And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going

[bigmacbear]

One of my very first observations about the current excuse for an administration, on February 13, 2003, brought up the point that with all of the disregard the Bush crime family has for the Constitution they were sworn to "preserve, protect, and defend", it isn't inconceivable that one or more of the principals would simply refuse to leave office at the end of his term. Randi Rhodes happened to make the same observation on yesterday's show, although where I speculated that George II would be the one refusing to vacate, she thought it more likely that Dick Cheney would be doing so.

Of course, anything of the sort would be disastrous for the country. While no one really thinks about such things on a daily basis -- it would be unprecedented at the Federal level, although it would not surprise me to find a mayor or police chief somewhere had tried it -- I think the result would depend upon whatever law-enforcement agency would be charged with the task of evicting the former officeholder. I can think of a few possibilities, in decreasing order of probability:

• The Secret Service detail on duty that day comes down (as they ought to) on the side of the duly elected officeholder, and either arrests the would-be usurper on the spot (for treason) or stands down while some other agency (Capitol police, FBI, or the military) makes the arrest.


• The Secret Service detail takes the side of the usurper but some other agency makes the arrest anyway, probably killing a number of the SS guards (hmm... how appropriate) and arresting the remainder.


• All law-enforcement agencies and the military take the side of the usurper, leading either to martial law and an end to the American experiment, or the Second American Revolution, or both.

On a lighter note, it would be cool to see JibJab or one of those sites run an animation of Bush or Cheney singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls.

Comments

[gmjambear]

Are you trying to think of a new plot point for next season's "24?"

*shudder*

[chrishansenhome.livejournal.com]

The success of such a plan depends on the cooperation of every judge, law enforcement agency and every soldier and sailor in the country. I would find it difficult to believe that this could happen.

Of course, I'm not infallible nor totally prescient, but I suspect that the Supreme Court would, even given its current Neanderthal majority, rule against any such action.

[robearal.livejournal.com]

I've been worried about this since he (not so obviously the second time) stole the second election. Anyone willing to cheat 2 federal elections to make sure he got/stayed in power would have no compunctions in refusing to give up said power.

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

Your scenario reminds me of the plot in 1967 James Bond spoof Our Man Flint where women try to rule the world, but only to find out they are foiled by a general and an impostor masqurading as the president. In the end, he refuses to go but is ultimately arrested and the real president takes over.

On the one hand, I would not put it against both Cheney and Bush to try such a stunt since both seem, from my skimming of America Blog, the rough gist seems to be that both are delusional but on the other hand, perhaps not but we really won't know until the time comes but I do hope if they do try that there will be police etc to come down on them and arrest them.