Ask Me Help Desk - If doomsday happened, who'd run things?

If doomsday happened, who'd run things?

Hello:

If a WMD wiped out Washington, D.C. who would run things? Where does it say anything about that? There's NOTHING in the Constitution.

excon

I'm hoping our government is smart enough to have a back-up plan away from Washington D.C.
If not... Canada would most likely take us over.

Don't you think so, eh? ;)

Military takes over, They have many doom day plans worked over and over.

Some guy like Haig. Ex you haven't found a WMD have you?

I take over. I baked them cookies and they agreed that I'm next in line to take over the world. They're so easy to convince. :)

Actually the order of succession is established in the Constitution and through the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (not long after FDR died, and just as the fear of A-bombs was beginning to get started). The order of succession is:

VP
Speaker of the House
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State (the afore-mentioned Alexander "I'm in charge here" Haig comes to mind).
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
And the list continues through the other 11 cabinet officers.

You never find all these people in the same place at the same time - for obvious reasons. I suppose if Washington DC got wiped out the remaining members of congress and executive branch would have to gather some place else. But then there is nothing in the Constitution that establishes Washington DC as the capital.

Side note - if you ever get to the Greenbrier Hotel in WV you can take a tour of the old bomb shelter which was supposed to be the place for members of congress to escape to in case of emerguency in Washington - that bomb shelter was secretly built to house up to 1000 people, and was active until the mid 80's when its cover was blown. Now it's just a tourist stop. See: The Greenbrier's Bunker

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebaines

Side note - if you ever get to the Greenbrier Hotel in WV you can take a tour of the old bomb shelter which was supposed to be the place for members of congress to escape to in case of emerguency in Washington - that bomb shelter was secretly built to house up to 1000 people, and was active until the mid 80's when its cover was blown. Now it's just a a tourist stop. See: The Greenbrier's Bunker

That's cool!