The issue this situation raises is whether a pandemic is a good enough reason for a congressperson not to show up but still be able to vote.
Category: House of Representatives
Can’t We Just Get Rid of the Electoral College?
The reason we raise the question is that 2020 is a presidential election year, and, according to recent opinion polls, most Americans would like to choose the president by popular vote.
Impeachment: A Mini-chapter on What It Is, What It Isn’t, and What Nobody Knows
Even before the Framers had decided how many presidents the country should have or how long he would serve or what powers he should have, they debated how to get rid of one if he misbehaved.
Gerrymandering: Here We Go Again—and Again and Again
Even though the second edition of Fault Lines in the Constitution is just out, we’re addressing the issue of gerrymandering again because, apparently, the answer to the question we posed over two years ago is “nope.”
Who Won the Presidential Election? Ask the House.
The Constitution states that, if no presidential candidate gets a majority in the Electoral College—that is, 270 votes—then the House of Representatives chooses the president.
The President Can Just Say, “No!”
Because of the president’s ability to veto legislation, some people argue that we actually have a tricameral system—two houses to pass bills and one person to keep them from becoming law.
