[Xmca-l] Re: a linguist and a child on D. Trump

[Peg Griffin]

About regency?
There is a sort of "unfinished" amendment to the US constitution. The 25th amendment calls for a body to be formed if there is a question of the need for presidential succession.  And now there is a House bill to "finish" the 25th and establish such a body.  Jamie Raskin is the chief sponsor and there are some co-sponsors so far. Although relatively junior, Raskin is on important related House committees for doing something about presidential "inability" and he seems to me to be quite persuasive, knowledgeable and thorough.
Here's the link to his bill:
https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/raskin-introduces-bill-establish-independent-commission-presidential-capacity  
A clause in the middle of the second paragraph of Section 4 of the 25th amendment is at issue (and if the bill gets introduced and/or passes would be litigated, no doubt -- we have lots of "intent of the framers" ouija boards to consult in courts ).  As it now it, it appears that the "other body" proposed would be constituted only if the President's inability has already been addressed up to a point by some procedures and there is an impasse between executive and legislative branches of the government.  The amendment's clause allows for the following: "...or such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."  As it now provides, the issue then goes back to the Senate and House (2/3 vote of both houses required or else the president resumes power and duties) 
shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office."

Raskin's bill provides for an additional route (besides impeachment) to remove a sitting president. 

Right now (with the Republicans in charge of both houses of Congress and the Presidency), practically speaking,  it seems that the most it will provide is a venue for careful constitutional discussion.  If hearings are not allowed (by the majority party) to occur officially in the House of Representative, then it may well occur in forums  (Representative Conyers' approach), People's Hearings or state hearings.  Whichever way, the discussion may involve the judiciary, if Raskin and his growing list of co-sponsors take that route.  And the discussion may move some voters and votes.

These aren't quite arrangements for a regent.  Jamie Raskin hasn't given up on the impeachment route: He's active about various other clauses of the constitution involving ethics, money, and about failures of the separation of powers and coordination of relations among government branches.  But Maxine Waters is the main member of the House for feeling hopeful (and a bit happy) on the impeachment front!   And I think there are a few more active and effective people and efforts behind the scenes.  Nothing wrong with a bit of enfadado, though, huh?
PG

-----Original Message-----
From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of Carol Macdonald
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2017 6:56 AM
To: Andy Blunden; eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: a linguist and a child on D. Trump

That would be the vice-President!

I think Trump enjoyed being the fly in the ointment at G20, and then ...
offered to work jointly with Russia on cyber security. And now we hear that his son went to a meeting with a Russian because he believed they had some damaging information on Clinton.

Alfredo I think lots of us are feeling 'enfadado' -- but rather helpless with it too.

Carol

On 8 July 2017 at 11:43, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote:

> I was thinking ... does the US system allow for the appointment of a 
> Regent?
>
> andy
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Andy Blunden
> http://home.mira.net/~andy
> http://www.brill.com/products/book/origins-collective-decision-making
> On 8/07/2017 7:40 PM, Alfredo Jornet Gil wrote:
>
>> We've been perplexed (some may say horrified) by Trump's speech in 
>> this list before, as many others in the media have. A linguist in the 
>> Washington post (see link below) comments on this and notes how 
>> Trump's speech sounds like (American) everyday speech, like he 'could 
>> be a family member or a friend'. She also notes his use of hyperbolic verbal and gestural devices.
>> ??I was watching the video and my two-years old daughter passed by 
>> and saw Trump talking. Pointing at him, my daughter said, 'enfadado' 
>> ('angry' in Spanish). Honestly, I am glad that not many of my family 
>> members or friends sound like that, even the American ones!
>>
>>
>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/this-linguist-
>> studied-the-way-trump-speaks-for-two-years-heres-what-she-
>> found/2017/07/07/12f310c6-627d-11e7-80a2-8c226031ac3f_video.html
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>


--
Carol A Macdonald Ph.D (Edin)
Cultural Historical Activity Theory
Honorary Research Fellow: Department of Linguistics, Unisa alternative email address: tmacdoca@unisa.ac.za