Subscribers to one of former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich's email newsletters have been warned of a scenario that, to them, must seem rather frightening: President Barack Obama running for, and winning, a third term as president in 2016.
That scenario assumes a couple of things - first, that Obama wins re-election on Tuesday and, second and far more unlikely, that the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limiting presidents to two terms in office somehow is wiped from the books.
See also:
The email from Gingrich Marketplace, which is managed by the conservative group Human Events, claimed Obama is likely to win a second term on Tuesday and then go on to win a third term that would beging in 2017 and last through 2020 despite a constitutional ban on such a thing.
"The truth is, the next election has already been decided. Obama is going to win. It's nearly impossible to beat an incumbent president. What's actually at stake right now is whether or not he will have a third-term," wrote an advertiser to subscribers of the list. The message itself was not written by the former 2012 presidential hopeful.
The email neglected to mention the 22nd Amendment, which reads in part: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice ..."
Still, even some pundits writing in the mainstream media have raised the question of whether Obama could serve a third term, depending on world events at the time a second term would expire. Faheem Younus, a clinical associate professor at the University of Maryland and founder of the website Muslimerican.com, wrote in The Washington Post that attacking Iran could give Americans reason to keep Obama as president for a third term.
"Wartime presidents can sell a Double Whopper to a vegetarian," Younus wrote. "As the festinate decision of bombing Iran turns into a global conflict, don't expect our constitutional law professor turned president to decline his party's suggestion: if it can be ratified; it can be repealed.
"Repealing the 22nd Amendment - which some argue was never vetted publicly - is not unthinkable."
Raise your hand if you think this is going to happen.
Thought so.
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Comments
Yes, Obama can run for a third term without violating the 22nd amendment. It’s simple: Michelle Obama is nominated by the Democrats. When she wins, she can serve as president, share the presidency with her husband, or simply turn it over to him.
Why not a fourth? or fifth?
This man “Obama” or “Soteoro”, or whatever his true name is sitting as president illegally. He is claiming dictatorial rights to disappear, imprison indefinitely and execute Americans without due process of law. That means any one of us can be killed on his word alone.
Beware America… Anyone who proposes that Obama run for a third term is proposing we allow a tyrant to remain in the White House.
Many thought Bush was bad.. this man is even worse.
He could run as a third party candidate in order to skirt the 22nd Amendment.
No one’s going to vote for michelle obama do you even listen to yourself when you talk.
It’s actually easy. If in his second term he can nominate SCOTUS Justices who agree with him and can get a majority decision, they can rule that the 22nd amendment is unconstitutional and he can run for as many terms as he wants. What’s stopping him. I mean, we all know he has no respect for the Constitution, any way.
Some of these comments are stupid and paranoid…even the question is. No President Obama cannot and will not even try to seek a third term….It’s against the Constitution and illegal and personally I believe he secretly cannot wait until this third term is over so he can spend time with his family
Sorry I meant *second term.Stupid Swype keyboard
Jesus how is Obama a tyrant? Look at the mess your all in.. lucky you have someone to help you all get out.
Rather than arguing whether Obama is or isn’t a good president, lets look at the facts. The 22nd Amemdmeny says a president cannot be elected more than twice, and cannot serve as president for more than ten years. Period. The SCOTUS cannot rule the 22nd Amendmeny unconstitutional because the amendment is part if the Constitution, which is by definition constitutional. It is unlikely he would be considered for VP, since he would be one bullet away from a constitutional crisis. It is possible that another person could be elected and unofficial ly answer to Obama, but given the personality types of past presidents, it seems unlikely. A third term is not likely short of suspending the Constitution itself, and even Obama isn’t that brazen (I hope).
Yes, that we me raising my hand. Before you say “thought so,” let me pontificate.
The 22nd Amendment does, indeed, limit a president to a third term. However, the fact is that it is not the CONSTITUTION ITSELF which determines the law, it is the JUDGMENT of what is written in the Constitution which is key. For instance, if the Obama campaign decided to petition the court to run for a third term, if he has (by then) replaced one of the conservatives with a progressive, then the court could decide, 5-4, to allow Obama to run based upon the “creative interpretation of the 22nd Amendment” by the judicial majority.
Keep in mind many laws such as “church and state” separation issues have gone against the original intent, as well as 2nd Amendment and a multitude of civil protection amendments. Why shouldn’t the 22nd be any different? As long as there are five progressives on the court and the court accepts cert (which in the case of the Obama campaign request would be a formality), then we will definitely be seeing Obama running for president again.
