Constitutional Cliffhangers: A Legal Guide for Presidents and Their Enemies

About this book

The United States Constitutions provisions for selecting replacing and punishing presidents contain serious weaknesses that could lead to constitutional controversies. In this compelling and fascinating book Brian Kalt envisions six such controversies such as the criminal prosecution of a sitting president a two-term presidents attempt to stay in power the ousting of an allegedly disabled president and more. None of these things has ever occurred but in recent years many of them almost have. Besides being individually dramatic these controversies provide an opportunity to think about how constitutional procedures can best be designed interpreted and repaired. Also because the events Kalt describes would all carry enormous political consequences they shed light on the delicate and complicated balance between law and politics in American government.