Homeland Security 8th in Line

[Freakapotimus]

The Senate is looking at a bill that would make the Secretary of Homeland Security eighth in line to be President. Currently the position is 18th in line, based on the date the position was established.

Here's the current listing, if the President were incapacitated:
Vice President
Speaker of the House
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Homeland Security
Taken from http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/government/national/succession.html

If the bill passes, then Ridge would move up behind Ashcroft.

[aviewaskewed]

Personally, I hope they don't pass this bill...I don't think the position should be changed...and Homeland Security just seems like an unneccessary beauracracy to me...I mean, maybe I just don't know enough about it, but it just seems like a way to scare the pants off people when the government decides it's warranted. I hope somebody filibusters or something and kills this. Leave the structure alone.

[Freakapotimus]

They claim that if there is an attack and for some reason the first seven people after the president cannot step up, they want someone with the knowledge of "what do to in the event of an attack" and "how to keep the US safe" leading the country.

[poxpower]

At 6/30/03 05:11 PM, Freakapotimus wrote:
If the bill passes, then Ridge would move up behind Ashcroft.

No offense, but those sound like Hockey stats or something :)

[Commander-K25]

This is all very theoretical (hopefully).

[aviewaskewed]

At 6/30/03 06:51 PM, Freakapotimus wrote: They claim that if there is an attack and for some reason the first seven people after the president cannot step up, they want someone with the knowledge of "what do to in the event of an attack" and "how to keep the US safe" leading the country.

Oh please...You're telling me that a president without having been in an office devoted to terroism wouldn't know what to do? I mean...hello, did Bush HONESTLY have any terroist experience before this? No...I believe terroism is a threat...but not the huge threat the Bush adminastration makes it out to be...at least not as much on American soil...and I think a lot of our "let's get them before they get us" attitude is going to lead to even more aggression against the US...but perhaps that is a debate for another thread...my point is there is no need to alter the structure, I think it's fine the way it is.

[poxpower]

Am I the only one who thinks this is ridculously trivial? If the 7 first people where to be incapacitated, I'd ask serious questions as to the honesty of the 8th guy....

I mean.. maybe if he was mover 3rd or 4th, but a quarrel over 8th... any arguments are good in such a choice. He could be better at bowling and that would de a sufficient reason to move him to #10.