• tomkatt@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Bear in mind that in the early years of the USA, the vice president was generally the person who was running against the sitting President for the seat. It was another built in check to power, though unfortunately not codified. The idea of just picking a VP candidate came much later.

    • futatorius@lemm.ee
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      2 hours ago

      The 25th Amendment was ratified long after the 12th Amendment which changed how the VP got into office.

    • AbsoluteChicagoDog@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      Not that much later. Jefferson was the third president, he’s the one who decided voters be damned he’s picking the VP.

      • futatorius@lemm.ee
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        2 hours ago

        Having a VP in opposition was a design flaw and a source of instability. It made sense to change it.

        Do you really want a system where, if a faction dislikes the president, all they have to do is assassinate him?