# Theoretical change to US executive branch - Pros and Cons **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 15, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353 "2020-07-15T01:03:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353/1 "2020-07-15T01:03:27Z")
From a strictly theoretical perspective, what do you think of this idea and it’s implications on the US political system? (Please forego discussions on the impossibility of making this happen…) The office of vice president is voted on separately from that of the president, and the winner must be from another party than the president. Would this provide for more viable parties? Is the tie-breaking vote in the Senate important enough to make any real difference? What other implications would there be? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353/2 "2020-07-15T01:16:44Z")
I don’t see what is to be gained here. It might help promote the existence and growth of third (fourth, fifth, etc.) parties, but is that such a very good thing? It might lead to more “plurality” presidents, whom only a minority actually voted for, which could undermine abstract legitimacy. Also it would lead to the President even further marginalizing the Vice President (if possible!) and leaving the poor bastard with very, very little to do. I know, “keep your enemies close,” and I highly value the role of the “loyal opposition,” but having a political enemy as your own Veep? A weak president would be crippled by within-administration criticism, and a strong one would just send the guy on a fact-finding mission to Tibet. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353/3 "2020-07-15T01:49:15Z")
Supposedly separate parties will be created out of thin air to promote VPs that, quite coincidentally, meet with the approval of Presidential candidates then running. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353/4 "2020-07-15T02:08:24Z")
It might be useful if it allowed, rather than required, the VP to be of a different party. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353/5 "2020-07-15T02:17:02Z")
Isn’t it allowed already? Parties may have some rules that would strip party membership of someone who was the running mate of a candidate from another party but there’s no law against it, It is how the VP was first selected, as the candidate who came in second. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353/6 "2020-07-15T02:22:36Z")
The OP’s proposal creates problems. The main one is that it gives an opposing party in congress motivation to impeach the president and replace him with the VP in their own party, and further dissuade the president’s party from ever considering impeachment. On top of that it would require a constitutional amendment that gives undue status to the private clubs that the political parties are. If the office of the VP is going to change then it should be abolished, the President of the Senate be elected by some other method, and the Speaker of the House would succeed the president should the need arise. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353/7 "2020-07-15T06:04:02Z")
Am I mistaken or was Joe Lieberman an Independent when he was put on the Al Gore ticket? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-change-to-us-executive-branch-pros-and-cons/915353/8 "2020-07-15T07:39:40Z")
In California, the lieutenant governor is elected separately. When Jerry Brown was governor in 1975 - 1983, he had Republican lieutenant governors. Brown traveled a lot, and had a habit of leaving various appointed positions vacant for long times. So whenever he left the state, the lieutenant became acting governor for the duration. And whenever that happened, the Republican lieutenant governor went into a mad hypergolic frenzy of appointing judges and other various officers.