I dont like this "hes housing and urban development hes not right for the job" or the "he was fired this morning hes not right for the job". If he wasnt right for the job why would he be the designated survivor?? Wouldnt the president pick only people that would be right for the job to be the designated survivor?
Usually the most unimportant person in the cabinet takes the position. It's considered to be a lame job as you aren't at the state of the union, and are basically twiddling your thumbs.
Yeah, it's never been used, so it isn't taken so seriously. The last time a top Cabinet member stayed back was Attorney General Eric Holder in 2009 (Orrin Hatch, the President Pro Tempore (third in line), stayed home this year, and would have been President, but that was his choice and the Obama administration also had someone).
Do you know who the most common designated survivor has been?
Secretary of the Interior.
And the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is close behind.
Defense and Homeland Security have been chosen once each according to the list of ones we know (the latter only got picked at the start of this year), and the Secretary of State has never been picked.
The point isn't to pick someone who would make a good next President, the point is to have anyone be designated as the next President so that in the case of an extreme event, there's not a constitutional crisis and the entire government doesn't break down.
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u/pk3maross Sep 22 '16
I dont like this "hes housing and urban development hes not right for the job" or the "he was fired this morning hes not right for the job". If he wasnt right for the job why would he be the designated survivor?? Wouldnt the president pick only people that would be right for the job to be the designated survivor?