Foreign Born President? Congress Eyes Amendment

Mobile Register from the San Francisco Chronicle | August 13, 2003

[ClearBlueSky]

Austrian born Arnold Schwarzenegger is still a long way from being elected California's Governor, but proposed Constitutional amendments that would allow foreign born citizens such as the action movie star to become President will be debated in Congress this autumm.

One of the proposals, by Schwarzenegger political friend, Senator Orin Hatch, Republican Utah, would allow anyone who has been a US citizen for 20 years, and has resided in the country for 14 years, to be elected President. Schwarzenegger was naturalized in 1983.

The other proposal, by a bi-partisan group in the house, whose ranks include conservative Representative Darrell Issa, Republican California- who spent more than 1.5 million to put the recall election on the October 7th ballot- would allow anyone who has been a naturalized citizen for 35 years to be eligible to become President. The House legislation, whose co-sponsors include liberal Representative Barney Frank, Democrat Mass., was proposed long before the recall movement in California.

Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, drafted in 1787, says that only natural-born Americans at least 35 years old who have lived in the country for 14 years can serve as President.

Proponents of a change say the rule long ago outlived its usefulness. Hatch said figures such as former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright or Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, the Canada native whom Democrats consider a rising star, couldn't be President. Nor could the 700 foreign born recipients of the Medal of Honor.

[ClearBlueSky]

Diabolically creative! And I like your screen name!

[Ronaldus Magnus]

None of us wants a muslim president

Lots of Muslims do.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

We should all pray that this nation never falls to Islam.

And not just Muslims. I for one would not want a foreign born General Secretary of the United Nations to simultaniously be our President either. It would set a bad precedent!

[Quix]

Interesting possibility.

Could make a lot of corrupt, treasonous things easier.

Sigh.

God help us!

[Paleo Conservative]

Simple solution. Annex Austria as the 51st state. Elect Schwarzenegger for two terms. Sell Austria to Mexico as a home for its illegal immigrants.

"Diabolically creative! And I like your screen name!"

We could call that "Anschluss".

[Bogey78O]

Ahhh...didn't realize that.

Just looked it up. Goldater was born in the territory of Arizona in 1909 and Arizona was added in 1912 as a state.

[Elliott Jackalope]

"Simple solution. Annex Austria as the 51st state. Elect Schwarzenegger for two terms. Sell Austria to Mexico as a home for its illegal immigrants.

Holy Ned! Just what the hell did Austria ever do to you?

[Bogey78O]

There was no United States to be born into in the mid 1700s.

[Princeliberty]

What is revealing are these guys on this webpage
who support Arnold only because he (r) label
and will even insult real conservatives like
McClintock and someone like McClintock
who has real Character.

Putting Arnold in would like putting Clinton
in but at the same time giving him control
of the party.

These guys better have never attacked
Blacks for voting Democrat without question,
because they are being even worse!

[Classicaliberalconservative]

Alright, I have heard a lot on this forum that just made me want to throttle some people. Not every person of foreign birth is disloyal to the country or beholden to a foreign power. We have plenty of traitors born in the US and plenty of terrible politicans who are native born. This admendment does not force anyone to vote for someone of foreign birth. If someone's loyalties are that suspicious than I would hope that they never win the nomination, at least the GOP would never nominate them, and there is always the option of not voting for them. I came to this country as an immigrant with my parents at the age of 4. I grew up in the US and consider myself a full American. Yet I and many others do not have a privelege granted to all other Americans of native birth and this makes us offically second class citizens. And many of our founding fathers were suspicious of this clause. Thomas Jefferson wanted it struck down so that his Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin could run. One of the schools in my college is named Gallatin fyi. I support a version of this admendment because it is fair and arguments that it endangers the national security of the nation are incredibly xenophobic. In my opinion a person who is naturalized should be able to qualify for the presidency 35 years AFTER they are naturalized since 35 is the minimum age of someone who wants to run and is native born. The 15 year residency should obviously be kept. That being said those of you who disagree with me need not worry. This admendment will probably not pass. Oh and if what is this about the Constitution should not be changed. Did we not change it 27 times at last count?

[Classicaliberalconservative]

You know what is really funny about this? I've had people tell me I would be a great president and I should run one day.....only for them to take it back the second they find out I was of foreign birth. What is that? It is like being born in another country is a disease to some people.

[Paleo Conservative]

"Ahhh...didn't realize that. "

Just looked it up. Goldater was born in the territory of Arizona in 1909 and Arizona was added in 1912 as a state.

He was born in a United States territory, and thus was a "natural born citizen". Read the wording of the relevant paragraph in Article II Section 1. I think it could be interpreted to mean someone born to an American citizen overseas could still become president. A child born to an American citizen is an American citizen by birth not naturalization.

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.

[onyx]

Iron clad evidence that congress has too much time in session!

This is as preposterous as it is un-American!

[Rome2000]

Hatch said figures such as former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright or Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, the Canada native whom Democrats consider a rising star, couldn't be President.

Thank goodness !

[abishai]

Wasn't Ahnold born in Austria? If it would be admitted, not "annexed" (like Germany did, bad choice of words on my part) as a state, then Ahnold would have been born in US territory. The immigrant part was stupid to say. There are some native Austrians who wouldn't like the deal, and we can still fix our problems here.

[abishai]

PLUS I don't think Ahnold is a good choice for president. On the other hand, does anyone think he may be being groomed for a run against Hillary in 2008? I've been wondering about that for a while.

[PhiKapMom]

Want a link to the story!

[ALOHA RONNIE]

...and HILLARY wants a Constitutional Amemdment to eliminate our ELECTORAL COLLEGE.

NUTS.

[TheDon]

You don't need to worry about foreign born Muslims. We got plenty of them that were born here. Besides whose the best known Muslim today, Bin Laden? No, this change is for one person only....

[Paleo Conservative]

There was no United States to be born into in the mid 1700s.

But the birthplaces of the first several presidents were all located in the original 13 colonies, and all the birthplaces of those presidents were located in states of the United States when those presidents were elected to the Presidency. You should also read post #52. It quotes the actual text of the Constitution rather than make a whole bunch of speculative arguments.