Imagine the following scenario: On the 9th of January 2024 in the morning we wake up to news that President of the USA Joe Biden suffered a stroke and died in White House. The administration confirms that the death was entirely natural and no third party contributed to it. Even before the news reach all TV stations another one breaks: Former president of the USA Donald Trump has suffered a cardiac arrest and died in his residence in Mar a Lago. Early reports claim that the site was secure and no malicious actor could reasonably reach Mr. Trump so the death is most likely natural.

What happens then?

  • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
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    11 months ago

    uhh the vice president takes over, and the parties pick new candidates.

    pretty basic actually.

    and realistically, they havent even officially picked candidates yet. so other than trump tornado dying not much would change.

    • FinishingDutch@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Not only that, but there’s an entire line of presidential succession. It’s part of a broader concept of ‘continuity of government’. Basically, it ensures that there’s always someone formally in charge. You could vaporize half the country including every senior official and there’d still be a legit, sworn in president in a few hours.

      There’s basically contingencies upon contingencies. One interesting book on the topic is ‘Raven Rock’ by Garrett M. graff.

      • Candelestine@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        The plotline of the show Designated Survivor. Follows Kiefer Southerland as a Sec of HUD that has to take over following a terrorist attack. He basically carries the show, it’s pretty good.

        • Orbituary@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Also of Battlestar Galactica, the documentary about our past, where the secretary of education is made president, but has cancer and survives for all of the seasons.

              • FinishingDutch@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                That’s not what he’s correcting!

                The ‘new’ Battlestar Galactica is literally set in our past; 150.000 years ago. The characters eventually settle on a new planet that they also call Earth. From the show’s perspective, we are their descendants.

              • doctordevice@lemm.ee
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                11 months ago

                Yeah, overreaction there. Like the other commenter said I wasn’t correcting grammar or spelling, BSG 2004 is set in the past not the future.

    • distantsounds@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Not much would change.

      Don’t discount the tears of joy from billions of people across every political spectrum