Board 8 > Should the United States create the office of Tribune?

(+) Yeah! (+)

The Roman Republic had an interesting position of Tribune, who held the power to veto virtually any act of any holder of political office. Here is a proposal for a US version of this office.

There will be 2 tribunes, one elected the first year after a Presidential election and the other elected the third year after a Presidential election. Each tribune will have a term of 4 years, with no term limits. However, no person with a net worth of more than $1 million (indexed by inflation) who has not previously run for election as a tribune may run. The winner of a plurality of votes in a state will win that state, and the winner of a majority of states shall become tribune. If no candidate wins a majority of states, that seat shall be vacant until the next time it is up for election.

Either tribune shall have the power to veto any act of Congress, the President, any state or federal court, any governor, and any state legislature, except for pardons and the impeachment of a tribune, and except that a veto applied to a court decision will have no effect on its value as precedent and shall only change the disposition of the specific case that was vetoed. A single tribune's veto may be overridden with a 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress and the assent of the President. However, if both tribunes join together, their veto may not be overridden.

Tribunes may be impeached by a majority of the House and convicted and removed from office by a 2/3 vote in the Senate. If a tribune is removed, the seat shall be vacant until the next regularly scheduled election for that seat. If a tribune is removed from office after having issued a veto, the person or government office may proceed again with the act that was previously vetoed.

Vote away!

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No. Theres already more than enough ways to veto legislation. This office sounds way, way too powerful and could effectively stop any legislation being passed for 4 years singlehandedly. Of course the senate has already basically done that for the past 4 years under Mitch McConnell but thats still a collective effort of 51 people and not just one (or two).

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