Do you know what the Vice President does?
@morgandrake (2136)
United States
September 1, 2008 1:56pm CST
One of the big issues around Sarah Palin, mainly because no one knows her positions yet, is that she admitted to not knowing what the Vice-President does.
Now honestly, I don't know what the Vice-President does. I remember Ford took over after Nixon resigned. I know that Dan Quayle couldn't spell. I know that Bush is supposely a minion of Chenney, and that Chenney shot a lawyer while hunting.
So I know that if the President can no longer fulfill his responsibilities that the Vice-President takes over. I think that they have to fly in separate planes. And that I think that the Vice-President is the head of one of the two legisitive branches, though I can't tell you which one (I am not sure if it is the House or the Senate) and might be completely wrong about that one.
Now with the current election, there is a better than normal chance that the Vice-President may someday have to take over. McCain is old, and Obama might get assassinated. But outside of that, I am not sure if any of us should be concerned about the Vice-President.
So do you know what the Vice-President does? Do you even care? (Obvivously, I don't; otherwise I would know more.)
5 people like this
6 responses
@ZephyrSun (7382)
• United States
1 Sep 08
I know that the vp does sit in the Senate and presides over it. They of course take over if the president is unable to do his duties. There's an amendment to that I'm not sure off hand which one it is but I believe it's the 25th. I personally think that the VP is important as you state because something could happen to either man if elected. I know some do not feel they are important but what's the joke behind D. Cheney something about he insures that no one kills Bush because they don't want him running the country.
4 people like this
@rowantree (1190)
• United States
2 Sep 08
The Vice-President is the first person in the Presidential line of succession, serves as President of the Senate and may break tie votes in that chamber. The V-P may also be assigned additional duties by the President but has no executive powers and is only acting as an agent of the President.
I copied that from Wikipedia.
In other words, the VP really does a whole lotta nothing. I love the part about the VP being assigned "additional duties". Like what? C'mon, someone's gotta know what the VP does.
I read a little bit about Sarah Palin and I really do not understand why she'd be a VP choice at all. From what I've read, she isn't even qualified or has any experience in politics. I would assume, since the VP is President of Senate and can break tie votes, that the person should be well educated with politics. I don't think this is a position that should be assigned to someone lightly.
3 people like this
@Taskr36 (13923)
• United States
2 Sep 08
"From what I've read, she isn't even qualified or has any experience in politics."
Read again. She's held elective office and different positions in government since 1992. You may not think her 2 terms on city council, 2 terms as mayor, and 2 years as governor as well as her other experience is enough, but saying she doesn't have any experience in politics is just incorrect.
3 people like this
@rowantree (1190)
• United States
2 Sep 08
I stand corrected, thank you. Unfortunately the article that I read was misinformed. Being governor for 2 years isn't considered major experience in the world of politics, but based on what the VP does (or doesn't do), maybe she doesn't need it?
3 people like this
@Teyjattt (126)
• United States
4 Sep 08
Based on your criteria can you consider the following:
1) Barack Obama has spent a few years in the U.S Senate, and more years doing the same thing at the state level.
2) Palin has spent the last few years governing the state of Alaska, with approximately $6.6 billion budget.
Do you think that if Palin doesn't have the experience necessary to be VP, does Barack Obama have the experience to be President?
3 people like this
@craftcatcher (3701)
• United States
4 Sep 08
He/She is the President of the Senate but only votes as a tie-breaker, and of course is first in the line of succession to the President. Other than that the VP doesn't do a heck of a lot unless asked to do something by the President.
I love the line by FDR's 1st VP John Garner, the Vice Presidency wasn't "worth a pitcher of warm pi$$." 
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13651)
• United States
3 Sep 08
Actually I'm in the same spot as you...as far as I know the VP's job is simply to take over in case anything happens to the President. Of course, they have to be kept up to date on what the President's is doing in case they have to step in but other than that I don't know what else they are supposed to do.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
2 people like this
@mehale (2200)
• United States
13 Sep 08
I do pay attention to the VP choice, mostly because of the reason you stated that they take over if anything should happen to the president. There is also the fact that they work closely together, and therefore the VP could easily influence the president one way or the other on important issues. I like to know where they stand, and I also like the VP and president to have similar views on the important issues. I also think that it is important for the VP to make up for areas where the President may be lacking such as McCain and the economy. So yes, I think that they VP is important and do care.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27521)
• United States
15 Sep 08
As I already said, the last two V.P.'s were given more responsibilities than those in the past had had and it seems to be thought that trend will continue in the future. They're not always necessarily the same since Gore had different assets than Cheney, although I'm not sure what they were regarding Cheney other than insuring that nobody would ever even think about making an attempt on Bush's life...lol...the thought of "President Cheney" was that frightening!
Give McCain's age and medical history, I think we'd all better be interested in the vice President and since Palin seemed to not have a clue what her job would be...
Personally, I have no reservations whatsoever with Joe Biden taking over as President at a moment's notice; I sure can't say the same about Sarah Palin although the top of that ticket doesn't make me feel much more comfortable.
Annie