WHAT? can it happen? IMAGEN THIS..OBAMA TAKE MARSHAL LAW…AND TAKES CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY LIKE MANY DICTATORS IN THE PASS…HE WOULD NEED TO RUN FOR OFFICE, CAUSE HE WOULD TAKE COMPLETE CONTRO, as he has in his OBAMA CARE, TAKING MONEY OUT OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM, what else is new….blawing to a Leader in a Muslim country, kissing the cheek of a Leader in another muslim country this past week….ALL should tell the world He is going for broke……The BIBLE that this world rejects..is a book on relation with a HOLY GOD>and it doesn’t make a bit of difference if he ”CONFESSES” to be a believer IN a God…a man running to control other people is “”ANTI-GOD”….yoou get what you deserve….stop voting for MEN to rule you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All of you who do not belive we are in a NO WIN situation with this re-elected president, I pity you when you wake up and smell the stinch of all the freedoms you are about to lose and no joke, life as you know it or are used to will be forever change. GOD HELP US and GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HELP KEEP OUR COUNTRY FREE AND SAFE.
Obama has no regard for the law, or our Constitution…ie, his order to his AG to disregard defending the marriage amendment, as only one of MANY examples.
I believe he and his Chicago cronies would do ANYTHING they believe they could get away with, and if they want him for a third term, then they’re already working on it. Our country is in great peril, because our freedoms, liberties and laws are under assault by this president and his extreme left-wing liberal followers and handlers.
For those of you who pray, please continue to pray for this great country of ours. For those who do not pray, I ask that you think on it. Prayer really is powerful, more so than any president or political party. God Bless the USA!
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Every time I think the right wing fringe has reached the apex of its insanity, I am again surprised at their innovation and ability to lie to inflame the most ignorant among the citizenry.
And a barnyard sneeze for the notion of a 3rd term. He can’t run unless the amendment is repealed (fat chance of that). The 2nd amendment would go before the 22nd and that’s not happening soon either.
Constitution of the United States of America, Article V: The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article, and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of it’s equal Suffrage in the Senate.
The 12th Amendment states that two term presidents cannot run for the Vice President position.
Lots of ifs, lots of hate, lots of stupidity.
I’d bet Michelle would not run, too smart for that.
The paranoia, fear mongering and ignorance displayed in these post is the biggest threat to America! My suggestion if you believe we are all doomed….move!
I’m a moderate, have voted both ways over my lifetime. I must say, though, you folks on the far-right side here are simply amazing – I don’t know whether you can’t, or just won’t, recognize the Obama was re-elected BECAUSE novel thinkers like you have driven the rest of the country away from the “Republican” party.
Personally, I think Congress will get much more done, and the country will be far better off, starting in 2014 when you lose the House. So, my best advice to you is… KEEP IT UP!!! LOL!
You people are crazy. Amendments to the constitution are absolutely a part of the constitution. They are not more or less law than the first articles. The 22nd is absolute Constitutional law. Period. If you disagree with me then please show me the Supreme Court cases that prove me wrong.
The number of obstacles to nullifying #22 are HUGE.
1. Obama has to propose the idea (he hasn’t).
2. It has to garner massive popular interest among the people to convince Democrats AND Republicans to move on such a law. (such support does not exist)
3. Both houses of Congress have to pass a new amendment repealing the old one. This would require huge bipartisan support. (such support does not exist)
4. 3/4 of the states themselves would have to ratify it. (there are certainly 13+ states that would not ratify such an amendment)
As per this weirdo marshal law scenario, EVERY president can do this. In the event that things are so horrible and dystopian that the president can feasibly declare marshal law and suspend the constitution (with the military backing him) the world is bad enough that a crappy president is the least of our worries. The institution of our government would have likely already collapsed for that to happen. And I don’t mean a metaphorical “collapse” where conservatives don’t happen like who is president. I mean collapse like a Civil War where Congress ceases to exist and the courts stop functioning. This scenario also implies that, without a existing central government, that the state governors and the militias are cooperating with Obama. I guess some of them probably would. And some of them probably wouldn’t. This scenario is so horrible and crazy that it’s hard to imagine what would cause it or how the various governments in our federal system would react to it.
The last I checked we are not in a Civil War, nor are we losing in some siege from a foreign power, nor are we likely to be.
Why don’t we just crown him King Obama the frist
and let him be crowned king for life!!
That’ll do him just fine. And Sasha and Malia
can have White House weddings.
Make him King Obama the first and make him
king of the US for life. Michelle always
did want to go to a royal wedding..now
with Malia and Sasha at the White House
until they are in their 20s at least there will
be 2 of them.
