Yale University Press
Constitutional Cliffhangers
About this book
The United States Constitution's 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 president's 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.
Author / Editor information
Reviews
"Brian Kalt has identified unresolved constitutional questions that could easily lead to chaos and crisis. He is at his best when he writes the script that puts us into the quagmire. I hope that what he writes about never happens, but it has happened before and it will happen again. For a White House Counsel, Constitutional Cliffhangers is nothing but nightmare-and great fun nonetheless."—Gregory B. Craig, former White House Counsel
C.J. Box
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Robert William Bennett
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Sanford Levinson
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Topics
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Frontmatter
i -
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Contents
vii -
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Preface
ix -
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Acknowledgments
xi -
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Introduction
1 -
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1. Prosecuting A President
11 -
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2. The Presidential Self-Pardon Controversy
39 -
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3. Removing A “Disabled” President
61 -
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4. The Line Of Succession Controversy
83 -
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5. Impeaching An Ex-President
106 -
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6. The Third-Term Controversy
133 -
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7. Getting Out Of Trouble
158 -
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Notes
181 -
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Index
241