2-13-22. Guest Commentary - "Turn The Spigots Back On"

 

The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy!

 

H. L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy, 1926

 

It would be difficult to argue that there is any manner of success for the American people during the first year of the Biden administration. In an effort to appease the radical political left, Biden has undone all of the successful policies of the Trump years. Elections are about making choices, and with his election, Biden has the authority to dismantle success and tank the American economy and our position of strength on the world stage.

After demonstrating cowardice with his running scared exit from Afghanistan, he signaled to the world and our adversaries in particular that America had transitioned to being a feckless power.

In an attempt to provide a solution to the American people and guidance to a man in mental decline, consider how quickly Biden can reverse America’s fortunes. All he needs to do is to turn the spigot back on for the domestic energy supply.

Remember that on day one of his presidency, Biden cancelled the XL pipeline, and cancelled all federal leases for drilling oil and natural gas. Only seconds before taking those imbecilic actions, America was energy independent and a net exporter of energy. This meant we did not need to engage with nations anywhere on the planet to provide us with oil or natural gas. Experts had determined we had sufficient untapped resources  in this country to support our energy requirements for at lease 100 years. As soon as Biden opted out of that status, it became necessary for him to go hat in hand to ask oil producing nations to increase their production. Given that increasing production would drive down the price, and profits, Biden seemed stunned his requests were ignored. He then released stores of our nations national reserve in hopes of driving down the price. It worked. A gallon  of gas dropped 12 cents for about two weeks. Leadership incarnate.

Biden then gave approval for Russia to to continue building THEIR pipeline to Europe, removing Trump’s sanctions to the contrary.

It was, and is, an absolutely stunningly stupid decision.

After Biden exited from Afghanistan, and turning over control of our energy to Russia, Biden now sees himself on the precipice of a disaster with Ukraine. He has promised ‘tough sanctions’ if Russia invades Ukraine. This policy mirrors the Obama administration’s position on Crimea. That has failed and Crimea is now under Russian control.

Only an idiot would choose to repeat a catastrophic failure.

People are calling for sanctions now, which Biden has resisted.

Here is how turning on the flow of domestic energy solves everything.

Inflation has hit a 40 year high under Joe, driven in large part due to energy costs. Returning to energy independence goes a long way to easing inflation and returning America to prosperity. Turning the spigot back on also helps crash Russia’s economy. Fifty percent of their economy is sustained by selling energy. If we return to exporting energy, not only do we cut our dependence to Russian energy, we can provide a more stable source to many of Russia’s clientele. We accomplish more by being independent than by just hoping new sanctions work. To help assure the collapse of Russia’s threats to Ukraine, we should reimpose the sanctions on the Russian pipeline to Europe. It is difficult to sustain an army without the ability to support it financially.

Biden can solve our energy, inflation and Ukraine concerns with a simple decision. Turn the spigot back on.

There are of course those on the political left who will try to prevent Biden from diverting from his oil-free climate change agenda.

Rather than destroying the American economy in pursuit of such an elusive concept, we propose a simple solution.

Use the American economy and capitalism to address the issue.

Consider this proposal.

We will call it the “America For The World Plan”:

What left leaning progressive could deny the title?

Biden could propose  that the first company which creates a renewable energy source to replace fossil fuels and designs a viable delivery system would become a tax-free company. They would pay no taxes for fifty years. They would sell their patent to the American people for one dollar, and receive a percentage from every use of the patent.

It would work much faster than edicts, mandates, insipid laws and tern loose the economic power of America.

All Biden has to do is to turn the spigots back on.

Now.

 

 

 

 

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American Perspective (part three) We The People

 

The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy!

 

H. L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy, 1926

 

In parts one and two, our intent was to buttress our argument that President Biden and his cronies, flacks and the extreme members of the far left do not have even a basic, fundamental understanding of the United States Constitution. There is no tone of gravitas or repeated claims that will ever support their attempts to ignore the  inconvenient realities of limited government as detailed in our governing document. The blatant assault on liberty is encased in Biden’s rhetoric that parts of the Constitution are “not absolute”. Yes, we do have a fixation in our repeated reminders with regard to the statement. As previously noted, being selective in the rights of Americans would create a nation in which chanting “Let’s Go Brandon”, and our new favorite “Let’s Go Brenda”, could be a crime with accompanying penalties. That would not be the nation envisioned by our founders and framers. It would not be the nation remembered just 10 years ago by those today.

Covid-19 brought much of how government works to the forefront of politics, and where it has lost its way. Mostly how it has lost its way.

The pandemic, we were told, required a two to three-week shutdown of the nation in order to, as it was said “flatten the curve”. In other words, we accepted that doing what we could to help alleviate the impending strain on hospitals, which would be a national health emergency, was the thing to do. All the experts said so. America is nothing if not patriotic and generous, so we did as we were asked.

