What I’ve done? Got curious about 0thugga since summer 2008 - actually before - when I read some articles that cast doubt about his eligibility. So I’ve read for countless hours and hours and hours - everything I could find.
For one reason only:
To know the truth.
That is my motivation.
Wonderful. By now it should be patently clear to anyone that the natural born status of President Obama (or, to personalize it for me, my friend Kevin who was born in Seattle WA to two green-card carrying Canadians who had resided in the US for a decade before he was born) hinges on the definition of natural born citizen.
There are basically two different definitions at odds here:
1. Vattel's definition where location AND citizenship of the parents is required
2. English common law where location is the key factor
We have the first citizenship statutes passed in 1790 and the Supreme Court decisions tending towards the English common law, not Vattel.
Barring a definition such as Vattel, how would a person like my friend Kevin (born on US soil to legally present foreign parents) not be a natural born citizen?
So first, we need to establish either statute or case law that supports Vattel. That is what is always lacking. Yes, there are writings by some of the founders that support Vattel, yet we see their actions - that of the first Congress - run counter. They were divided at best!
So, rather than casting aspersions and hurling insults how about presenting actual facts showing that the US - as a legal, functioning Government - supported the definition of natural born citizen proffered by Vattel?