DON wood that lives in white plains new york,says if OBAMA is reelected the third term we will have a dicatorship is this true? it says no prseident shall run more then two terms.BUT according to don wood he says he will force himself to be relected the third term and we will a socialist world republic.
Can a president serve a 3rd term of elected by a majority write in vote?
My response is to Paul’s blog (#18). No paranoia here Sir. Just the ability to evaluate someone’s intentions by their actions not just their spoken words. I say Obama acts like a magician. A magician only wants you to watch the hand he wants you to watch because his other hand is busy deceiving the viewer. In another words, he stands up and tells us one thing then turns around and does the exact opposite. His agenda is not what he says or what you believe.
There is a lot more to say but what upset me the most about your blog was when you suggested the other (Conservative) writers are fear mongers and ignorant. You said that they believe we are all doomed. I don’t believe they meant we personally are physically doomed, but that America is being so radically changed by this Administration that she is doomed. The United States is the only society that has lasted for nearly 240 years. There is no other country like her so I can’t quite understand why she needs to be changed. In fact there are already countries that exist that are like the one you seem to want. So, my suggestion is for you to MOVE! Try Venezuela or Cuba. They have dictators who will control every aspect of your life. Something you seem to want. I prefer Liberty and Freedom. We Conservatives happen to love our country the way it is! Merry Christmas to all !!!!
mary says:
Every time I think the right wing fringe has reached the apex of its insanity, I am again surprised at their innovation and ability to lie to inflame the most ignorant among the citizenry.
And mary, every time a liberal opens her mouth, only hatred and ignorance emanate……….pitiful, pitiful…..
John says:
And a barnyard sneeze for the notion of a 3rd term. He can’t run unless the amendment is repealed (fat chance of that). The 2nd amendment would go before the 22nd and that’s not happening soon either.
WHAT SAY YOU NOW? January 3, 2012?
http://dailycaller.com/2013/01/06/new-york-congressman-introduces-bill-to-abolish-presidential-term-limits/
@ Jeffery Rhodesa, that is false for exactly the reason you just mentioned. If it was important enough to make a rule, don’t you think that obvious loophole would be covered?
When will the military of this nation come to the realization that obama is a terrorist, and that he must be arrested, charged with treason, and when convicted, sent back to the country of origin, (Kenya)?
Every one of us have been ricky dude!!! If you don”t believe me just scroll through the Constitution of The United States or The Bill of Rights and find any place in there where we are a democracy. Did we not just re-elect President Obama on a democracy rules agenda. Our fore-fathers meant our country to be a republic.
Nearly ALL the right paranoia and fear of President Obama, comes from angry, old white men with guns. They would prefer to see the US become a new Wild West. Congrats Mr President; we will soon have a first MRS President and the GOP will all but disappear apart from pockets in the deep south. They keep shooting themselves in the foot – literally.
This President believes he can do anything with an “Executive Order” He’s issued a multitude of them and there is nothing anyone can do to go against or overturn any of them.
This is a NO-WIN situation for the American people!!
Everyone who believes in the US Constitution is about to see it radically modified with a stroke of Obama’s pen.
There will be no well equiped malitia to deal with the imperial police force in the event of a geo-political or natural catastrophe.
When financial markets eventually fail, China calls it’s loans or some other major issue arises, there will be martial law in this country, and that is when Obama will claim his 3rd term as Imperial President.
Gonna be very interesting indeed!!
Cody, he is not helping me and costing me more money. I am guessing you are one on the people who does not work and gets free money from the government, the reason we are in debt. I guess your comment makes sense then, he is “helping” you out but hurting the country.
I find it funny that this man who is in office couldn’t pull us out of debt in is first term I’m sorry I mean not even start to pull us out of debt but then spends more money than any person who has been in office but he really is a terrible president also couldn’t even win the president fairly he’s an idiot if people vote him in again he’s going to run our country into the ground then bring us out to make himself look could its called common sense he’s trying to take our rights away and act like a king haha not even close to a king a king never put his people in a debt this country is going down with this man in office and there is thing called veto where the house can vote him out this is the rights of the people and government when someone who is in office can’t run the country you want us out of debt get him out of office
Could Barack Obama serve as Hillary Clinton’s vice president?
How would such an arrangement affect Constitutional succession?
Would this cause Michelle Malkin’s head to explode?
And after repeatedly begging, “Shoot me,” why was she allowed to escape from that warehouse in “Full Metal Jacket?”