And then something happened in governments across the land. People of no consequence, who had never amounted to much, grabbed their reins of power and became intoxicated with the sense that their word was law. Mandates began flying, and the stenographic sycophantic mass media began parroting the same lies.

The sad tale of Covid is not our focus in this discussion. The ever-steady encroachment of totalitarianism and the continual erosion of our rights is the topic.

Consider that with very few exceptions, political leaders have made the comment that their intention was to return the rights back to their citizens as quickly as possible.

The rights were not theirs to take, thus they could not be able to return what was not theirs. When pressed on the point about by what authority did he limit those rights, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy quipped that consulting the United States Constitution was “above my pay grade”.

Therein lies the problem, and why The Madison Conservative constantly stresses the supremacy of the Constitution in matter of public policy.

The American people are as a whole a law-abiding society. They understand that if a law is passed, after rigorous debate from all sides, it is in fact the law and must be obeyed.

Every American will also most certainly chafe at mandates, those edicts handed down by would-be tyrants, regardless of their position. If they believe they have the power, they will use it. They see every issue as a nail and themselves as the hammer.

This is NOT America.

What then should society do to combat this nemesis? We would ask you to familiarize yourself with the Constitution, amendments and all.

When you hear your neighbors make comments in the extreme, there is no need to proselytize.

Try something subtler.

To wit:

“Man, why doesn’t Biden just mandate that everybody follow his mandates?”

Respond with…

“Yeah, but that pesky 10^th amendment forbids him from doing so and leaves it to the states. Gotta play by the rules, I guess.”

The conversation might go this way.

“ I saw some idiot on TV last night talking about everything that’s wrong with America. If they don’t like it, tell them to get out.”

And your response…

“Yeah, but the first amendment protects all speech, especially the speech you hate the most. Remember, America, land of the free, for you and for me.”

There are an infinite variations of course, but the conversations must be had. The facts are on the side of those who know the Constitution.

Americans created it, and Americans must defend it.

We The People.

 

 

 

 

 

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American Perspective - (part two) - "Let's Go Brenda!"

 

The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy!

 

H. L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy, 1926

 

In part one, we challenged President Biden to quantify which constitutional amendments were, in his singular opinion, “not absolute”. President Obama, a former constitutional law instructor, famously and repeatedly lamented that the United States Constitution was a list of “negative rights”, what the government was not permitted to do to the citizenry. Biden seems to want to continue that idiotic line of reasoning by giving himself the power and authority to take the amendments as merely quaint suggestions. When the most powerful political leader on the planet openly discusses how he does not need to play by the rules, the nation should be concerned. The United States Constitution, and ALL of its amendments, are the rules we all live by. The political left, led by Biden, seem intent on changing the restrictions placed on them by the founders and framers. It astounds us that they keep missing the wildly obvious way to change government. The citizenry have made course corrections 27 times in their pursuit of a more perfect union. Their major obstacle of course is they have never been able to convince a majority of the American public to support their ignorance. Throughout the years they have blathered on about equity, fairness, etc., claiming that the Constitution is a tattered remnant of a white supremacist nation founded with the original sin of slavery. At some point we will disassemble that sick narrative, but we do not wish to move too far afield from the topic at hand. The Constitution is a contract between those in charge – the American people – and those they employ on a temporary basis – the government.

Throughout recorded human history, America is the first experiment in self-governance. We have no king, no royal bloodlines, and we hand off power to our representatives every year with no shot having ever been fired.

Our point thus far, from part one to now, has been to exemplify how glorious the Constitution affords rights to the individual above and beyond those in power.

The Madison Conservative has, in print, and without fear of retribution, been taking the leader of the free world to task. How can a blog post by someone with no power base, no political authority, possibly be able to do this?

The answer is simple.

The United States Constitution, amendments and all.

The right to free speech, to protest peaceably to the government for  a redress of my grievances. Never before, and throughout the world today, could that ever be considered a reality.

Which brings us to the chants of ‘Let’s Go Brandon”.

Is the term disrespectful? Yes. Do those who employ it have concerns about Biden’s administration. More than likely.

Where Americans must remain vigilant is how the political left is attempting to label this as ‘hate speech’. There are legislators who have crafted laws making it illegal to use the phrase. Their reasoning is simple – such people are President Trump supporters, and as are all 75 million Americans who voted for Trump, they are white supremacist racist homophobes.

It is possible that they may convince enough fellow legislators to vote in support of such laws, but that falls into the realms of unicorns.

Americans have the right to say what they want about those in temporary power, be it supportive or ‘Let’s Go Brandon’.

Free speech is an inalienable right: it’s inherent to the franchise.

