# Trump: "I don't take responsibility at all" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 13, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444 "2020-03-13T22:22:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/81 "2020-03-23T03:14:53Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > And, if he were to attempt it, the Constitution gives him an eviction notice for January 20, 2021. If there’s no election, both he and Pence are out of jobs. The Order of Succession kicks in, and we get President Pelosi. How does that work? I’ve been seeing this comment a lot, but isn’t Pelosi also out of a job if there’s no election? Asking as an ignorant foreigner. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/82 "2020-03-23T03:55:57Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > How does that work? I’ve been seeing this comment a lot, but isn’t Pelosi also out of a job if there’s no election? Asking as an ignorant foreigner. The next person in line after the Speaker of the House (Pelosi) is the president pro tempore of the Senate, who is Chuck Grassley. And unlike Trump, Pence, and Pelosi, Grassley’s term of office is not scheduled to end in January. Senators are elected to six year terms and Grassley’s current term runs to 2023. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/83 "2020-03-23T04:44:15Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > How does that work? I’ve been seeing this comment a lot, but isn’t Pelosi also out of a job if there’s no election? Asking as an ignorant foreigner. As a member of the House of Representatives, things work a bit differently there, but there’s also less to worry about. If a Senate seat is vacant - because there is no ‘normal’ election, the Senate seat can be filled, at least temporarily, by the state government. A House seat, which covers Pelosi, can only be filled by election. Now, the thing is, the President can’t just cancel elections. Those are held at the state level. It’s one of the side effects of our federal system of government (much the same system that allowed somebody who won a minority of votes to win the Presidential election). One you are operating totally outside the law, anything is possible. But if we are talking about what is still within the law, the state of California would probably still hold elections and Pelosi re-elected within her Congressional district. If so, she gets sworn in to a new term in January. If not, special elections are still required, and she still wins her seat back. And from there, she needs to win her Speaker post back, but this is usually a formality for a sitting Speaker, especially one who is seen to be doing a good job. So, it’s quite possible Trump and/or his allies attempt to invalidate elections, but they can’t just declare elections can’t be held - that decision resides within each of the 50 states individually. If a bunch of states still hold elections despite an illegal federal decree not to, that leaves somebody in the federal government to declare they aren’t accepting those results, which is yet another Constitutional Crisis beyond the several that have already clearly occurred. Now, one twist is that newly elected members of Congress are sworn in earlier (Jan 3) than the President and Vice-President (Jan 20). So, they’re already seated ahead of the President. So, again, this isn’t really a concern unless we’ve already gone so far outside the Constitution that elections themselves are irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/84 "2020-03-23T05:15:13Z")
Thanks to the above posters for explaining that better than I could. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/85 "2020-03-23T07:08:27Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Now, the thing is, the President can’t just cancel elections. Those are held at the state level. If national states of emergency, martial law, and general quarantine are declared and enforced, with troops at every precinct office, elections might be _delayed_ a bit. Like till forever. > [@](#): > > So, it’s quite possible Trump and/or his allies attempt to invalidate elections… that leaves somebody in the federal government to declare they aren’t accepting those results, which is yet another Constitutional Crisis beyond the several that have already clearly occurred. That’s another tool in the GOP kit. Refuse to accept EC votes; send the election to the Congress for a one-vote-per-state vote, states of which a majority are GOP run. (Amendment XII.) Or a state legislature can just appoint electors as they wish. (Article II Section 1.) Then it’s a constitutional overthrow of popular will. > [@](#): > > So, again, this isn’t really a concern unless we’ve already gone so far outside the Constitution that elections themselves are irrelevant. And that’s the much-discussed fear. We already know that popular will is irrelevant. If vast numbers are disenfranchised and losers win, why bother voting? It’s a sham. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/86 "2020-03-23T12:55:52Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > If national states of emergency, martial law, and general quarantine are declared and enforced, with troops at every precinct office, elections might be _delayed_ a bit. Like till forever. Well, yes, this is precisely my point. If the military itself abides by illegal orders to the extent of preventing elections by force, it’s already too late - we’re beyond the point where elections matter in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/87 "2020-03-23T14:43:52Z")
It’s just an outward declaration of his entire life- “All of the credit, none of the responsibility.” If things go south, just file bankruptcy and get bailed out. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/88 "2020-03-23T15:34:12Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The next person in line after the Speaker of the House (Pelosi) is the president pro tempore of the Senate, who is Chuck Grassley. And unlike Trump, Pence, and Pelosi, Grassley’s term of office is not scheduled to end in January. Senators are elected to six year terms and Grassley’s current term runs to 2023. Wait, wait, wait…I thought Kiefer Sutherland automatically stepped in in this type of thing… ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/89 "2020-03-23T19:09:28Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The next person in line after the Speaker of the House (Pelosi) is the president pro tempore of the Senate, who is Chuck Grassley. And unlike Trump, Pence, and Pelosi, Grassley’s term of office is not scheduled to end in January. Senators are elected to six year terms and Grassley’s current term runs to 2023. Yes but if I counted right there are 20 republican seats and 13 democratic seats up for reelection. So if none of them are reelected, the Senate shifts to a Democratic majority on Jan 3 and presumably there will be a Democratic President Pro Tem in the Senate when Trumps term expires. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/90 "2020-03-23T19:23:36Z")
