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Rhiannon12866

(206,072 posts)
Mon Feb 15, 2021, 04:47 AM Feb 2021

Madison Fears He Made Constitution's Impeachment Clause Too Hard for Idiots to Grasp

THE AFTERLIFE (The Borowitz Report)—The late James Madison, widely credited with drafting the United States Constitution, said on Saturday that he was concerned that he made the document’s impeachment clause too hard for idiots to grasp.

In his first-ever interview from beyond the grave, Madison said that, when he drafted the Constitution, he thought that he had made the section on impeachment “so clear that even a total numbskull could understand it.”

“I remember being in the writers’ room and asking Alexander Hamilton if we should put something in there about how a President should be convicted if he attempts a violent overthrow of the government,” Madison said. “Hamilton was, like, ‘First of all, that’s so obvious, we don’t want to insult people’s intelligence by spelling it out. And, second, a President would have to be a complete and utter psycho to try something like that. You have a wild imagination, my friend.’ ”

Madison said that he heeded Hamilton’s advice, but now harbors some regrets about doing so. “I know hindsight is 20/20, but if I had to write the impeachment part all over again, I’d really dumb it down,” he said.


Short article, no more at link: https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/madison-fears-he-made-constitutions-impeachment-clause-too-hard-for-idiots-to-grasp



Photograph from Getty


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Madison Fears He Made Constitution's Impeachment Clause Too Hard for Idiots to Grasp (Original Post) Rhiannon12866 Feb 2021 OP
Surprisingly underestimated capacity of self-serving in 'humans,' elleng Feb 2021 #1
They also knew what it was like to fight for freedom and didn't take it for granted Rhiannon12866 Feb 2021 #3
Yes elleng Feb 2021 #5
If It's Any Consolation To Madison sfstaxprep Feb 2021 #2
One big problem with the Constitution is that it totally ignores political parties... Wounded Bear Feb 2021 #4
'They' didn't WANT political parties, or at least one of them outright; elleng Feb 2021 #6
Washington warned against forming parties nt coti Feb 2021 #7
Thanks! Rhiannon12866 Feb 2021 #9
K&R n/t Cetacea Feb 2021 #8

sfstaxprep

(9,998 posts)
2. If It's Any Consolation To Madison
Mon Feb 15, 2021, 04:57 AM
Feb 2021

Even with the clause for conviction over an attempt at overthrow of the government, the House Managers still wouldn't have been able to get the 17 votes.

These Fuckers couldn't be bothered to even adhere to the Constitution, that's not how they roll.

Except of course for the Godfather of all Amendments....the 2nd.

Wounded Bear

(58,719 posts)
4. One big problem with the Constitution is that it totally ignores political parties...
Mon Feb 15, 2021, 12:21 PM
Feb 2021

and how that distorts people's thoughts and feeling about concepts like 'patriotism' and 'the public good.' Other than that, they were pretty perceptive about human frailties.

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