How quickly could a motion be passed to alter minimum age for POTUS?
How quickly could the minimum age requirement (35 years) for the president of the USA be changed?
I got curious when I realised The Rock, LeBron James and Beyoncé have tickets at the major betting agencies, but Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesn't! (she will be under 35 in 2020; hence cannot run, at least according to here)
I'm not in any way suggesting that the Dems would, but if they were sufficiently energised to do so, how quickly (theoretically) could a change be made?
united-states president presidential-election
edited 9 hours ago
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asked 15 hours ago
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How quickly could the minimum age requirement (35 years) for the president of the USA be changed?
I got curious when I realised The Rock, LeBron James and Beyoncé have tickets at the major betting agencies, but Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesn't! (she will be under 35 in 2020; hence cannot run, at least according to here)
I'm not in any way suggesting that the Dems would, but if they were sufficiently energised to do so, how quickly (theoretically) could a change be made?
united-states president presidential-election
edited 9 hours ago
Community♦
1
asked 15 hours ago
user5783745user5783745
20413
New contributor
user5783745 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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6
Small correction to your post - a person has to be 35 to assume office, not to run. If one turns 35 by noon on inauguration day in 2021 (or maybe just the day of... don't know legally how 'time of birth' would factor in), that's old enough.
– TylerH
13 hours ago
2
Theoretically - if 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of states actually wanted to do this - it could be done in a matter of hours. Realistically, it will never happen because those conditions won't be met (you'd be lucky to get 1/4 of states, let alone 3/4.)
– reirab
4 hours ago
add a comment |
How quickly could the minimum age requirement (35 years) for the president of the USA be changed?
I got curious when I realised The Rock, LeBron James and Beyoncé have tickets at the major betting agencies, but Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesn't! (she will be under 35 in 2020; hence cannot run, at least according to here)
I'm not in any way suggesting that the Dems would, but if they were sufficiently energised to do so, how quickly (theoretically) could a change be made?
united-states president presidential-election
edited 9 hours ago
Community♦
1
asked 15 hours ago
user5783745user5783745
20413
New contributor
user5783745 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
How quickly could the minimum age requirement (35 years) for the president of the USA be changed?
I got curious when I realised The Rock, LeBron James and Beyoncé have tickets at the major betting agencies, but Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesn't! (she will be under 35 in 2020; hence cannot run, at least according to here)
I'm not in any way suggesting that the Dems would, but if they were sufficiently energised to do so, how quickly (theoretically) could a change be made?
united-states president presidential-election
united-states president presidential-election
edited 9 hours ago
Community♦
1
asked 15 hours ago
user5783745user5783745
20413
New contributor
user5783745 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 9 hours ago
Community♦
1
asked 15 hours ago
user5783745user5783745
20413
New contributor
user5783745 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 9 hours ago
Community♦
1
edited 9 hours ago
Community♦
1
edited 9 hours ago
Community♦
1
1
asked 15 hours ago
user5783745user5783745
20413
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user5783745 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 15 hours ago
user5783745user5783745
20413
asked 15 hours ago
user5783745user5783745
20413
20413
New contributor
user5783745 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
user5783745 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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6
Small correction to your post - a person has to be 35 to assume office, not to run. If one turns 35 by noon on inauguration day in 2021 (or maybe just the day of... don't know legally how 'time of birth' would factor in), that's old enough.
– TylerH
13 hours ago
2
Theoretically - if 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of states actually wanted to do this - it could be done in a matter of hours. Realistically, it will never happen because those conditions won't be met (you'd be lucky to get 1/4 of states, let alone 3/4.)
– reirab
4 hours ago
add a comment |
6
Small correction to your post - a person has to be 35 to assume office, not to run. If one turns 35 by noon on inauguration day in 2021 (or maybe just the day of... don't know legally how 'time of birth' would factor in), that's old enough.
– TylerH
13 hours ago
2
Theoretically - if 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of states actually wanted to do this - it could be done in a matter of hours. Realistically, it will never happen because those conditions won't be met (you'd be lucky to get 1/4 of states, let alone 3/4.)
– reirab
4 hours ago
6
6
Small correction to your post - a person has to be 35 to assume office, not to run. If one turns 35 by noon on inauguration day in 2021 (or maybe just the day of... don't know legally how 'time of birth' would factor in), that's old enough.
– TylerH
13 hours ago
Small correction to your post - a person has to be 35 to assume office, not to run. If one turns 35 by noon on inauguration day in 2021 (or maybe just the day of... don't know legally how 'time of birth' would factor in), that's old enough.
