[The Watcher]

This is the best commentary I have read, bar none, on what is the meaning of natural-born, and just as importantly, what is NOT.

The author has researched well. Although not based on case law, the logic and reasoning are clear and easy to follow and seem flawless.

[smokingfrog]

logic and reasoning
Well, there's your problem. The libs don't have any.

[zarodinu]

An interesting read but I disagree. Natural Born Citizen means anyone who receives citizenship by birth, and not through a naturalization process.

I get this from two documents by John Jay and Hamilton provided on pg 888-889 of this paper, I think they prove beyond a reasonable doubt that anyone born a US citizen who didn’t renounce that citizenship, can be US president.

http://yalelawjournal.org/images/pdfs/pryor_note.pdf

[dianed]

Well, at least we know if something happens and Obama does not get sworn in, he could go torture the Brits by trying to be Prime Minister!

[BP2]

The following reference is by Emer de Vattel (April 25, 1714 - December 28, 1767). He was a Swiss philosopher, diplomat, and legal expert whose theories laid the foundation of modern international law and political philosophy. He is most famous for his 1758 work, "The Law of Nations or the Principles of Natural Law Applied to the Conduct and to the Affairs of Nations and of Sovereigns." This work was his claim to fame and won him enough prestige to be appointed as a councilor to the court of King Augustus III of Saxony.

From p. 183 of "The Law of Nations":

NOTE the words "born", "parents" and "citizens".

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Now here's a copy of the famous letter from John Jay to George Washington during the Constitutional Convention where he suggests the President be a natural born Citizen.

Notice how John Jay has Underlined the word "born". On the Constitutional drafts, he underlines born" in nearly all instances.

The following reference is by Emer de Vattel (April 25, 1714 - December 28, 1767). He was a Swiss philosopher, diplomat, and legal expert whose theories laid the foundation of modern international law and political philosophy. He is most famous for his 1758 work, "The Law of Nations or the Principles of Natural Law Applied to the Conduct and to the Affairs of Nations and of Sovereigns." This work was his claim to fame and won him enough prestige to be appointed as a councilor to the court of King Augustus III of Saxony.

From p. 183 of "The Law of Nations":

NOTE the words "born", "parents" and "citizens".

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Now here's a copy of the famous letter from John Jay to George Washington during the Constitutional Convention where he suggests the President be a natural born Citizen.

Notice how John Jay has Underlined the word "born". On the Constitutional drafts, he underlines born" in nearly all instances.

[Hugin]

This is all very interesting, but SCOTUS will not overturn the results of an election. But suppose they did, what would happen? The electoral college would still meet. Would the Obama electors follow a supreme court ruling, or would they still elect Obama? If they did, would the court issue an injunction? What then? If the vote was declared invalid, does Joe Biden become president? Or does the whole thing got to the House, where Nancy Pelosi picks the next president? I can't imagine anything more damaging to the country; endless bickering, cynicism, charges of racism, not to mention the anger of the majority of voters at having their vote stolen from them. And in any case we would probably end up with someone as bad or worse than Obama.

[Lancey Howard]

I’m no lawyer but even I understood most of the arguments here.
Excellent!

[BP2]

The definition for every president from 1837 to present:

(1) American Citizen + (1) American Citizen + Birth on US Soil = NATURAL BORN CITIZEN

Barack Obama's Revisionist Definition:

(1) American Citizen + (1) Foreign Citizen + Birth on US Soil = NATURAL BORN CITIZEN

Barney Frank's "We are the World" Definition [if his 2000 Bill had been approved]:

(1) Foreign Citizen + (1) Foreign Citizen + Birth on ANY Soil = NATURAL BORN CITIZEN

[JDoutrider]

Bookmarked it... Thanks for the link!

[Malsua]

ping for later.

[BuffaloJack]

Wow, I didn’t really realize that the USA had gone to War over the definition of “natural born citizen”. I guess that this issue was defined in American blood in 1812. Something a liberal wouldn’t understand.

[Uncle Chip]

This is the best commentary I have read, bar none, on what is the meaning of natural-born, and just as importantly, what is NOT.

Too bad the United States Senate disagrees with you declaring that both location on American territory and birth to two American citizens is necessary for "natural born citizen" in SR 511:

"Whereas John Sidney McCain, III, was born to American citizens on an American military base in the Panama Canal Zone in 1936: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That John Sidney McCain, III, is a `natural born Citizen' under Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution of the United States."

However, I'm sure that the Senate is a bit embarrassed for not requiring candidate John McCain to produce his original birth certificate before the Resolution was adopted.

Let's hope that they all learned their lesson and don't face that same embarrassment with Obama -- You know, Hope and Change.