A Question about George Romney

[Robespierre's Jaw]

I'm curious to find out how then Governor of Michigan, George Romney was allowed to run for President of the United States in 1968 when he was born in Mexico? Was Mexico an American terriority then? Thanks.

[Erc]

As any student of American history should know, Jimmy Carter signed a treaty with Panama giving back Mexico...

Oh, wait.  That's John McCain.



I'm assuming Romney felt that being born abroad to U.S. citizens (thus being a citizen at birth) counted as being a "natural-born citizen."

Since his campaign never really got off the ground, it never became an issue.  Although I'd be interested in hearing if there was any discussion of it at the time.

[Nym90]

As any student of American history should know, Jimmy Carter signed a treaty with Panama giving back Mexico...

Oh, wait.  That's John McCain.



I'm assuming Romney felt that being born abroad to U.S. citizens (thus being a citizen at birth) counted as being a "natural-born citizen."

Since his campaign never really got off the ground, it never became an issue.  Although I'd be interested in hearing if there was any discussion of it at the time.

That's exactly it. In order to be eligible to be President you simply have to have been born as a US citizen; you don't necessarily have to have been physically born in the United States.

If both of your parents are US citizens, then you are automatically a US citizen upon your birth, even if it occurs in another country.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

If both of your parents are US citizens, then you are automatically a US citizen upon your birth, even if it occurs in another country.

So that's why George Romney was able to run for President of the United States in 1968. Thanks Nym90 my question has been answered

[Sensei]

If both of your parents are US citizens, then you are automatically a US citizen upon your birth, even if it occurs in another country.

So that's why George Romney was able to run for President of the United States in 1968. Thanks Nym90 my question has been answered

Except you have to be born in the USA to assume the presidency, per the constitution.

[Nym90]

If both of your parents are US citizens, then you are automatically a US citizen upon your birth, even if it occurs in another country.

So that's why George Romney was able to run for President of the United States in 1968. Thanks Nym90 my question has been answered

Except you have to be born in the USA to assume the presidency, per the constitution.

The exact text from Article 2, Section 1 is...

"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. "

You don't have to have been born in the United States to be a natural born citizen; I explained why previously.

[HappyWarrior]

Was he born at an embassey or anything?  I know thats how it was with McCain.

[Peter]

8 USC 1401 is a statutory definition of how one can qualify as a natural born citizen of the US.

Further, for those advocates of originalism, the Founders themselves held that the children of citizens born abroad were themselves natural born citizens, and it codified this in the Naturalization Act of 1790. Lovers of Common Law will also note that this principle was long-standing in English Law (since the 14th century) which often required the beneficiaries of wills to be natural-born subjects of the Crown - this was always read to include those born to subject-parents abroad.

[jimrtex]

I'm curious to find out how then Governor of Michigan, George Romney was allowed to run for President of the United States in 1968 when he was born in Mexico? Was Mexico an American terriority then? Thanks.

As others have mentioned, he was a US Citizen due to the nature of his birth.  Any final judgement would have been made by the Congress at the time they were counting the electoral votes.

As a curiousity, he was not covered by the 1st sentence of the 14th Amendment, because he was neither born in the United States nor naturalized.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

If you're born to US citizens you're a citizen.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

If both of your parents are US citizens, then you are automatically a US citizen upon your birth, even if it occurs in another country.

So that's why George Romney was able to run for President of the United States in 1968. Thanks Nym90 my question has been answered

Except you have to be born in the USA to assume the presidency, per the constitution.

The exact text from Article 2, Section 1 is...

"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. "

You don't have to have been born in the United States to be a natural born citizen; I explained why previously.

So why does everybody think that "if I'm born in Canada, I can't be president?"

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Because if you're a canadian citizen and you naturalize you can't. If you're an american whose parents were living in canada(but kept american citizenship) you can.

[Southern Patriot]

Because if you're a canadian citizen and you naturalize you can't. If you're an american whose parents were living in canada(but kept american citizenship) you can.

This brings up a point about Dual-citizenship. Suppose one parent is a USA citizen & one a Canadian citizen, he was born in Canada, thus being born a dual-citizen, is he still eligible to be President? Nothing in the Constitution about dual-citizenship & eligibility.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Because if you're a canadian citizen and you naturalize you can't. If you're an american whose parents were living in canada(but kept american citizenship) you can.

This brings up a point about Dual-citizenship. Suppose one parent is a USA citizen & one a Canadian citizen, he was born in Canada, thus being born a dual-citizen, is he still eligible to be President? Nothing in the Constitution about dual-citizenship & eligibility.

I honestly don't know.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

Because if you're a canadian citizen and you naturalize you can't. If you're an american whose parents were living in canada(but kept american citizenship) you can.

But I mean you always hear the "my parents had me on vacation in Canada" thing.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Because if you're a canadian citizen and you naturalize you can't. If you're an american whose parents were living in canada(but kept american citizenship) you can.

But I mean you always hear the "my parents had me on vacation in Canada" thing.

If your parents are american citiziesn...

[Erc]

Does the 'common law' definition of natural-born citizen make Granholm eligible?  Or was she born to Canadian parents?

[Verily]

Does the 'common law' definition of natural-born citizen make Granholm eligible?  Or was she born to Canadian parents?

Her parents were not American citizens at the time of her birth. She didn't gain American citizenship until immigrating at age 4.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

Because if you're a canadian citizen and you naturalize you can't. If you're an american whose parents were living in canada(but kept american citizenship) you can.

But I mean you always hear the "my parents had me on vacation in Canada" thing.

If your parents are american citiziesn...

Huh?