What if the US Presidency was a lifetime appointment?

[Cassandra]

This was a live possibility during the constitutional convention. Hamilton, for example, supported the Presidency being a lifetime appointment. Of course it was a minority position, and probably never had any real chance of making it into the Constitution but hey, that's what this board is for. So, what if?

1. George Washington (April 30, 1789 - December 14, 1799)

This one is easy enough. Washington gets an extra two and a half years before kicking the bucket. Now here's an interesting question: who occupies the executive until elections are held and the next president is sworn in? I would imagine the Vice President serves as acting president, though I'd like to here you guys's thoughts. If so though, maybe it looks something like this:

1b. John Adams, acting (December 14, 1799 - March 4, 1801)

Also, when would the election be held? Perhaps the following fall, to give everyone time to campaign? If so, that hilariously matches the irl election of 1800, and likely with the same candidates!

2. Thomas Jefferson (March 4, 1801 - July 4, 1826)

Wow that's a long presidency. Twenty five years!! I wonder how Americans are feeling about that institution after the second presidency. And the changes! Oh, the changes. Does Jefferson provoke the War of 1812, same as Madison? I think probably yes. Maybe this is the last period that we can imagine proceeding along basically similar lines, though again, I want to hear your thoughts.

2b. Aaron Burr, acting (July 4, 1826 - March 4, 1828)

Ok so get this. If the tickets are the same as OTL 1800, Aaron Burr has been languishing as Vice President for 25 years. But now is his chance. He's Acting President! Surely he'll run for a full term, but if he loses, will he give up power? This 1826 election is guaranteed to be chaotic. Universal manhood suffrage, Andrew Jackson and John Q. Adams presumably still duking it out...who even wins? And how does the losing side cope, knowing it could very well be a quarter of a century before one of their men has a shot at the White House. I honestly have no idea, what do you guys think?

[Agonized-Statism]

Jackson's mass politics would be hard to beat, assuming he's still building the same movement more or less under a Jefferson administration. The Mexican-American War would be waged earlier, probably in the late 1830s, and end with a larger amount of territory including some of OTL Northern Mexico annexed under Jackson's influence (the border would be around the Tropic of Cancer imo, All of Mexico was never going to happen). A Jackson protégé would be the fourth president- funny enough, if his career isn't butterflied away, there may still be a President Polk from 1845 to 1849. By this point, sectionalism has been seriously exacerbated by over fifty straight years of Western expansionist presidents scoring victory after victory primarily for the South and the 1850s are looking a lot bloodier. There may be some kind of Hartford Convention-type New England secessionist conspiracy. Not too sure that Lincoln or a Lincolnesque figure would or even could emerge to hold the country together, but at that point history's changed too much to say for sure.

[Liminal Trans Girl]

So to follow up heres what I think is likely.

3. Andrew Jackson(March,4,1828 to June,8,1845)

Considering that Jackson won the Popular Vote in 1824 in OTL should tell you that he'd probably win here. This is assuming that an 1824 dosen't happen here though.

3a. Martin Van Breun(Acting)(June,8,1845 to March,4,1848)

I'm assuming that in TTL Jackson will choose Van Breun over Calhoun. He Splits the Democratic vote in 1848 like in OTL leading to...

4. Henry Clay(March,4,1848 to June,29,1852)

Clay without being a 3 time loser in TTL gets the Whig nomination and wins the Election over Van Breun and Cass. Of Course he dies and it's passed onto the Acting President leading to...

4a. Millard Fillmore(Acting)(June,29,1848 to March,4,1856)

At this point you can see the pattern. Like in OTL the Whigs split over slavery and Fillmore runs on the American Party. He does Slightly better than OTL but not enough to win.

5.John Fremont(March,4,1856 to July,13,1890)

Due to Fillmore winning more than OTL, Fremont becomes president. The Civil War is fought(1856-1862) and won by the Union as OTL. Fremont abolishes Slavery and narrowly avoids assassination by John Wilkes Booth. By 1890 however his VP has been long dead, leading to the Speaker becoming Acting President.

5a.Charles F. Crisp(July,13,1890 to March,4,1892)

As the speaker of the House, Crisp becomes Acting President due to the Vice-Presidents Death in 1864. He runs in 1892 but loses to the grandson of a former governor...

6.Benjamin Harrison(March,4,1892 to March,13,1901)

Like Fremont and Clay before him, Harrison became President due to vote spilting by the Democrats. Despite his best Efforts however, he would be a relatively unknown president unlike the surrounding Presidents.

6a.Levi P. Morton(Acting)(March,13,1901 to March,4,1904)

Morton ran in 1904 as well but was defeated by a Youthful Presidential Canidate.

7.William J. Byran(March,4,1904 to July,26,1925)

Bryan won the Presidental race of 1904 on a platfrom of Change. He was the leading figure of the Progressive Era and ran the first national campaign. He also ran on the Populist Slate ending any vote spillting.

8.Nicholas Longworth(Acting until March,4,1928)(July,26,1924 to April,9,1931)

Longworth was speaker of the house at the end of Byrans Presidency and was elected in his own right however the Great Depression tanked his presidency. This led to the next Presidency...

[Liminal Trans Girl]

So to follow up heres what I think is likely.

3. Andrew Jackson(March,4,1828 to June,8,1845)

Considering that Jackson won the Popular Vote in 1824 in OTL should tell you that he'd probably win here. This is assuming that an 1824 dosen't happen here though.