We should be thankful we live in a democracy. But it would be nice if Mr. Obama does not serve any more terms.
this man will over ride our constitution and he will be in white house permanantly,,, we as americans will have no rights,, watch and learn open up your eyes before its too late
You people remind me of slave owners! You think because you hear something one time then its true. You need to sit down, listen and stop being so hateful. The TRUTH is what you pains you. The man won a second term because he did a great job during his first term… get over it! This is why our children kill each other and the parties can not get along; because of hateful people like you…you breed this garbage into your kids. Obama is a US Citizen so to send him back where he came from would be sending him back to America…Idiots! Find something better to do with your time. I will vote for Obama a third time and a fourth time. You lost…deal with it! The 22nd Amendment was put in place for racists like Bush….both of them.
you will regret voting for obama when your rights are stripped away and everything will be dictated-like a chip in your hand-read the health care bill
plain and simple congress has been trying to repeal the 22nd amendment since 1965 but have never recieved enough votes to put it on the floor the chances of it happening are slim but still vary possible as far as him running a third term he even said in one of his many press conferences that he is more than willing to seek a third term…
I agree with you 100%. And I would join you in voting for President Obama in a 3rd and 4th term. The GOP is such a bunch of sore losers!
If you think the 22nd Amendment can’t be repealed, then you have no place voting in this country. Did You not pay attention in Elementary US History?… Which one of you Sheeple, know what the 18th Amendment is? Or How about the 21st Amendment…. You should know because half of you on here are probably drunkards.(18th is the enactment of prohibition… 21st repeals the 18th) The Constitution has been described as a “living breathing document” because it is not set in stone, it is “AMENDABLE” you Idiots… DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE WORD AMEND MEANS? its only two syllables, but that’s obviously too much for some of you simpletons (keep in mind, I’m not talking to everyone, but if you are getting mad reading this, I am talking to you, channel that frustration towards actually learning something about the laws and history of Your Country) Lets see, what else… How about the 144 executive orders issued by Obama in his first term? DO ANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT A MANY OF THEM DEALT WITH? MARTIAL LAW! I’m guessing that if you don’t know anything about the constitution, then you don’t have any idea of what ‘Marshal Law’ is. So read this, but most of you liberal sheep will probably think it lies, and not research it… or even check it out at all, cause Jon Stewart hasn’t reported it on the Daily show….
http://www.infowars.com/is-martial-law-the-ultimate-goal/
This has happened in History before. Not knowing history, dooms you to repeat the mistakes from the past. Inform Yourselves. We should not fear the government, the government is supposed to fear the people, we are supposed to be in control… WE ARE NOT!! we are losing grip by the day, and people are singing the praises….
DISCLAIMER*** I don’t watch Fox News, I am not a Republican, I don’t hate women, I support equal rights for everyone, gay, straight, white, black, dragons, unicorns… etc… I do however pay attention to history,
and research many things myself from a myriad of different sources.
Can any of you say the same about Your info?
-A pissed off, Informed, Educated American… (I’m also broke, so don’t assume I’m high and mighty and trying to keep the bush era tax cuts…. I make minimum wage, I work at a Ski Resort… basically serving fast food, I can barely afford gas, I am the 99% or whatever)
A 3rd term is not paranoia…..
http://www.examiner.com/article/president-obama-could-get-3-terms-if-h-j-res-15-abolishes-term-limits
Obama deserves to run a third term he is one of the few presidents of the United States of America that have actually pave the way to a better future for every single person living in this great nation.
The Framers/Founders gave every citizen of the United States the tools needed for us all to take back our country from Progressive tyrants like those the Framers/Founders had to contend with when the wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
That tool is the Second Amendment and that is why they included “which SHALL NOT be infringed.” If you do searches using the key words Framers,Founders,Constitution,second amendment, arms, keep, bear, quotations; you will find plenty of evidence that they fully intended for each citizen to keep and bear arms, not only for their personal protection, but, for any possible time that those in government were to run amok of their duties and not follow the Constitution, citizens could form up in their respective states militias (not the National Guard) and forcibly take our country away from them and install new representatives that will respect the Constitution and follow its rules just as they are written and legally amended.
Don’t know if this has been said already here or not, but:
Obama will not likely try to work with the Supreme Court at repealing the 22nd Amendment. Eliminating the 22nd amendment would mean that there is a chance for a Republican (or 3rd party) to win and stay in the White House indefinitely. Obama almost lost the 2012 election. The only way he would try to repeal the 22nd Amendment is if he could somehow also ratify a new amendment that said only Democrats could have more than two terms. Obama is an idealist and wouldn’t risk more power going to those who hold views opposite of his own.
