): > > I asked questions about this and never got a really great answer but I am under the impression that funding to Israel is not in the form of a light switch that POTUS can turn on and off at will. Correct. The President can temporarily hold things off. And I dont think that cost Harris the election. > [@velomont](#): > > Can he authorize Ukraine to fire American weapons systems into Russian territory? He can, but would that be wise? > [@kanicbird](#): > > Barring that step down and let Harris be the first woman president, and take Trump’s 47 number. That would make Johnson next in line- bad idea. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > The problem I see with this is republicans would say dems opened the door to this and then just stack the court more when Trump takes office. Yep, easy peasey. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2024, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/45 "2024-11-07T23:36:39Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > That would make Johnson next in line- bad idea. What would that matter at this time? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2024, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/46 "2024-11-07T23:44:09Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > What would that matter at this time? Is your Point that between now and January 20, it is totally impossible for Harris to be assassinated, or just die for other causes? Because it is possible. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/47 "2024-11-07T23:56:42Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Johnson My point is there is so little time and what can Johnson do that Turmp would not. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/48 "2024-11-08T00:07:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > A full scale attack by NATO is a very existential threat. Time for a nice shadow war. We’ve got stealth planes, right? Oh no, a lot of Russian stuff just blew up for no apparent reason what so ever, so sad. Deny everything, blame some Russian for smoking. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/49 "2024-11-08T00:53:57Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Barring that step down and let Harris be the first woman president, and take Trump’s 47. Terrible idea. Harris doesn’t need a white man to swoop in and save her from “the indignity” of presiding over the certification of her defeat. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/50 "2024-11-08T01:06:54Z")
I know this is a pipe dream, but I would love to see Shumer’s “No King” act be passed and signed into law. This would prevent Trump from declaring immunity. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/51 "2024-11-08T01:28:56Z")
I am going to be boring and suggest that Biden and the Senate should spend the next two months nominating and confirming federal judges, nonstop. Don’t leave him a single vacancy. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/52 "2024-11-08T01:41:00Z")
I was infuriated to discover that there are currently 67 judicial vacancies (including 6 seats on appellate courts) and only 28 have had replacements nominated by the President. It would be impossible to fill all of those seats during a lame duck session. It’s like the Democrats learned absolutely fucking nothing from the end of the Obama administration. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/53 "2024-11-08T02:28:18Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > It would be impossible to fill all of those seats during a lame duck session. Why? The Dems have the majority - slight as it is- and most of those are not higher ups. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/54 "2024-11-08T02:51:39Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I know this is a pipe dream, but I would love to see Shumer’s “No King” act be passed and signed into law. This would prevent Trump from declaring immunity. I’ve started getting donation requests to help with this, I’d have thought it was a pipe dream, too, but I haven’t actually looked at it yet. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/55 "2024-11-08T03:18:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@flurb](#): > > > > It would be impossible to fill all of those seats during a lame duck session. > > Why? The Dems have the majority - slight as it is- and most of those are not higher ups. A few reasons. I severely doubt that the White House has 39 nominees for the unnominated positions ready to go. If they had nominees for these seats, they would have nominated them already. Even if Biden did submit an additional 39 nominees tomorrow, there wouldn’t be time to get them all through the Senate. You would have to push them through with literally no due diligence from the Senate – no independent Senate investigation of their backgrounds, no Judiciary Committee hearings, etc. Even many Democratic Senators would blanche at that precedent. But most importantly, Republicans can put a hold on each and every nomination. It’s the Tuberville situation all over again. They can force the Senate to use up to 30 hours of floor time for each nominee. The longest a lame duck can last, assuming they stayed in session every overnight and worked through Thanksgiving and Christmas (LOL) is about 50 days or 1,200 legislative hours. It would take over 2,000 hours to force through votes on all 67 vacant judicial seats. And there are other things the Senate needs to do during a lame duck, most importantly pass a federal budget. The current continuing resolution expires on December 20. I assume Schumer will prioritize filling the circuit court vacancies, but there’s no chance to fill all of the district court seats. It’s an opportunity lost that was completely foreseeable. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/56 "2024-11-09T19:51:56Z")
If I were Biden, on January 20, 2025 just before noon, I would order a drone strike on Putin. Maybe add a few more for other “strongmen” out there who are favored by Trump but Putin in particular. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/57 "2024-11-09T20:46:47Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > If I were Biden, on January 20, 2025 just before noon, I would order a drone strike on Putin. So, Nuclear war is preferable to trump? 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/58 "2024-11-10T05:40:47Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > So, Nuclear war is preferable to trump? 🙄 It took me way longer than one would like to say no to the idea. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/59 "2024-11-10T07:38:53Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > So, Nuclear war is preferable to trump? 🙄 No, you still get Trump just minus his sleepover buddy. And Russia can’t launch nukes if they lack the command authority to do so. Apply additional drone strikes as required, so long as it is done before noon on the 20th. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756/60 "2024-11-10T21:09:21Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > And Russia can’t launch nukes if they lack the command authority to do so. You think that if putin dies they cant launch? They have underground bunkers out of reach of anything the Ukrainians have. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anything-good-that-president-biden-can-do-in-the-last-two-months/1009756.md?page=4)