– TylerH
13 hours ago
2
2
Theoretically - if 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of states actually wanted to do this - it could be done in a matter of hours. Realistically, it will never happen because those conditions won't be met (you'd be lucky to get 1/4 of states, let alone 3/4.)
– reirab
4 hours ago
Theoretically - if 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of states actually wanted to do this - it could be done in a matter of hours. Realistically, it will never happen because those conditions won't be met (you'd be lucky to get 1/4 of states, let alone 3/4.)
– reirab
4 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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The age requirement for the president is part of the US Constitution and would require an amendment to pass.
Article II Section 1:
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
There is no official time limit on how long this can take. Historically, the fastest amendment was the 26th, which took 100 days, while the slowest was the 27th, taking more than 200 years. Wikipedia has a nice table which includes the timing of amendments in the past.
Practically speaking, the amendment process is complicated enough that an amendment is unlikely to pass quickly in order to help a particular candidate.
In the specific case of the Democrats trying to do it right now in 2019, it's not possible. Proposing an amendment requires two thirds of both houses of Congress or two thirds of the legislatures of the states. Democrats do not control two thirds of either house, nor do they control two thirds of state legislatures. This means that Democrats, acting alone, cannot propose any Constitutional amendments at this time. Actually ratifying an amendment requires three fourths of the state legislatures or conventions in three fourths of the states, an even higher bar that likewise won't be met. Neither party has the kind of supermajority required to pass amendments that the other party doesn't support.
answered 15 hours ago
DeolaterDeolater
56739
24
Proposing an amendment requires two-thirds of Congress or the States; ratifying one requires three-quarters of the States.
– Steve Melnikoff
13 hours ago
@SteveMelnikoff: This is true, but proposal is a prerequisite to ratification. Also, state ratifying conventions muddy ratification quite a bit. It's hard to say which party would control such conventions if they were used.
– Kevin
10 hours ago
4
@Kevin Yes, but three-quarters is more than two-thirds, so it's even harder than the answer suggests.
– Azor Ahai
8 hours ago
2
@Reed I guess I went on the simple assumption that if Democrats don't control 2/3 of legislatures, they surely don't control 3/4. But in any event I'll try to rework that section.
– Deolater
8 hours ago
2
@Bobson The official name for the act of 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of the states which sends the amendment to the states for ratification is "proposing" it. This is the term used by the Constitution. Congress or a Constitutional Convention decides whether to propose an amendment and the states decide whether to ratify it.
– reirab
5 hours ago
|
show 6 more comments
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The age requirement for the president is part of the US Constitution and would require an amendment to pass.
Article II Section 1:
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
There is no official time limit on how long this can take. Historically, the fastest amendment was the 26th, which took 100 days, while the slowest was the 27th, taking more than 200 years. Wikipedia has a nice table which includes the timing of amendments in the past.
Practically speaking, the amendment process is complicated enough that an amendment is unlikely to pass quickly in order to help a particular candidate.
In the specific case of the Democrats trying to do it right now in 2019, it's not possible. Proposing an amendment requires two thirds of both houses of Congress or two thirds of the legislatures of the states. Democrats do not control two thirds of either house, nor do they control two thirds of state legislatures. This means that Democrats, acting alone, cannot propose any Constitutional amendments at this time. Actually ratifying an amendment requires three fourths of the state legislatures or conventions in three fourths of the states, an even higher bar that likewise won't be met. Neither party has the kind of supermajority required to pass amendments that the other party doesn't support.
answered 15 hours ago
DeolaterDeolater
56739
24
Proposing an amendment requires two-thirds of Congress or the States; ratifying one requires three-quarters of the States.
– Steve Melnikoff
13 hours ago
@SteveMelnikoff: This is true, but proposal is a prerequisite to ratification. Also, state ratifying conventions muddy ratification quite a bit. It's hard to say which party would control such conventions if they were used.
– Kevin
10 hours ago
4
@Kevin Yes, but three-quarters is more than two-thirds, so it's even harder than the answer suggests.
– Azor Ahai
8 hours ago
2
@Reed I guess I went on the simple assumption that if Democrats don't control 2/3 of legislatures, they surely don't control 3/4. But in any event I'll try to rework that section.
– Deolater
8 hours ago
2
@Bobson The official name for the act of 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of the states which sends the amendment to the states for ratification is "proposing" it. This is the term used by the Constitution. Congress or a Constitutional Convention decides whether to propose an amendment and the states decide whether to ratify it.
