Is the Current President Pro Tempore System a Good Idea?

[Free Bird]

Currently, by tradition, the Senate President Pro Tempore title is given to the most senior member of the majority caucus. Naturally, this means that nine times out of ten, the Pro Tem is very, very old, usually in their late 70s or 80s.

It wasn't always this way, but that was when the title had more weight to it. Now, it's more honorary. but that hasn't stopped the Pro Tem, constitutionally, from being third in line for the Presidency should anything happen. With that in mind, do you think it is a good system?

I don't think it is. The Pro Tem is, in theory, always three bullets or heartbeats away from the Oval Office, and I, personally, am not comfortable with the idea of having a President in their 80s. I remember hearing somewhere that Byrd, Inouye, and Hatch all recused themselves from the line of succession, but it doesn't make the thought any more sobering to me. They would still, by law, be President, even if briefly.

Thoughts?

[SteveRogers]

The Presidential Succession Act should be amended to replace the Senate President pro tempore with the Senate Majority Leader in the line of succession.

[NewYorkExpress]

The Presidential Succession Act should be amended to replace the Senate President pro tempore with the Senate Majority Leader in the line of succession.

How about skipping the Pro Tempore and Speaker (who almost always older members of the House/Senate) and going directly to the Cabinet?

There should be one caveat, however. If the entire cabinet is unavailable to serve for some reason, then the youngest surviving member of either the House or Senate Foreign Affairs or Intelligence Committee, should that person exist should be next in line.

[Kingpoleon]

The Presidential Succession Act should be amended to: Vice President->SoS->SoT->SoD->AG->Speaker->Majority Leader...

I think the President’s Cabinet can claim more right to the Presidency than members of Congress.

[Free Bird]

The Presidential Succession Act should be amended to replace the Senate President pro tempore with the Senate Majority Leader in the line of succession.

Would there be a bit of a snag in that every leadership position other than Pro Tem is only tradition and not in the Constitution?

[Indy Texas]

Just start making the majority leader also serve as president pro tempore.

[Progressive Pessimist]

It almost doesn't matter one way or the other. I'm not sure how to feel about it.

[Starpaul20]

It should be similar to the Speaker of the House, i.e. the Pro Tempore should be the de facto leader of the body's majority party with the majority leader being second in command.

[J. J.]

A president pro tempore (PPT)for the Senate is, ultimately, a good thing for the Senate.   The PPT is an experienced chair who has a good understanding of Senate procedure; he is probably at least slightly partisan than the majority leader.  He looks to the institution of the Senate, more so than looking at the party. 

Pulling him in succession is a bad idea, in part because his focus is on the Senate as an institution, and the tenancy to have elderly PPT's.

The Speaker of the House should be in the line of succession, though possibly lower on the list.  The reasons are twofold.   First, even if there is one representative left alive, he can elect a Speaker. Second, the person chosen as Speaker need not be a member of the House.  It is possible for the rump House to chose someone that could lead the country through a crisis. 

[Sir Mohamed]

Nah, get rid of it. The pro tem should also be majority leader similar to most state legislature (the case in CA). But leave the VP as formal senate president with a tie-breaking vote.

[Joey1996]

The Presidential Succession Act should be amended to replace the Senate President pro tempore with the Senate Majority Leader in the line of succession.

How about skipping the Pro Tempore and Speaker (who almost always older members of the House/Senate) and going directly to the Cabinet?

There should be one caveat, however. If the entire cabinet is unavailable to serve for some reason, then the youngest surviving member of either the House or Senate Foreign Affairs or Intelligence Committee, should that person exist should be next in line.

I prefer having Speaker and Pro temp 2nd and 3rd in the line, because it creates the potential for a member of the opposing party to take the office.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The VEEP is the President, and the Majority Leader is the Leader, they don't need a Pro-Tempore. The SOS should be the 4th in line to ascend to presidency