Buck Batters Blathering Bufoons, Stares Competitor Down

The rules regarding how the Vice President of the United States is chosen and how vacancies are filled were changed primarily through two major events:

1. The 12th Amendment (1804)

   - Background: Initially, the Vice President was the runner-up in the Electoral College, meaning the candidate who finished second in the presidential election would become the Vice President. This system created tension, especially during the election of 1800, when Thomas Jefferson and his running mate Aaron Burr tied, leading to a prolonged electoral crisis.

   - Change: The 12th Amendment was ratified in 1804 and changed the process so that electors would vote separately for President and Vice President, rather than the vice presidency automatically going to the second-place candidate. This amendment ensured that the president and vice president would be from the same political party.

2. The 25th Amendment (1967)

   - Background: Prior to the 25th Amendment, there were no clear procedures for filling a vacancy in the vice presidency. If the Vice President died, resigned, or became president, the office would remain vacant until the next election. This occurred 16 times in U.S. history before 1967.

   - Change: The 25th Amendment established a formal process for replacing the Vice President. It allows the President to nominate a new Vice President, who must be confirmed by a majority vote of both houses of Congress. This amendment was first invoked in 1973, when Gerald Ford was appointed as Vice President after Spiro Agnew resigned, and again in 1974 when Ford became President and Nelson Rockefeller was appointed as Vice President.