Foreign-born President

[© Tweed the Younger]

I am against amending the constitution for this reason.  Nor do I think it would pass.  

But you support amending the constitution to ban gay marraige.  I never understood social conservatives.  They want to amend the consitution to take rights away, but oppose amending it to add rights.  

[Gustaf]

The Swedish king has to be a Lutheran...

I don't think such demands are common on other people than the head of state. I think it should be scrapped as a rule and that Granholm would beat Schwarzenegger, all other things equal.

[jerusalemcar5]

Arnold is a great public servant and is an excellent Governor.

Yeah? Well he's not all too good of an actor......"Ja! GET DOWN! HERE COMES DA HELA-KOPTER!!! IT IZ ZOOTING AT US!!! GET DOWN!! AGGH!!"

I LOVE IT! LOL!!!!

Well anyway, Arnold would lose dramatically.  He's an idiot.  He wouldn't take Democratic votes because he's an idiot and Democrats know this.  His liberal tendencies, though, would stop the Christian fundamentalists from coming out. 

Also, I am all for a foreign born amendment.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

No.

[Hashemite]

I have a question. Let's say the son of the US ambassador in Japan is born in Tokyo, can he become President? He's foreign born?

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

I have a question. Let's say the son of the US ambassador in Japan is born in Tokyo, can he become President? He's foreign born?

If your parents were citizens then you're a citizen so no.

[jimrtex]

I have a question. Let's say the son of the US ambassador in Japan is born in Tokyo, can he become President? He's foreign born?

The Constitution says "natural-born citiizen", that is someone who is a citizen by a nature of his birth.  This is distinguished from a naturalized citizen.

When Milt Romney's father (George Romney) was running for President, there were questions that he might not be eligible since he had been born in Mexico.  In that case, it might not quite have been as clear cut, since I think his grandfather was part of a Mormon settlement, rather than residing temporarily.

[Chris B]

I do endorse the idea of allowing foreign-born citizens to run for President. We allow them to run for Congress or the State Governorships. That is why I don't really buy into the "cedeing our sovereignty" argument because if that is the case, why allow foreign-born citizens to serve in any government institution?

[Ebowed]

Of course foreign-borns should be allowed to run for President.  Only racists and mindless conspiracy theorist whackjobs would disagree.

[Smid]

In Australia, you have to have cut all ties to any other country. There was a case in which a woman was elected to the Senate but then couldn't hold the position because she was a dual citizen of Australia and England. It was found that the Queen of England is different from the Queen of Australia, even though she is the same person.

[Southern Patriot]

Of course foreign-borns should be allowed to run for President.  Only racists and mindless conspiracy theorist whackjobs would disagree.

What a logical argument. "If you disagree you're a racist/whackjob"
REAL MATURE!!!

Isn't that on page 1 of the book "How Liberals Win Arguments"?

[Senator Ben]

I'd support a Constitutional Amendment allowing foreign borns to run for President, as long as they've resided in our country for at least 30 years.

[Bo]

I'd support a Constitutional Amendment allowing foreign borns to run for President, as long as they've resided in our country for at least 30 years.

30 is a little much. Maybe 20 would be better.

[Χahar]

The only qualification to run for office should be ability to vote for said office.

[phk]

The only qualification to run for office should be ability to vote for said office.

and living there.

[Vasall des Midas]

The only qualification to run for office should be ability to vote for said office.

and living there.

That would ban everybody not from DC or its immediate suburbs from reelection to the United States Congress. Or else you meant "be registered to vote there", "own an address there" - which doesn't really make any sense at all. (Though America has made a shibboleth of it.)

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Bump.

I think it's interesting to see this discussion again, with newer members.

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Born citizens only is a ridiculous, and even offending, rule. This is simply not just to prohibit citizens, who can vote, from seeking an office. Are they lesser citizens just because they were born not as U.S. citizens? U.S. is a nation of immigrants after all, so this is pure hypocrisy.

20 years requirement is fair.

[J. J.]

Born citizens only is a ridiculous, and even offending, rule. This is simply not just to prohibit citizens, who can vote, from seeking an office. Are they lesser citizens just because they were born not as U.S. citizens? U.S. is a nation of immigrants after all, so this is pure hypocrisy.

20 years requirement is fair.

I agree.

[I left.]

I disagree with the 20 year requirement, Kalwejt.

Eligibility for any political office should be optained automatically whenever you're entitled to vote for that office.

In other words, American citizen and at least 18 years old. That's it.
There's no reason for any other requirements. It's not like an 18 year-old will be elected...but he should be eligible.

[Insula Dei]

I disagree with the 20 year requirement, Kalwejt.

Eligibility for any political office should be optained automatically whenever you're entitled to vote for that office.

In other words, American citizen and at least 18 years old. That's it.
There's no reason for any other requirements. It's not like an 18 year-old will be elected...but he should be eligible.

I'm 100% behind that. I don't see the point of 2 classes of citizens.

[Secretary Polnut]

My view is that it's discriminatory to those who pay taxes, if you can fight in the armed forces and vote for the president, you should be able to run for president.

[I Can't Get That Sound You Make, Out Of My Head]

Anyone who can vote should be able to run for President.

[True Federalist]

Anyone who can vote should be able to run for President.

So does that mean you think foreign-born citizens should not be able to vote?

[Chaddyr23]

It's so funny seeing how years back many Repubs were way more receptive to changing the constitution for Arnold then turn around and freak out and claim Barack's foreign born.


Anyways, I suppose natural born citizen disqualifies anyone delivered by C-sect haha. I think it's a pretty archaic law but since the constitution has things for numbers divisible by 7, lets just say the foreign born candidate needs to live the last 21 years on US soil.