# Would Trump be allowed to take office if he wins the election? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 31, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292 "2016-10-31T19:57:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/61 "2016-11-01T01:49:10Z")
It’d be easier to just rebuild the set of _The West Wing_ and drop Trump off there. I doubt he’ll notice or care. Heck, leave all the cameras in place and tell him it’s a new presidential reality show, he’ll buy that. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/62 "2016-11-01T01:50:15Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Yes, it’s extraconstitutional. The oath taken by commissioned officers (with my emphasis): > [@](#): > > I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/63 "2016-11-01T02:18:47Z")
That can be read both ways. Maybe Trump is the greater threat to the Constitution. People still are sidestepping how much Lincoln violated Constitutional rights… ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/64 "2016-11-01T02:25:35Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > I’m going to rule rant, here. > > Off to the Pit. That’s bogus. “Rant”? You are so full of shit! The only good thing about your idiotic “ruling” is that I can openly declare how ridiculous it is. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/65 "2016-11-01T02:28:31Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > That’s bogus. “Rant”? You are so full of shit! The only good thing about your idiotic “ruling” is that I can openly declare how ridiculous it is. Well, that’s nice, but the greater impact is we can now say you’re a total fucking moron. Of course Trump will assume office if he wins. The lizard Jewish Masons would make sure of it. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/66 "2016-11-01T02:36:58Z")
## And that illustrates why it’s such a shitty ruling. If I wanted to engage in a big insultfest I would have posted in the Pit to begin with. I was looking for a sober discussion of a serious issue. Me trick-or-treating tonight in my Trump mask, with Tic-Tacs at the ready in case I run into any beautiful women and don’t want to wait: [https://twitter.com/SlackerInc/status/793263765084966912](https://twitter.com/SlackerInc/status/793263765084966912) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/67 "2016-11-01T02:43:23Z")
Shoot, was there a serious issue and we all missed it? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/68 "2016-11-01T02:49:01Z")
This only possible discussion is “yes, of course he would.” Everything after that is superfluous, so it may as well also be insulting. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/69 "2016-11-01T02:53:52Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > And that illustrates why it’s such a shitty ruling. If I wanted to engage in a big insultfest I would have posted in the Pit to begin with. I was looking for a sober discussion of a serious issue. And yet you said: > [@](#): > > I know this sounds absurd in the context of American democracy and the next 30 people to respond were agreeing with you. No debate there… ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/70 "2016-11-01T02:58:24Z")
And yet a couple years ago people would have said that the idea of President Donald Trump was also an absurd notion. But now it is one we have to take seriously. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/71 "2016-11-01T03:10:49Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > And yet a couple years ago people would have said that the idea of President Donald Trump was also an absurd notion. But now it is one we have to take seriously. And even at that, it’s at least just ABSURD rather than Constitution-repudiating. If your scenario were to happen, we wouldn’t be the USA anymore. We’d be just another banana republic. Even a Trump presidency wouldn’t be worse than that. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/72 "2016-11-01T03:13:17Z")
Right, just like what happened after Lincoln suspended habeas corpus. Still noting how no one wants to respond to that point. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/73 "2016-11-01T03:27:56Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Right, just like what happened after Lincoln suspended habeas corpus. Still noting how no one wants to respond to that point. The lizard Jew Masons won’t let us. Or it could be that it’s irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/74 "2016-11-01T03:33:00Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Right, just like what happened after Lincoln suspended habeas corpus. Still noting how no one wants to respond to that point. > [@Article 1 Section 9](#): > > The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it. So…was the Civil War a case of Rebellion or Invasion? Yes. Yes it was. Did the public safety require it? Again, yessiree Bob. So he suspended Habeas Corpus. Constitutionally. According to the what’s written in the Constitution. In Article 1 Section 9. So Union troops didn’t have to get a judge to review them every time they took a Confederate soldier prisoner. And this was Constitutional, because that’s what the Constitution says. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/75 "2016-11-01T03:35:17Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > And frankly, I would not oppose it. Yes, it’s extraconstitutional. But so would be the threat of letting Trump be commander-in-chief, and the top law-enforcement administrator in the country. Once again, although you proclaim your opposition to Trump, you propose a Trump-style response against him. You really are a fuckwit. > [@SlackerInc](#): > > That’s bogus. “Rant”? You are so full of shit! The only good thing about your idiotic “ruling” is that I can openly declare how ridiculous it is. You already stated the idea was absurd in your OP. Really, the only reasonable response to this is to ridicule it. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/76 "2016-11-01T03:44:45Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > And yet a couple years ago people would have said that the idea of President Donald Trump was also an absurd notion. But now it is one we have to take seriously. You aren’t thinking through the consequences of what would probably result in civil war round 2. Is that something you think would be better than a Trump presidency? Irregular warfare and partisan warfare with the amount of weaponry the US citizenry possesses would be heinously destructive. That’s why buying into peaceful transitions of power is so important. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/77 "2016-11-01T03:47:49Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Right, just like what happened after Lincoln suspended habeas corpus. Still noting how no one wants to respond to that point. That was in response to the civil war was it not? Once the shooting and serious business of the army fracturing and the states seceding takes place is when you grudgingly do what needs to be done for preservation. Not tearing up the basis of law in the US to trigger a war. C’mon man. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/78 "2016-11-01T03:57:34Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You already stated the idea was absurd in your OP. Are you functionally illiterate, or just dishonest? Here is what you are referring to, in context: > [@](#): > > Or would he be deposed in a Musharraf-style coup? I know this sounds absurd in the context of American democracy, but we can’t assume that things will always stay consistent just because they have in the past. An honest reading of this by someone possessing a modicum of perspicacity might yield a paraphrase such as: “I know it seems hard to imagine such a thing happening here, because we are not used to it happening in our American political system. But just because it hasn’t happened here yet doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the future.” Which is quite different from your either dishonest or dimwitted characterization of what I said. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/79 "2016-11-01T04:02:28Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > That was in response to the civil war was it not? Once the shooting and serious business of the army fracturing and the states seceding takes place is when you grudgingly do what needs to be done for preservation. Not tearing up the basis of law in the US to trigger a war. C’mon man. But Lincoln already possessed the presidency. We are talking about a situation where Jefferson Davis is about to become president (of the USA, not just the CSA). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/80 "2016-11-01T04:12:25Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Are you functionally illiterate, or just dishonest? Here is what you are referring to, in context: My apologies for giving you more credit than you deserved in stating you recognized the idea was absurd. That makes you even more of a fuckwit for proposing it seriously. But the worst thing is that you say you would not oppose such a move. That makes you even more despicable than Trump. As much as I loathe Trump, what you are proposing is utterly inimical to the foundation of this country. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292.md?page=5)