It claims that opposition to removing the "natural born" requirement represents a fear of foreigners that irrational in our age, especially since a residency requirement such as 20 years would alleviate and basis for that fear. It claims that loyalty can not be a basis for this requirement especially in our day where a "many Americans view the actor Tom Hanks as a loyal and arguably 'good' American, while those same Americans may perceive the actor Martin Sheen as decidedly un-American or disloyal."
It claims that the original intent of John Jay requesting the requirement was "a rumor that the Convention was secretly designing a monarchy to be ruled by a foreign power," in addition a concern for political intrigues in Europe at and just before the time of the Founding.
It ignores any reference to the English Common Law of the last eighteenth century, to Blackstone, to and other commentary or source that would have informed the Founder's thinking. It poo-poohs legitimate concerns of modern foreign influence as follows "it seems unlikely and has even been called ludicrous that a foreign power would conspire to place someone with foreign allegiances in the White House". Whole natural allegiance as a concern of the founders is ignored, no reference to Providence (G-d) setting the place of one's birth for a divine purpose is given, although that is where from the whole concept of "natural born" in common law arose.
The article does not mention Obama; it does mention Schwarzenegger, "Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, former Secretaries of State, Madeleine Albright and Henry Kissinger, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, and over 700 Medal of Honor Winners" all has not being natural born.
“That 26 page law review article looks as if it is written by a very junior associate or an intern.”
In other words, Obama wrote it himself.
Really, for a guy that is supposed to be a constitutional scholar, he is the least published guy I can think of.
I'm in awe that you slogged through the entire pile of excrement. I couldn't make it past the sixth page, and here are my notes:
"...many believe that, at the time of the drafting of the Constitution, Americans had a general fear of foreign influence after witnessing “how Austria, Prussia, and Russia infiltrated Poland and carved up that country for themselves.” Additionally, some believe that the Founding Fathers were concerned about the possibility that the power of the new government would end up in the hands of a single leader."
And no mention of that country...uhh, wait, I'll think of it -- oh, yes, England, perhaps...that America had just won its independence from? And the fear of the hated monarchy, and allegiance of its "subjects" thereto? Nah, that wasn't a consideration, not at all. It was those damn Russians. And the "single leader" -- could that be code for "king?" Nah, couldn't be. It was Catherine the Great.
The Natural Born Citizen Requirement Is Discriminatory
Because it prevents a certain portion of the population, who don't meet the requirements, from becoming President. Life is supposed to be fair, of course, always -- and everyone of these people would run for President (just the way every one of them would be capable of running the country, or a corporation, or the State Department) if it weren't for these damned unfair restrictions that were put in place to guard against .... those damn Russians. And it harms America because it harms all these people who would otherwise run for President, if it weren't for all that harm and discrimination against a certain class of people ....imagine what a glorious place America would be -- without the harm, and discrimination, and classes!