Alan Grayson to Sue if Ted Cruz is the Nominee

[Ljube]

Cruz was not born in the United States and therefore is a naturalized citizen. His naturalization may be automatic, but he still went through a naturalization procedure.

Only the Supreme Court can answer the question if citizens born outside of the USA can be considered natural born citizens.

[Ljube]

I don't see what the controversy is. Obama's birth certificate proves that he was born in the United States. Cruz's birth certificate proves that he was born in Canada, which is a foreign country.

And federal law says Cruz was still born a U.S. Citizen as long as long as both parents were citizens when he was born.

Correct. In Cruz's case, however, his father was not a U.S. citizen; he was a Cuban citizen.

Ok, fine. I wasn't sure what his father's citizenship status was at the time, but as long as his mom was a U.S. citizen and met age and residency requirements when Cruz was born, then Cruz was still born a U.S. citizen.

Federal law cannot define the meaning of the "natural born citizen" clause in the Constitution. Only the Supreme Court can do that.

[Ljube]

I don't see what the controversy is. Obama's birth certificate proves that he was born in the United States. Cruz's birth certificate proves that he was born in Canada, which is a foreign country.

And federal law says Cruz was still born a U.S. Citizen as long as long as both parents were citizens when he was born.

Correct. In Cruz's case, however, his father was not a U.S. citizen; he was a Cuban citizen.

Ok, fine. I wasn't sure what his father's citizenship status was at the time, but as long as his mom was a U.S. citizen and met age and residency requirements when Cruz was born, then Cruz was still born a U.S. citizen.

Federal law cannot define the meaning of the "natural born citizen" clause in the Constitution. Only the Supreme Court can do that.

What do you think "natural born citizen" means?

A person born in the USA. This excludes McCain and Cruz.

[Ljube]

I don't see what the controversy is. Obama's birth certificate proves that he was born in the United States. Cruz's birth certificate proves that he was born in Canada, which is a foreign country.

And federal law says Cruz was still born a U.S. Citizen as long as long as both parents were citizens when he was born.

Correct. In Cruz's case, however, his father was not a U.S. citizen; he was a Cuban citizen.

Ok, fine. I wasn't sure what his father's citizenship status was at the time, but as long as his mom was a U.S. citizen and met age and residency requirements when Cruz was born, then Cruz was still born a U.S. citizen.

Federal law cannot define the meaning of the "natural born citizen" clause in the Constitution. Only the Supreme Court can do that.

What do you think "natural born citizen" means?

A person born in the USA. This excludes McCain and Cruz.

What do you base that conclusion on?

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

It is clear that the intent of this natural born citizen clause was to prevent someone who was born and raised abroad and who has another country, so to say, from ever becoming President. It is obvious from the other requirement, which is to be 14 years a resident within the US.

[Ljube]

It's no surprise that some Democrats would be ready to hand this back to Republicans after the whole birther nonsense. What goes around comes back around.

It's not the same thing. The birthers claimed that Obama was not born in Hawaii.

Nobody disputes that Cruz was born in Canada.

[Ljube]

It is clear that the intent of this natural born citizen clause was to prevent someone who was born and raised abroad and who has another country, so to say, from ever becoming President. It is obvious from the other requirement, which is to be 14 years a resident within the US.

So you say. To me it seems clearer that the intent of the residency clause is to ensure a citizen must have ties and stakes to the country beyond the technicalities of citizenship. And the purpose of the natural born citizen clause is to prevent a foreign carpetbagger from being eligible to be President.

If that were true, anchor babies wouldn't be considered natural born citizens.