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?

  • FinishingDutch@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    50
    ·
    edit-2
    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
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      34
      ·
      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
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        23
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        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
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              9
              ·
              edit-2
              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
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              7
              ·
              edit-2
              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.