– reirab
5 hours ago
|
show 6 more comments
The age requirement for the president is part of the US Constitution and would require an amendment to pass.
Article II Section 1:
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
There is no official time limit on how long this can take. Historically, the fastest amendment was the 26th, which took 100 days, while the slowest was the 27th, taking more than 200 years. Wikipedia has a nice table which includes the timing of amendments in the past.
Practically speaking, the amendment process is complicated enough that an amendment is unlikely to pass quickly in order to help a particular candidate.
In the specific case of the Democrats trying to do it right now in 2019, it's not possible. Proposing an amendment requires two thirds of both houses of Congress or two thirds of the legislatures of the states. Democrats do not control two thirds of either house, nor do they control two thirds of state legislatures. This means that Democrats, acting alone, cannot propose any Constitutional amendments at this time. Actually ratifying an amendment requires three fourths of the state legislatures or conventions in three fourths of the states, an even higher bar that likewise won't be met. Neither party has the kind of supermajority required to pass amendments that the other party doesn't support.
answered 15 hours ago
DeolaterDeolater
56739
24
Proposing an amendment requires two-thirds of Congress or the States; ratifying one requires three-quarters of the States.
– Steve Melnikoff
13 hours ago
@SteveMelnikoff: This is true, but proposal is a prerequisite to ratification. Also, state ratifying conventions muddy ratification quite a bit. It's hard to say which party would control such conventions if they were used.
– Kevin
10 hours ago
4
@Kevin Yes, but three-quarters is more than two-thirds, so it's even harder than the answer suggests.
– Azor Ahai
8 hours ago
2
@Reed I guess I went on the simple assumption that if Democrats don't control 2/3 of legislatures, they surely don't control 3/4. But in any event I'll try to rework that section.
– Deolater
8 hours ago
2
@Bobson The official name for the act of 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of the states which sends the amendment to the states for ratification is "proposing" it. This is the term used by the Constitution. Congress or a Constitutional Convention decides whether to propose an amendment and the states decide whether to ratify it.
– reirab
5 hours ago
|
show 6 more comments
The age requirement for the president is part of the US Constitution and would require an amendment to pass.
Article II Section 1:
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
There is no official time limit on how long this can take. Historically, the fastest amendment was the 26th, which took 100 days, while the slowest was the 27th, taking more than 200 years. Wikipedia has a nice table which includes the timing of amendments in the past.
Practically speaking, the amendment process is complicated enough that an amendment is unlikely to pass quickly in order to help a particular candidate.
In the specific case of the Democrats trying to do it right now in 2019, it's not possible. Proposing an amendment requires two thirds of both houses of Congress or two thirds of the legislatures of the states. Democrats do not control two thirds of either house, nor do they control two thirds of state legislatures. This means that Democrats, acting alone, cannot propose any Constitutional amendments at this time. Actually ratifying an amendment requires three fourths of the state legislatures or conventions in three fourths of the states, an even higher bar that likewise won't be met. Neither party has the kind of supermajority required to pass amendments that the other party doesn't support.
answered 15 hours ago
DeolaterDeolater
56739
The age requirement for the president is part of the US Constitution and would require an amendment to pass.
Article II Section 1:
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
There is no official time limit on how long this can take. Historically, the fastest amendment was the 26th, which took 100 days, while the slowest was the 27th, taking more than 200 years. Wikipedia has a nice table which includes the timing of amendments in the past.
Practically speaking, the amendment process is complicated enough that an amendment is unlikely to pass quickly in order to help a particular candidate.
In the specific case of the Democrats trying to do it right now in 2019, it's not possible. Proposing an amendment requires two thirds of both houses of Congress or two thirds of the legislatures of the states. Democrats do not control two thirds of either house, nor do they control two thirds of state legislatures. This means that Democrats, acting alone, cannot propose any Constitutional amendments at this time. Actually ratifying an amendment requires three fourths of the state legislatures or conventions in three fourths of the states, an even higher bar that likewise won't be met. Neither party has the kind of supermajority required to pass amendments that the other party doesn't support.
answered 15 hours ago
DeolaterDeolater
56739
edited 8 hours ago
answered 15 hours ago
DeolaterDeolater
56739
answered 15 hours ago
DeolaterDeolater
56739
answered 15 hours ago
DeolaterDeolater
56739
56739
24
Proposing an amendment requires two-thirds of Congress or the States; ratifying one requires three-quarters of the States.
