Could Bush actually halt the election if there is a major event around that time?

Question

If so, then people should be wary that any major terrorist or other event around the election that would give Bush the ability to postpone the election is probably staged by our own government. SO PLEASE DO NOT BELIEVE IT AND DO NOT LET BUSH DECLARE MARTIAL LAW AND BECOME A DICTATOR!

Answer 1

Executive Directive 51 is all anyone needs to know about this. It will allow the neo-cons a last gasp effort to start World War 3 they all so desperately want.

Answer 2

You seem to be singularly ill-informed as to the contents of the Constitution despite your concern for its preservation.

There is no such thing as martial law in US federal law. The only thing that comes close is the suspension of Habeas Corpus. (Article 1, Section 9)

The Consitution only states a uniform date for the election: "The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States." (Article 1, Section 1)

In the 12th Amendment it states: "The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate..."

There is no direct provision made in the Consitution for a popular vote for the Presidency, saying only, "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress:

So the only legal way for the election to be postponed would be for Congress to set a new day for the "chusing of Electors."

The President can't do it, no matter what events might happen.

Answer 3

Its been tried and it failed last time.
An early administration refused to leave the White House after losing. They were forcibly removed.

He has done a few Executive Orders that are dangerously close to this and some that are directly unconstitutional, but until something is actually tried they cannot be undone.

Were he to try he would fail. The SC would not be able to support him even with how liberally they see the Constitution these days.

Answer 4

DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK PRESIDENT BUSH WOULD REALLY BE BEHIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT...SERIOUSLY NOW???!!!!

And even if it were a possibility, how many Americans and the military do you thing would tolerate it for even one minute??
I DON'T THINK SO!

You probably think the World Trade Center Towers were an inside job too, just to give us and excuse to pick on the poor Arabs, huh?

WATCH OUT FOLKS! THEY ARE ALL AROUND US!!!

Answer 5

There is nothing in the US Constitution that would allow the president to postpone elections.

However, there are federal statutes allowing for states of emergency to be declared. Furthermore, states and municipalities can suspend elections by their own laws.

For example, Sept. 11, 2001 was a primary election day for New York State. When 9/11 occurred, the governor declared a state of emergency and all polls were closed. The votes registered on that day were declared invalid and the primary election was re-held a month later.

So if an event similar to 9/11 happened on election day 2008, it would be possible for Bush (with Congressional approval) to temporarily suspend the election (even though this scenario is not explicitly addressed in the constitution.)

The key words there are "temporarily suspend": after the state of emergency is over, elections would have to resume. And there is absolutely no chance that Bush could somehow suspend elections absent some national catastrophe.

So don't worry, Bush can't become any more of a dictator than he already is now. ;)

Answer 6

There is nothing in the Constitution that says that the president has the power to do this. Congress, however, does have the ability to set the day that the Electoral College casts its votes. So, theoretically, Bush could never do such a thing himself, but Congress could.

Answer 7

If Bush was going to do it he would after 9/11 and didn't.
This was going to happen in the mid terms remember and didn't.
Than again in 04 election and didn't
Tan again in the mid term of 06 and didn't.

So this is getting old so move along.

Answer 8

Bush cant do anything! Its all congress! If Congress allows Bush to stay, I say we band together with the baby Fetuses and Pickett outside the whitehouse with assault rifles!

Answer 9

you need to quit smoking grass.

Answer 10

I;VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE.I DO KNOW THAT BUSH WOULD LIKE TO ABOLISH THE TWO TERM LIMIT.THAT WAY HE COULD BECOME PRESIDENT FOR AS LONG AS HE WANTS.I SUPPOSE HE COULD STALL THE ELECTIONS.BUT IF HE DID I BELIEVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WOULD SEE RIGHT THROUGH HIS PLAN.THERE WOULD ALSO BE CIVIL DISORDER LIKE NEVER BEFORE.MAYBE EVEN AN OVER THROW OF THE GOVERNMENT AS WELL.IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.