The 12th Amendment: the big switch-a-roo

[$ecular#eckler]

Although, the 11th Amendment causes a switch to the checks and balances; this one is nearer the people's hearts.

The President of the Senate was switched from the second-place winner of the presidential election to that of the winner's preference, lackey running mate.

Is that not a complete reversal of a check on power?

Does that not skew the original intent of the sophisticated system of checks and balances that the composers of the Constitution designed?

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.

 

[Blues Man]

The Constitution was designed so as to make it extremely difficult if not impossible for any one party to control the executive and legislative branches simultaneously.

Adding the 12th Amendment made it easier to the detriment of everyone.

 

[mamooth]

That's right, it's all been downhill since 1804.

 

[SavannahMann]

The problem was with man. Men who lost the election to President were expected to serve as Vice President out of patriotic zeal. Sadly. Man was unable to overcome his partisan nature. This is the reason we changed the system.

It eliminated a source of backstabbing. Imagine if Hillary had been VP for Trump. Ten seconds after being sworn in she would be demanding his removal from office.

 

[Pellinore]

The original plan sounded good in theory, then they saw what happened when Adams and Jefferson tried to agree on anything, and even moreso with Jefferson and Aaron F'ing Burr.