web01.fireside.fm Fri, 17 Apr 2026 03:58:55 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Tatter - Episodes Tagged with “President” https://tatter.fireside.fm/tags/president Fri, 20 Mar 2020 13:00:00 -0400 This is a podcast exploring issues in politics and policy. Each episode features conversation with at least one subject matter expert, with a goal of helping listeners better understand the topic. en-us episodic Politics and Policy Michael Sargent This is a podcast exploring issues in politics and policy. Each episode features conversation with at least one subject matter expert, with a goal of helping listeners better understand the topic. no politics, policy, law Michael Sargent profsargent@gmail.com Episode 50: Wrong Tool for the Job (Brian Kalt, on the 25th Amendment) https://tatter.fireside.fm/50 b97bd447-2c54-409f-95bf-a9745c38d072 Fri, 20 Mar 2020 13:00:00 -0400 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent My conversation with Michigan State's Brian Kalt, as we discuss the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Section 4. 43:38 no ABOUT THIS EPISODE Concerns about Donald Trump's fitness to serve as U.S. President have motivated many people to advocate for the invocation of the 25th Amendment, particularly Section 4. Those who have engaged in such advocacy--and I've done it--seem to believe that effectively invoking Section 4 of the 25th Amendment could be a way to remove Trump from office. But my guest--Brian Kalt of the Michigan State University College of Law--makes a case that we're wrong. LINKS --Brian Kalt's MSU profile (https://www.law.msu.edu/faculty_staff/profile.php?prof=44) --Unable: The Law, Politics, and Limits of Section 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment (by Brian Kalt) (https://www.amazon.com/Unable-Politics-Section-Twenty-Fifth-Amendment/dp/0190083190) --"President Trump is unfit for this crisis. Period." (by Jennifer Senior, at The New York Times) (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/09/opinion/trump-corona-cdc.html) --"Bayh aide not surprised 25th Amendment hasn't removed a president" (by Maureen Groppe, at The Indianapolis Star) (https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2017/09/14/bayh-aide-not-surprised-25th-amendment-hasnt-removed-president/639442001/) --_Full Disclosure: A Novel _(by William Safire) (https://www.amazon.com/Full-disclosure-novel-William-Safire/dp/0385121156) Special Guest: Brian Kalt. 25th Amendment, President, presidency, Trump, succession ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Concerns about Donald Trump's fitness to serve as U.S. President have motivated many people to advocate for the invocation of the 25th Amendment, particularly Section 4. Those who have engaged in such advocacy--and I've done it--seem to believe that effectively invoking Section 4 of the 25th Amendment could be a way to remove Trump from office. But my guest--Brian Kalt of the Michigan State University College of Law--makes a case that we're wrong.

LINKS
--Brian Kalt's MSU profile
--Unable: The Law, Politics, and Limits of Section 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment (by Brian Kalt)
--"President Trump is unfit for this crisis. Period." (by Jennifer Senior, at The New York Times)
--"Bayh aide not surprised 25th Amendment hasn't removed a president" (by Maureen Groppe, at The Indianapolis Star)
--_Full Disclosure: A Novel _(by William Safire)

Special Guest: Brian Kalt.

]]> ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Concerns about Donald Trump's fitness to serve as U.S. President have motivated many people to advocate for the invocation of the 25th Amendment, particularly Section 4. Those who have engaged in such advocacy--and I've done it--seem to believe that effectively invoking Section 4 of the 25th Amendment could be a way to remove Trump from office. But my guest--Brian Kalt of the Michigan State University College of Law--makes a case that we're wrong.

LINKS
--Brian Kalt's MSU profile
--Unable: The Law, Politics, and Limits of Section 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment (by Brian Kalt)
--"President Trump is unfit for this crisis. Period." (by Jennifer Senior, at The New York Times)
--"Bayh aide not surprised 25th Amendment hasn't removed a president" (by Maureen Groppe, at The Indianapolis Star)
--_Full Disclosure: A Novel _(by William Safire)

Special Guest: Brian Kalt.

