Honduras by Analogy

Here's the scenario...June 28, 2009

After eight years of turbulance, President Obama decides that he wants to remain President of the United States of American for another term, in spite of the constitutional limit of 8 yrs on his office.

Obama proposes a referendom on the Presidential term limit, by popular vote. The Supreme Court and the Congress of the United States advise him that such a vote, proposed by the President would be against the law. They point out that certain constitutional laws may not be changed, even by referendum. The Presidential term limit is one of those laws. The only way to change that law would be to rescind the Constitution of the United States, completely.

Obama says, "OK" to that and asks the Police and Military officials to conduct a popular vote to form a committee to rescind the Constitution of the United States. In response, the citizens of the United States take to the streets some in opposition, some in advocacy of Obama. Tensions begin to get out of hand.

The military refuses to conduct the vote and advises citizens to stay home if there was such a vote, due to the risk of violence at the poles.

Hearing this advisory, Obama fires the head of the military and calls for an immediate and popular referendum on the Constitution of the United States. At this point the Vice President, Joe Biden resigns from the Vice Presidency.

With the legal approval of the Supreme Court of the United States, and a vote of the Congress, the military disarms the White House Security force, takes Obama into custody and safely transports Obama to Canada which has stated its neutral position on the issue, agreeing to provide safe haven for the ousted President until the matter can be settled.

The Congress, following the laws of the Constitution, appoint Nancy Pelosi (the third in line of succession in lieu of Biden's resignation) as acting President of the United States, and calls for democratic elections to follow in November of this year.
==================================

By analogy, this is what happened in Honduras over the last week, culminating in a military ouster of President Manuel Zelaya (Obama) and installation of Interim President Roberto Micheletti (Pelosi).

Bottom Line: What Hugo Chavez got away with in Venezuela, Manuel Zelaya did not get away with in Honduras.

As of today, July 2, 2009, world leaders are calling this a "coup d'état" and calling for the reinstatement of President Manuel Zelaya.

“Eighty percent of the nation agrees with what happened,” Micheletti said. “I won’t allow people to call this a coup. This was a constitutional succession that happened after the Supreme Court took action.”

The real President Obama agrees with Hugo Chavez, that Zelaya must be reinstated. Hilary Clinton, Secretary of State is beginning to vacillate.

What do you think?

Do you think President Obama should have the discretion of calling for a popular "confidence vote" to rescind the Constitution of the United States of America? Should he have this discretion in spite of the joint opposition of the Congress and the Supreme Court? Even Honduran liberals were against that.

Zelaya and Micheletti are both members of the same political (Liberal) party. The military didn't kill Zelaya, they transported him to a safe haven. Zelaya was in Nicaragua with Hugo Chaves on Monday, and is now in Panama. It is the Liberal Congress of Honduras and the Supreme Court of Honduras who ousted Zelaya in the name of peace and national stability. They say he will be arrested if he tries to reenter Honduras.