That fact makes Speaker Pelosi’s recent Olympics comments so troubling. On more than one occasion, she expressed to our athletes that they should only compete, but say nothing about the most totalitarian regime in the world today. She offered the statements as a warning to Americans going to China that they should say nothing that might anger their Chinese hosts. She inferred that if they did, America could not guarantee their safety.

Excuse us?

If any American incites violence, makes threats of physical harm, then they should be held accountable. Pelosi, who in two years has not held a hearing on the origins of Covid, seems to be uncomfortably submissive to a foreign government,

Madame Speaker, that is not the American Way. Regardless of where they may be on the political spectrum, every American has the right to speak. They have a right to believe that their contract with the government assures them of their safety abroad.

Given Joe Biden’s cowardly retreat from Afghanistan, leaving a still unaccounted for numbers of our fellow citizens trapped behind enemy lines, it is easy to understand Pelosi’s similar cowardice with China.

I leave you with this statement, Mrs. Pelosi, and my apologies for the blatant plagiarism.

“Let’s Go Brenda”!. How’s THAT for equity?

 

 

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American Perspective - (part one)

 

The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy!

 

H. L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy, 1926

 

(ed. note: we understand this is a long read, but we believe it essential and worth your investment of time. )

 

President Joe Biden repeated his contempt for the United States Constitution during his visit to New York City on 2-3-22. In presenting his case for an assault on the second amendment, he again spewed his vitriol that “no amendment is absolute.”

Our exasperation at his ignorance has prompted us to address his idiocy with but a single question.

Mr. President, which of the following amendments do you believe is subject to your warped view of the rights entrusted to the American people?

Our thanks to ARCHIVE.GOV for supplying the actual composition and notes.

Again, Mr. President, all we ask is for you to pick just one.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of
grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the
people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the
owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against
unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but
upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the
place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

 

Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a
presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval
forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall
any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor
shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived
of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken
for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial,
by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed,
which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the
nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to
have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance
of counsel for his defense.

Amendment VII
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the
right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise
reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common
law.

Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual
punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or
disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to
the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

 

 

Amendment XI

Passed by Congress March 4, 1794. Ratified February 7, 1795.

Note: Article III, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by amendment 11.

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

 

Amendment XII

Passed by Congress December 9, 1803. Ratified June 15, 1804.

Note: A portion of Article II, section 1 of the Constitution was superseded by the 12th amendment.

The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; -- the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; -- The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. [And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. --]* The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States. *Superseded by section 3 of the 20th amendment.

 

Amendmment XIII

Passed by Congress January 31, 1865. Ratified December 6, 1865.

Note: A portion of Article IV, section 2, of the Constitution was superseded by the 13th amendment.

Section 1.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

Amendment XIV

Passed by Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9, 1868.

Note: Article I, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by section 2 of the 14th amendment.

Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2.

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age,* and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3.

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4.

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5.

The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

*Changed by section 1 of the 26th amendment.

 

Amendment XV

Passed by Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified February 3, 1870.

Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude--

Section 2.

The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

Amendment XVI

Passed by Congress July 2, 1909. Ratified February 3, 1913.

Note: Article I, section 9, of the Constitution was modified by amendment 16.

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

 

Amendment XVII

Passed by Congress May 13, 1912. Ratified April 8, 1913.

Note: Article I, section 3, of the Constitution was modified by the 17th amendment.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

 

Amendment XVIII

Passed by Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified January 16, 1919. Repealed by amendment 21.

Section 1.

After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2.

The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

 

Amendment XIX

Passed by Congress June 4, 1919. Ratified August 18, 1920.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

Amendment XX

Passed by Congress March 2, 1932. Ratified January 23, 1933.

Note: Article I, section 4, of the Constitution was modified by section 2 of this amendment. In addition, a portion of the 12th amendment was superseded by section 3.

Section 1.

The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

Section 2.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

Section 3.

If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

Section 4.

The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

Section 5.

Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

Section 6.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

 

Amendment XXI

Passed by Congress February 20, 1933. Ratified December 5, 1933.

Section 1.

The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2.

The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

 

Amendment XXII

Passed by Congress March 21, 1947. Ratified February 27, 1951.

Section 1.

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

Section 2.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

 

Amendment XXIII

Passed by Congress June 16, 1960. Ratified March 29, 1961.

Section 1.

The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

Amendment XXIV

Passed by Congress August 27, 1962. Ratified January 23, 1964.

Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

Amendment XXV

Passed by Congress July 6, 1965. Ratified February 10, 1967.

Note: Article II, section 1, of the Constitution was affected by the 25th amendment.

Section 1.

In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2.

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3.

Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4.

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit 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, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of 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. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

 

Amendment XXVI

Passed by Congress March 23, 1971. Ratified July 1, 1971.

Note: Amendment 14, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by section 1 of the 26th amendment.

Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

Amendment XXVII

Originally proposed Sept. 25, 1789. Ratified May 7, 1992.

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

 

 

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