]]> Episode 44: Interim Ad Infinitum (On The Use and Abuse of Presidential Appointment Power) https://tatter.fireside.fm/44 f831b3ba-5069-4d49-bf6e-c7432a147b59 Tue, 06 Aug 2019 07:00:00 -0400 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent Under current law, U.S. presidents often have great latitude in filling senior-level vacancies, but abusing that freedom can create problems, as I discuss with UT-Austin law professor Stephen I. Vladeck. 30:08 no ABOUT THIS EPISODE Steve Vladeck is the A. Dalton Cross Professor in Law at the University of Texas School of Law. He's also a prolific writer and CNN's Supreme Court analyst, and he's argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. He joined me to discuss the President's power to appoint individuals in an acting capacity in senior positions. This is a power that can be abused--and some would argue has been abused by President Trump. We discuss the power, and possible reforms that could limit abuse. LINKS Steve Vladeck's UT-Austin profile (https://law.utexas.edu/faculty/stephen-i-vladeck) "Trump is abusing his authority to name 'acting secretaries': Here's how Congress can stop him." (by Vladeck, for Slate) (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/trump-acting-secretaries-dhs-fvra-senate-reform.html) "Trump relies on acting Cabinet officials more than most presidents. It's not an accident." (by Phillip Bump, for the Washington Post) (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/08/trump-relies-acting-cabinet-officials-more-than-most-presidents-its-not-an-accident/) "How America got to 'zero tolerance' on immigration: The inside story," (by Jason Zengerle, for the New York Times) (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/magazine/immigration-department-of-homeland-security.html) "Supreme Court rules against Apple, as Kavanaugh sides with liberal Justices." (by Bill Chappell, for National Public Radio) (https://www.npr.org/2019/05/13/722831702/supreme-court-rules-against-apple-as-kavanaugh-sides-with-liberal-justices) The Federal Vacancies Reform Act (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3345) Special Guest: Stephen Vladeck. President, vacancies, acting heads, Cabinet, Congress, Trump ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Steve Vladeck is the A. Dalton Cross Professor in Law at the University of Texas School of Law. He's also a prolific writer and CNN's Supreme Court analyst, and he's argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. He joined me to discuss the President's power to appoint individuals in an acting capacity in senior positions. This is a power that can be abused--and some would argue has been abused by President Trump. We discuss the power, and possible reforms that could limit abuse.

LINKS
Steve Vladeck's UT-Austin profile
"Trump is abusing his authority to name 'acting secretaries': Here's how Congress can stop him." (by Vladeck, for Slate)
"Trump relies on acting Cabinet officials more than most presidents. It's not an accident." (by Phillip Bump, for the Washington Post)
"How America got to 'zero tolerance' on immigration: The inside story," (by Jason Zengerle, for the New York Times)
"Supreme Court rules against Apple, as Kavanaugh sides with liberal Justices." (by Bill Chappell, for National Public Radio)
The Federal Vacancies Reform Act

Special Guest: Stephen Vladeck.

]]> ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Steve Vladeck is the A. Dalton Cross Professor in Law at the University of Texas School of Law. He's also a prolific writer and CNN's Supreme Court analyst, and he's argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. He joined me to discuss the President's power to appoint individuals in an acting capacity in senior positions. This is a power that can be abused--and some would argue has been abused by President Trump. We discuss the power, and possible reforms that could limit abuse.

LINKS
Steve Vladeck's UT-Austin profile
"Trump is abusing his authority to name 'acting secretaries': Here's how Congress can stop him." (by Vladeck, for Slate)
"Trump relies on acting Cabinet officials more than most presidents. It's not an accident." (by Phillip Bump, for the Washington Post)
"How America got to 'zero tolerance' on immigration: The inside story," (by Jason Zengerle, for the New York Times)
"Supreme Court rules against Apple, as Kavanaugh sides with liberal Justices." (by Bill Chappell, for National Public Radio)
The Federal Vacancies Reform Act

Special Guest: Stephen Vladeck.

]]>