OPINION:
President Biden’s inner circle has made the 25th Amendment insufficient for ensuring that a U.S. president is competent to remain in office.
The 25th Amendment was suppose to protect the Constitution and our government from unelected advisers and family members taking over for an incapacitated president, but it has failed. We must have an amendment that ensures this cannot happen again.
The Supreme Court must have the responsibility and authority to determine whether the president is competent as an additional means beyond the current 25th Amendment provisions. Mr. Biden’s inner circle excluded Cabinet members from seeing and understanding the president’s condition, and since the Cabinet members were partisan, they were most likely not inclined to pursue the topic.
Congressional impeachment and removal is too easily thwarted by partisan politics. The Supreme Court must have the power to appoint a special counsel to investigate and render a recommendation concerning the competency of the president to discharge the duties of the office.
A 6-to-3 vote should be necessary to remove a president temporarily and refer the matter to the Senate for an impeachment trial, or there ought to be a 7-to-2 vote to remove such a president permanently without going to the Senate.
TOM HENION
Stafford, Virginia
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