Co-Presidency Amendment Process 1. Proposal of the Amendment (Getting the Ball Rolling) Two Methods for Proposing an Amendment: - Congressional Proposal: - The most common route is for two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate to approve the proposed amendment. This is the path you’d likely take for this scenario. Bipartisan support would be crucial to passing the amendment, so both Republican and Democratic leaders would need to agree on the idea of a co-presidency system. This would likely require political negotiation and public support to move forward. - Constitutional Convention (less likely): - Alternatively, two-thirds of state legislatures could call for a constitutional convention to propose an amendment. While this is a possible route, it’s much rarer and would carry its own political risks, as the convention could end up proposing other changes to the Constitution. Given the scenario of a co-presidency, the congressional route is by far the most probable. --- 2. Drafting the Amendment (Crafting the Language) Once the idea has political momentum, legal experts and lawmakers would begin drafting the actual amendment text. The amendment would need to: - Define the Role of Co-Presidents: It would outline the duties, powers, and responsibilities of both Trump and Harris. They would share equal responsibility over all issues, meaning both would collaborate on all executive decisions. - Resolve Conflicts and Decision-Making: Since there is no tie-breaking system, both co-presidents would need to agree on all decisions. In case of serious disagreement, they would be expected to resolve the issue through negotiation or by delegating authority on a particular matter to a joint decision-making council, or other solution based on mutual agreement. - Succession Rules: The amendment would specify that if either co-president is unable to serve, the Vice President would become the President, in the same way the current system operates for the sole president. - Ensure the Amendment is Clear and Consistent: It should be carefully worded to ensure there are no ambiguities. Courts would likely review it, so clarity is key. --- 3. Approval in Congress (The Vote) After the draft amendment is completed, the proposed amendment would go to Congress for approval. Here's how it would go down: - Debate in Committees: The amendment would be sent to relevant committees in both the House and Senate (like the Judiciary Committees), where lawmakers would debate its merits and implications. - Voting in the House and Senate: After being reviewed in committees, the amendment would be debated and voted on in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In both chambers, two-thirds of members (i.e., 67 senators and 290 representatives) must vote in favor for it to move forward. - This step requires significant bipartisan support, so the Trump administration would need to negotiate with Democratic and Republican leaders to find common ground on the co-presidency. - Challenges: Some members of Congress may object to a dual-presidency model because it’s a radical departure from traditional governance, so the administration would likely need to convince key lawmakers that a co-presidency is necessary for national unity or efficiency. --- 4. Ratification by the States (Getting 38 States on Board) Once Congress has passed the proposed amendment, it’s sent to the states for ratification. This step requires three-fourths of the state legislatures (currently 38 out of 50 states) to approve the amendment for it to become law. - State Legislative Action: Each state legislature would review the amendment. State lawmakers would likely hold public hearings to discuss its potential benefits and drawbacks. - Political Pressure: Given the monumental nature of this change, political leaders (both federal and state) would apply pressure on state legislators to ratify the amendment. Public opinion could play a significant role in influencing how state legislators vote. - Bipartisan Approval: Since the amendment requires broad approval, the co-presidency idea would need to have support across political lines at the state level, meaning Trump’s administration would need to engage with state governments and bipartisan stakeholders to secure the necessary votes. - Alternatives: Some states might ratify quickly, while others might be more cautious and take longer to approve the amendment. Political factors, like the current partisan makeup of each state's legislature, could impact the speed and likelihood of ratification. --- 5. Final Certification and Implementation Once 38 states have ratified the amendment, it is officially part of the Constitution. At this point, the co-presidency would be fully legal and operational, and the Trump-Harris leadership model would become the permanent system of governance. --- Key Challenges and Considerations: - Public Opinion: Gaining public support is crucial for both the Congressional approval and state ratification stages. The administration would likely need to engage in an extensive public relations campaign to convince Americans that this new governance model is beneficial for the country. - Political Opposition: There will undoubtedly be opposition—particularly from people who believe the co-presidency would undermine the power of the presidency or create a complicated leadership structure. Opponents would likely argue that it goes against the tradition of a single executive. - Impact on Future Elections: The amendment could change how future presidential elections are structured, potentially leading to co-presidential candidates running together, instead of a president and vice president being separately elected. --- Summary of the Amendment Process: 1. Proposal: A two-thirds majority in Congress (both House and Senate) proposes the co-presidency amendment. 2. Drafting: Legal experts and lawmakers draft the amendment’s text, defining the shared powers and succession rules for Trump and Harris. 3. Approval in Congress: The amendment is debated and voted on by both the House and Senate, requiring a two-thirds majority in each chamber. 4. State Ratification: After passing Congress, the amendment is sent to the states for ratification. 38 states need to approve it. 5. Certification and Implementation: Once ratified by the states, the amendment becomes part of the U.S. Constitution, and the co-presidency becomes the formal system of governance. --- This process would likely take several years, and it requires substantial political negotiation and public engagement to succeed. However, with Trump’s influence and bipartisan support, it’s conceivable that such an amendment could pass if the political will is strong enough.