Why would Pelosi get skipped? Presumably she’ll still be speaker on inauguration day. I don’t see why her term ending is relevant, unless she loses her election. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/91 "2020-03-23T19:56:00Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Why would Pelosi get skipped? Presumably she’ll still be speaker on inauguration day. I don’t see why her term ending is relevant, unless she loses her election. She isn’t going to lose reelection in San Francisco and Marin Counties. The only question would be if a Democratic minority would want to pick another Speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/92 "2020-03-23T19:57:11Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Yes but if I counted right there are 20 republican seats and 13 democratic seats up for reelection. So if none of them are reelected, the Senate shifts to a Democratic majority on Jan 3 and presumably there will be a Democratic President Pro Tem in the Senate when Trumps term expires. There’s a grassroots effort to make Elizabeth Warren President pro tem in a Democratic Senate. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/93 "2020-03-23T19:58:24Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Why would Pelosi get skipped? Presumably she’ll still be speaker on inauguration day. I don’t see why her term ending is relevant, unless she loses her election. If there were somehow no elections, her current term of office would end and she wouldn’t have a new one to start. And Congressional terms of office begin and end on January 3, while Presidential and Vice-Presidential terms of office begin and end on January 20. So in this scenario, Trump and Pence would remain in office until January 20. By that date, Pelosi would be out of office. The only people still legally holding office would be the sixty-seven Senators who weren’t scheduled to run for re-election this year, Grassley among them. If the Democrats had the majority, they could have chosen a new president pro tempore. Traditionally, the title goes to the senior Senator from the majority party, which would be Patrick Leahy for the Democrats (like Grassley, his term ends in 2023). But the Democrats could choose somebody else, like Chuck Schumer or Bernie Sanders or Liz Warren, if they were aware this person was about to become President. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/94 "2020-03-23T20:25:02Z")
Individual 1 is considering ending the crisis declaration after 15 days. “WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!” > ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/95 "2020-03-23T20:27:24Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If there were somehow no elections, her current term of office would end and she wouldn’t have a new one to start. And Congressional terms of office begin and end on January 3, while Presidential and Vice-Presidential terms of office begin and end on January 20. > > So in this scenario, Trump and Pence would remain in office until January 20. By that date, Pelosi would be out of office. The only people still legally holding office would be the sixty-seven Senators who weren’t scheduled to run for re-election this year, Grassley among them. > > If the Democrats had the majority, they could have chosen a new president pro tempore. Traditionally, the title goes to the senior Senator from the majority party, which would be Patrick Leahy for the Democrats (like Grassley, his term ends in 2023). But the Democrats could choose somebody else, like Chuck Schumer or Bernie Sanders or Liz Warren, if they were aware this person was about to become President. Okay, I see. Wow, that’d be nuts if we had no Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/96 "2020-03-23T20:32:35Z")
Pelosi said she is only going to serve 4 years as speaker. So if this were to somehow drag on she won’t be speaker after 2022 ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/97 "2020-03-23T20:41:30Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > Wait, wait, wait…I thought Kiefer Sutherland automatically stepped in in this type of thing… I just want to see the scene where Kiefer Sutherland and dt are alone in a locked room and Kiefer needs to know something really badly that dt doesn’t want to divulge. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/98 "2020-03-23T20:47:53Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I don’t see why her term ending is relevant, unless she loses her election. I was being slightly pedantic. Technically, there’s a new selection at the beginning of each 2 year term. It’s usually pro forma if the majority party retains the majority. Unless the Dems or some coalition of dissatisfied Dems and Republicans want to stage a revolt and select a new Speaker or somebody decides to mount a serious challenge, this would be Pelosi. It’s not likely at all, but it’s technically possible. Also, apparently there’s no Constitutional requirement the Speaker be a sitting member of the House, but this precedent has never been broken and is unlikely to be anytime soon. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/99 "2020-03-23T23:36:08Z")
In the UK the speaker of the house quits their party and is non partisan. A while back here in NC the Dems had a majority but some of them teamed up with GOP members to elect a different speaker than was expected. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444/100 "2020-03-23T23:39:37Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Individual 1 is considering ending the crisis declaration after 15 days. > “WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!” > [https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1241935285916782593](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1241935285916782593) That guy’s a fucking idiot. With a metaphorical fishing line dancing in front of his marks. Soon… coming soon… something… keep dancing… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-i-dont-take-responsibility-at-all/849444.md?page=6)