What if terrorists detonate a nuke in DC...

[2952-0-0]

and the President, the Vice-President, everyone in the line of succession, and every member of Congress were killed? Do we wnter into an extended period of anarchy?

[Jake]

The highest level military commander left, SACEUR or CINCPAC, would most likely take control until we could have a special election later that year.

[J. J.]

I REALLY think there should be some statutory provision. 

That said, it is exceptionally likely that some Representative would be left to elect himself Speaker (and President).

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

They have one cabinent member out of town for the State of the Union speech.

[2952-0-0]

I REALLY think there should be some statutory provision. 

That said, it is exceptionally likely that some Representative would be left to elect himself Speaker (and President).

What if that guy's name were, say, Dennis Kucinich?

[Jake]

No absent members, everyone in the line of succession and anyone who can enter that line is killed. In addition to my earlier comments, the Governor's may appoint a Senate, have the Senate elect a PPT, and have that person swear the oath.

[J. J.]

They have one cabinent member out of town for the State of the Union speech.

The problem is during the non state of the union times.

There are two possible scenarios:

1.  Everyone in the cabinet just happens to be in a 5 mile radius of ground zero and they are killed.  Most of Congress is killed and somebody, like Spector (getting medical treatment in Phila), is the sole survivor and elects himself PPT (and President).

In this scenario, it's likely that a backbencher might become the next president, probably a House member, that elects himself Speaker (and President).

2.  Along with the nuke, the terrorists send out assassination groups that take out the one or two secretaries outside of DC.

In this senario, it's probably the same house member.

(Not an inspiring scenario.)

[Erc]

They have one cabinent member out of town for the State of the Union speech.

The problem is during the non state of the union times.

There are two possible scenarios:

1.  Everyone in the cabinet just happens to be in a 5 mile radius of ground zero and they are killed.  Most of Congress is killed and somebody, like Spector (getting medical treatment in Phila), is the sole survivor and elects himself PPT (and President).

In this scenario, it's likely that a backbencher might become the next president, probably a House member, that elects himself Speaker (and President).

2.  Along with the nuke, the terrorists send out assassination groups that take out the one or two secretaries outside of DC.

In this senario, it's probably the same house member.

(Not an inspiring scenario.)

If two-thirds of the Senate is killed, can the other third still meet quorum?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

If two-thirds of the Senate is killed, can the other third still meet quorum?

Quorum is a majority of living Senators.

[J. J.]

A quorum is the majority of the members Art. I, Sec. 5.  A majority of 1 is 1.

I'll throw out a name:  Rep. James Barrett (R-SC).  He's a second term Congressman.  Suppose he's just happens to be visiting his dying mother that day, or something, but he's not in DC and is the sole surviver.  He's our new president or at least gets to pick the next president.

I've never heard of him, and he's probably a nice guy, but this scenario is possible.  I could just as easily be Rep. Kucinich.

[Jake]

I hope it's Curt Weldon

[J. J.]

I hope it's Curt Weldon

The problem is, in the middle of a national crisis, do you want to get the guy who didn't happen to be in building running the country.

I'll give you another possibility; most the Rebublicans in the Senate go home and the only the Democrats are in the building, at a caucus meeting.  Talk about going nuclear!

[Blerpiez]

If you were the lone represenatative alive, you should probably elect as speaker someone with experience as an executive for the time of crisis, and have him resign as president as soon as possible.

[J. J.]

If you were the lone represenatative alive, you should probably elect as speaker someone with experience as an executive for the time of crisis, and have him resign as president as soon as possible.

Most, if not all, of those people would be dead, however.  Pataki might be a good choice.

[minionofmidas]

About half a dozen of US Congressmen are foreign born. What if the sole survivor is Rep. Lincoln Diaz Balart, for example. He can elect himself speaker as long as he wants, he'll never be President. Of course, if Diaz Balart and Mel Martinez are the sole two survivors, they might pass a constitutional amendment to make themselves eligible.

[Ben Meyers]

This is a scary scenario.

[J. J.]

This is a scary scenario.

Yes, but we should prepare for the possibility.

[A18]

The office of the president should pass to the governors, in the order that their respective states joined the union, or in the case of the original 13, ratified the Constitution.

[J. J.]

The office of the president should pass to the governors, in the order that their respective states joined the union, or in the case of the original 13, ratified the Constitution.

I'm not certain that the Governor of Delaware (Minter?) would be the best choice.  I'd go most populus to least populus in the last Census; we'd have to skip CA this time.

[??????????]

Sensenbrener for President!! JK

[J. J.]

Sensenbrener for President!! JK

Or Chakka Fattah for President!  ;-)  It all depends on who stayed home that day.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

About half a dozen of US Congressmen are foreign born. What if the sole survivor is Rep. Lincoln Diaz Balart, for example. He can elect himself speaker as long as he wants, he'll never be President. Of course, if Diaz Balart and Mel Martinez are the sole two survivors, they might pass a constitutional amendment to make themselves eligible.

They can pass constitiional amendments with a surviving Senator, but it still has to be ratified.

[minionofmidas]

About half a dozen of US Congressmen are foreign born. What if the sole survivor is Rep. Lincoln Diaz Balart, for example. He can elect himself speaker as long as he wants, he'll never be President. Of course, if Diaz Balart and Mel Martinez are the sole two survivors, they might pass a constitutional amendment to make themselves eligible.

They can pass constitiional amendments with a surviving Senator, but it still has to be ratified.

Well yes, but that would happen swiftly I reckon. In that extreme scenario. It might help if the remaining term wasn't long.

[bullmoose88]

The office of the president should pass to the governors, in the order that their respective states joined the union, or in the case of the original 13, ratified the Constitution.

Do we really want Ruth Ann Minner being the first of the governors in the order of succession (or formerly Tom Carper if this was a few years ago?)

[Beet]

This is a scary scenario.

Yes, but we should prepare for the possibility.

Personally, that consists of praying to God for salvation.