The commander of the base wrote, “I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the US administration discussed by Vice-President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base.” in an email and was thus dismissed. In dismissing her, the Pentagon stated this reason. “Actions [that] undermine the chain of command or to subvert President [Donald] Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense.”
I mean, if you’re the Vice President, it’s kind of hard to put much pressure on the President. The Vice President has virtually no power or formal responsibilities other than what the President chooses to delegate to him. I mean, if he annoys the President, the President can very readily leave him with nothing other than a bit of prestige and a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
Though the President can’t actually remove the Vice President, no matter how unhappy with him he is.
There’s supportive & then there is mewling sycophant.
Vance is the latter.
So what you’re saying is that he’s possibly the one person in the country that can tell the fascist fartknocker the truth and not be removed from office? Poor guy, I’m glad he’s doing the right thing instead.
Well, he might not be removed from office, but how much is holding the office actually worth if it has no political power?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nance_Garner
This is America, there is a wage associated with the position, when paired with a lack of expectation that is pure opportunity, but I suspect you weren’t being as literal as all that. The position could be extremely valuable when the topic is broached, but it could also not be worth shit, there’s no way of knowing until the attempt is made. Vance is less of a person and a politician for not trying.
/IMHO
Alternatively, the President can’t actually remove the Vice President, no matter how unhappy with him he is.
He can be impeached, especially with a house that is under the president’s thumb.
It does create an odd situation in the senate about voting him out. I think dems would refuse a farce impeachment, even against the opposing party, but either way its a win for them.
Sounds like there’s a bunch of unresolved constitutional law questions there too. There’s apparently a literalist reading of the Constitution that the Vice President should preside over his own impeachment trial. Normally, the Vice President presides over the Senate. The Constitution explicitly says says that the Chief Justice rather than the Vice President presides if the President is being tried; but has no special exception in the text for if the Vice President himself is being impeached.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_President_of_the_United_States
Then the process involves a vote in the Senate. On two occasions in the past, the Senate has in fact tied:
The Vice President…holds a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
https://www.legbranch.org/can-the-vice-president-vote-in-a-presidential-impeachment-trial/
For bonus points, Vance is a lawyer, and I suppose could represent himself as well.
Anti-Vance Senator: “And, Mr. President, was that the point where the Vice President committed the treasonous crime requiring his impeachment and removal from office?”
Trump: “Yes, and…”
Vance (acting as Vance’s attorney): “Objection!”
Vance (acting as presiding officer over Vance’s trial): “Sustained. The court orders the statement to be stricken from the record and, further, observes that the witness is a whiny bitch.”
Vance (acting as holder of tie-breaking Senate vote): “Given that there seems to be a lack of evidence, I’m just going to come out right now and say that I don’t think that I can vote against the defendant.”
Vance (acting as defendant): “Woohoo! Score!”
EDIT: I don’t actually know whether the presiding officer when the Senate is acting as a court uses regular judicial procedure — could probably go dig up transcripts of past impeachments to find out — so the above phrasing may not be correct, but it’s still a pretty zany hypothetical.
EDIT2:
Trump: “This trial is a farce!”
Vance (acting as presiding officer over Vance’s trial): begins slamming Senate gavel “Order! Order! The witness will be silent!”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbols_of_the_United_States_Senate
Senate gavel comes apart again
Vance (acting as presiding officer over Vance’s trial): “Damn. Finding more elephants these days is going to be a pain.”
Trump: “I’ll say whatever I feel like!”
Vance (acting as presiding officer over Vance’s trial): “The sergeant at arms will remove the unruly witness!”
Jennifer Hemmingway: “Let’s go, Mr. President.”