3a. Martin Van Breun(Acting)(June,8,1845 to March,4,1848)

I'm assuming that in TTL Jackson will choose Van Breun over Calhoun. He Splits the Democratic vote in 1848 like in OTL leading to...

4. Henry Clay(March,4,1848 to June,29,1852)

Clay without being a 3 time loser in TTL gets the Whig nomination and wins the Election over Van Breun and Cass. Of Course he dies and it's passed onto the Acting President leading to...

4a. Millard Fillmore(Acting)(June,29,1848 to March,4,1856)

At this point you can see the pattern. Like in OTL the Whigs split over slavery and Fillmore runs on the American Party. He does Slightly better than OTL but not enough to win.

5.John Fremont(March,4,1856 to July,13,1890)

Due to Fillmore winning more than OTL, Fremont becomes president. The Civil War is fought(1856-1862) and won by the Union as OTL. Fremont abolishes Slavery and narrowly avoids assassination by John Wilkes Booth. By 1890 however his VP has been long dead, leading to the Speaker becoming Acting President.

5a.Charles F. Crisp(July,13,1890 to March,4,1892)

As the speaker of the House, Crisp becomes Acting President due to the Vice-Presidents Death in 1864. He runs in 1892 but loses to the grandson of a former governor...

6.Benjamin Harrison(March,4,1892 to March,13,1901)

Like Fremont and Clay before him, Harrison became President due to vote spilting by the Democrats. Despite his best Efforts however, he would be a relatively unknown president unlike the surrounding Presidents.

6a.Levi P. Morton(Acting)(March,13,1901 to March,4,1904)

Morton ran in 1904 as well but was defeated by a Youthful Presidential Canidate.

7.William J. Byran(March,4,1904 to July,26,1925)

Bryan won the Presidental race of 1904 on a platfrom of Change. He was the leading figure of the Progressive Era and ran the first national campaign. He also ran on the Populist Slate ending any vote spillting.

8.Nicholas Longworth(Acting until March,4,1928)(July,26,1924 to April,9,1931)

Longworth was speaker of the house at the end of Byrans Presidency and was elected in his own right however the Great Depression tanked his presidency. This led to the next Presidency...

Well remembered this thread existed so I'm go to finish up. Don't kill me mods

8a. Charles Curtis(April,9,1931 to March,4,1933)

Great Depression still occurs as OTL. Curtis doesn't even get Renominated.

9. Franklin Delano Roosevelt(March,4,1933 to April,12,1945)

Basically Same as OTL

9a. Henry A. Wallace(April,12,1945 to January,20,1949)

Hes basically being Henry Wallace here.

10. Dwight D. Eisenhower(January,20,1949 to March,28,1969)

Popular WW2 General, what do I have to say

10a. Thomas Dewey(March,28,1969 to March,16,1971)

Eisenhower dies, he becomes President and dies before the election can happen. Oops.

11. Carl Albert(Acting before January,20th,1973)(March,16,1971 to February,4,2000)

Having been woken up in the middle of the night because of Deweys death, Carl Albert went from an unknown to President in 15 minutes. Ends up serving until 2000

11a. Bob Dole(February,4,2000 to January,20,2001)

Old Guy who makes Gaffes everytime he speaks.

12. Al Gore(January,20,2001 to Present)

Current President

[Del Tachi]

Here's a list starting with Washington which assumes that, following the death of an incumbent, his successor would be whoever won the following election IRL.  The only exception to this rule is Hoover, who I picked to succeed Harding since a 41-year-long Hoover presidency is interesting to ponder LOL

1.  George Washington; 1789-1799
2.  Thomas Jefferson; 1799-1826
3.  Andrew Jackson; 1826-1845
4.  James K. Polk; 1845-1849
5.  Franklin Pierce; 1849-1869
6.  Ulysses Grant; 1869-1885
7.  Benjamin Harrison; 1885-1901
8.  Theodore Roosevelt; 1901-1919
9.  Warren Harding; 1919-1923
10.  Herbert Hoover; 1923-1964
11.  Richard Nixon; 1964-1994
12.  Bill Clinton; 1994-present

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Here's a list starting with Washington which assumes that, following the death of an incumbent, his successor would be whoever won the following election IRL.  The only exception to this rule is Hoover, who I picked to succeed Harding since a 41-year-long Hoover presidency is interesting to ponder LOL

1.  George Washington; 1789-1799
2.  Thomas Jefferson; 1799-1826
3.  Andrew Jackson; 1826-1845
4.  James K. Polk; 1845-1849
5.  Franklin Pierce; 1849-1869
6.  Ulysses Grant; 1869-1885
7.  Benjamin Harrison; 1885-1901
8.  Theodore Roosevelt; 1901-1919
9.  Warren Harding; 1919-1923
10.  Herbert Hoover; 1923-1964
11.  Richard Nixon; 1964-1994
12.  Bill Clinton; 1994-present

The alternative is a 50-year Carter Presidency:

10.  Calvin Coolidge; 1923-1933
11.  Franklin D. Roosevelt; 1933-1945
12.  Harry S. Truman; 1945-1972
13.  Jimmy Carter; 1972-2023, probably

[Skill and Chance]

Either the president would be stripped of power until they were only a figurehead giving speeches or they would accumulate power until the position resembled the Roman Emperors.  This would happen quickly.  Within 1-2 presidents after Washington, someone would attempt an autogolpe.  It would either succeed or be suppressed and a raft of constitutional amendments would follow. 

[Make America Grumpy Again]

I wonder what the EVs would look like. Maybe that's a project for me to do when I have more time.