Great information. Lucky me I came across your website by chance (stumbleupon).
I have bookmarked it for later!
One weakness of our election process is that it precludes getting the most out of our best leaders. The parliamentarians across the sea get decades of service from their most able leaders. However, I’m against any amendment that sets up a system for making a third (or fourth) term available for any second-term president to latch onto. I would go for a system that gave added terms to presidents who demonstrated their excellence. It would have to be very tough in order to reveal the best contender. I would happily take on Obama until 2020. My only regret would be foregoing Hillary during the period.
Is anybody leaving comments here even American?
As long as Republicans continue to nominate idiots, YES, Obama could win a third term.
I am going to give everyone a couple of words and allow you to ut together your own outlook on hoe OBAMA is going to remain in power for possibly 10years+ past his second term. O.K. here you all go the words are as follows.
Gun Control
Cyprus
Marshall Law
Black Water USA
President Barack Obama won’t have to run for a third term to become president but his Wife can run and win and she would be welcomed worldwide!
For those of you that day no one is going to vote for the 1st Lady – I laugh at all of you. Any and every popular person that can run can win! If Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for president that would put the 1st Lady out of business quick!
http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-joint-resolution/15
I obviously have an open mind and not necessarily a liberal mind, can some of you hear yourselves belittle the highest office in America. Okay, so you don’t like the sitting president, but a WHOLE LOTTA PEOPLE voted for him. How about enjoying the ride and becoming part of the answers to healing this nation.
Mary, did you really just make this comment? ” Every time I think the right wing fringe has reached the apex of its insanity, I am again surprised at their innovation and ability to lie to inflame the most ignorant among the citizenry”. Stop drinking the kool aide and see what your extreme wing is doing to this country.
“Only In America ” Observations ~ by a Canadian:
1) Only in America, could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when they have a black President, a black Attorney General, and roughly 18% of the federal workforce is black while only 12% of the population is black.
2) Only in America, could they have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner, the head of the Treasury Department and Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways and Means Committee, BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.
3) Only in America, would they make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege while we discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just ‘magically’ become American citizens.
4) Only in America, could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country’s Constitution be thought of as “extremists.”
5) Only in America, could you need to present a driver’s license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote.
6) Only in America, could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a Trillion dollars more than it has per year – for total spending of $7-Million PER MINUTE, and complain that it doesn’t have nearly enough money.
7) Only in America, could the rich people – who pay 86%of all income taxes – be accused of not paying their “fair share” by people who don’t pay any income taxes at all.
I don’t know where people get this ridiculous crap from, I am currently studying this, the 22nd amendment limits a president to 2 terms however a president can rub up to 4 terms because each term is 4 years. Obama can not run for president in 2016 because he already ran for president twice.
He doesn’t support the 2nd Amendment so what makes the 22nd so different?
This site attracts a lot of nuts.
Burt: You said it. I remember when Republicans were a reasonable, honorable party which tried to deal with issues facing the country head on, practically. Now they just seem to be crazy and shrill. Constantly whining about everything. Seriously, I can’t believe how much whining goes on by Republicans these days. And they’re just getting crazier crazier. It’s gotten so bad that common sense isn’t even a thing anymore. No matter how apparent something is, no matter what evidence rises to illuminate a situation, if it doesn’t match their bizarre conspiracy theory-laden world-view, they disregard it entirely. Scary.
I have a liking for conspiracy theories, but this one is just stupid. However, there is literally nothing I or anyone could say – or anything that could happen – which would change the minds of the wacko’s on this thread.
Here’ my proposition: After 2016, when a new President is sitting in office, please look back to the certainty that you have that President Obama will serve a third term or become an imperial president or whatever crazy scenario you’re envisioning to justify your hatred of him and the left. As you’re looking at that new President, whoever they are, try remembering how WRONG and stupid you were about the situation, and maybe consider what else you’re being wrong and stupid about.
the first comment about Michelle getting voted is exactly the kind of people that voted Obama in the first place and exactly why this country is in such shambles… the total lack of intelligence is disturbing
funny how everyone say’s,obama wont get back in office for a third term.but got back in office for a second term because he is black.and the young white woman slobbering all over him helped in his reelection.not to mention illeagel voters from mexico.young people adore hitler like people like obama.thats why voting while black was all the rage.never mind his failed policies or all his lies and broken promisses,except for pass the anti white hate crime law.pushed through the senate by anti white white senators who wish like joe biden they were black themselves.when the irs starts comming after all you obamanites for money to pay for health care,please,do’nt blame the white older people for you’r stupid voting.