(10-21-2016 09:50 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(10-21-2016 09:25 PM)erice Wrote:  I believe that the peaceful transition of power is (ironically) THE thing that truly made America great in the first place.

Understand.

Do your really think we are not going to have a peaceful transition of power this time?

Also, there have been non-peaceful transitions of power before, the Civil War coming immediately to mind. I have a strong suspicion there have been protests following elections in the past, primarily in the 19th century, as there were some unusual elections.

I'm not trying to argue your point, but while the concept is a valid one, and worth discussing, to my knowledge, it's not a constitutional concept, or something codified in law.

It's a general assumption of course, but I don't think it's ever gotten this much discussion as a 'principle' in any prior election. Honestly, I don't recall a discussion on this ever coming up before. Wasn't taught in any history class that I've taken (and I took Constitutional and Legal History at Rice, but that was over 35 years ago, so there may have been an amendment I missed)

I recently read an article describing booby traps and 'practical jokes' left behind by Clinton staffers when George W. Bush took over the White House. The article contrasted that, in part, to the recently publicized note of good will that George H. W. Bush left for Clinton, or the how far out of his way George W. Bush went to welcome President Obama to the White House (as a consequence of how they were received). The reception George W. and staffers received was significantly 'noteworthy', that President Obama has issued orders on how his staffers are to behave regardless of who wins the election (foregone conclusion now), as he was grateful for how his predecessor welcomed him.

So does outgoing staffers unwelcoming behavior toward a new president constitute non-peaceful transition of power?

Are unpublicized protests (placards, signs) protesting a new president a problem, even if they never get publicity.

Would it surprise you, if this dearly held tenet of our system had in fact been violated several times in the 19th century, even beyond the Civil War?

Clinton staffers left malicious things for W to find, or were they practical jokes? I remember reading somewhere that when W left, they removed all the W's on keyboards for the Obama administration.