The role of vice president Flashcards
Where is the role of vice president set out?
In Article II, section 1 clause 3 of the constitution
What are the three important functions the vice president serves?
- Taking over as president if necessary
- Acting as the presiding officer of the senate
- Presiding over the counting of Electoral College quotes
How many presidents have become president after the death or resignation of the incumbent?
9
What does the 25 amendment allow the vice president to do?
Become the acting president if the current president is declared, or declared themselves, disabled.
When are the three recent times that the 25th amendment has been exercised?
- When Reagan was briefly hospitalised in 1985 and George H.W Bush became acting president
- In 2002 and 2007 when George W. Bush was briefly hospitalised and Dick Cheney became acting president
What did many Democrats try to do in the final days of the Trump presidency after the Capitol Hill riots?
Persuade Pence to invoke the 25th amendment and declare himself the acting president
What does the vice president do as the presiding officer of the senate?
Cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie, but this function is rarely performed. Performing this function is often the only time the vice president will attend the chamber
List some examples of vice presidents using their power of a casting vote in the senate
- Al Gore helping to pass Clinton’s 1993 Omnibus Reconciliation Act
- When Cheney protected $1.6 trillion tax cut
- Pence enabled Betsy DeVos to be made secretary of education
- Kamala Harris allowed Biden to proceed on the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act
Who was the first vice president to serve two full terms without making a casting vote?
Joe Biden
Why is the vice president counting the electoral college votes merely ceremonial?
They announce results that everyone already knows before a session of congress
Why did the idea that the vice president counting votes is merely ceremonial change in 2021?
Because Trump falsely alleged that the 2021 election had been stolen from him. Trump’s final play was to try and pressure Pence into changing the electoral outcome. Pence chose to abide by constitutional order and ignore Trump and his mob
What does the influence of the vice president depend upon?
How much power the president allows them
What was the consequence of Trump demanding subservience from Pence?
He lacked the status and clear cut role of his predecessors. Even to the point of being nicknamed ‘the bobblehead’ by fellow republicans due to his solemn nodding whenever Trump spoke
Why is Harris a much more powerful vice PM than Pence?
He has delegated significantly more powers than Trump did to Pence putting her in charge of the White House effort to tackle immigration on the southern border
What do Biden say about the confidence he has in Harris?
‘When she speaks, she speaks for me, I can think of nobody better qualified to do this