– Steve Melnikoff
13 hours ago
@SteveMelnikoff: This is true, but proposal is a prerequisite to ratification. Also, state ratifying conventions muddy ratification quite a bit. It's hard to say which party would control such conventions if they were used.
– Kevin
10 hours ago
4
@Kevin Yes, but three-quarters is more than two-thirds, so it's even harder than the answer suggests.
– Azor Ahai
8 hours ago
2
@Reed I guess I went on the simple assumption that if Democrats don't control 2/3 of legislatures, they surely don't control 3/4. But in any event I'll try to rework that section.
– Deolater
8 hours ago
2
@Bobson The official name for the act of 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of the states which sends the amendment to the states for ratification is "proposing" it. This is the term used by the Constitution. Congress or a Constitutional Convention decides whether to propose an amendment and the states decide whether to ratify it.
– reirab
5 hours ago
|
show 6 more comments
24
Proposing an amendment requires two-thirds of Congress or the States; ratifying one requires three-quarters of the States.
– Steve Melnikoff
13 hours ago
@SteveMelnikoff: This is true, but proposal is a prerequisite to ratification. Also, state ratifying conventions muddy ratification quite a bit. It's hard to say which party would control such conventions if they were used.
– Kevin
10 hours ago
4
@Kevin Yes, but three-quarters is more than two-thirds, so it's even harder than the answer suggests.
– Azor Ahai
8 hours ago
2
@Reed I guess I went on the simple assumption that if Democrats don't control 2/3 of legislatures, they surely don't control 3/4. But in any event I'll try to rework that section.
– Deolater
8 hours ago
2
@Bobson The official name for the act of 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of the states which sends the amendment to the states for ratification is "proposing" it. This is the term used by the Constitution. Congress or a Constitutional Convention decides whether to propose an amendment and the states decide whether to ratify it.
– reirab
5 hours ago
24
24
Proposing an amendment requires two-thirds of Congress or the States; ratifying one requires three-quarters of the States.
– Steve Melnikoff
13 hours ago
Proposing an amendment requires two-thirds of Congress or the States; ratifying one requires three-quarters of the States.
– Steve Melnikoff
13 hours ago
@SteveMelnikoff: This is true, but proposal is a prerequisite to ratification. Also, state ratifying conventions muddy ratification quite a bit. It's hard to say which party would control such conventions if they were used.
– Kevin
10 hours ago
@SteveMelnikoff: This is true, but proposal is a prerequisite to ratification. Also, state ratifying conventions muddy ratification quite a bit. It's hard to say which party would control such conventions if they were used.
– Kevin
10 hours ago
4
4
@Kevin Yes, but three-quarters is more than two-thirds, so it's even harder than the answer suggests.
– Azor Ahai
8 hours ago
@Kevin Yes, but three-quarters is more than two-thirds, so it's even harder than the answer suggests.
– Azor Ahai
8 hours ago
2
2
@Reed I guess I went on the simple assumption that if Democrats don't control 2/3 of legislatures, they surely don't control 3/4. But in any event I'll try to rework that section.
– Deolater
8 hours ago
@Reed I guess I went on the simple assumption that if Democrats don't control 2/3 of legislatures, they surely don't control 3/4. But in any event I'll try to rework that section.
– Deolater
8 hours ago
2
2
@Bobson The official name for the act of 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of the states which sends the amendment to the states for ratification is "proposing" it. This is the term used by the Constitution. Congress or a Constitutional Convention decides whether to propose an amendment and the states decide whether to ratify it.
– reirab
5 hours ago
@Bobson The official name for the act of 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of the states which sends the amendment to the states for ratification is "proposing" it. This is the term used by the Constitution. Congress or a Constitutional Convention decides whether to propose an amendment and the states decide whether to ratify it.
– reirab
5 hours ago
|
show 6 more comments
user5783745 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user5783745 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user5783745 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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6
Small correction to your post - a person has to be 35 to assume office, not to run. If one turns 35 by noon on inauguration day in 2021 (or maybe just the day of... don't know legally how 'time of birth' would factor in), that's old enough.
– TylerH
13 hours ago
2
Theoretically - if 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of states actually wanted to do this - it could be done in a matter of hours. Realistically, it will never happen because those conditions won't be met (you'd be lucky to get 1/4 of states, let alone 3/4.)
– reirab
4 hours ago