A foreign-born president?

Washington Times ^ | 11/13/03 | Terry Eastland

[kattracks]

"Only those born in the U.S.A. may apply." That, in effect, is what the Constitution says to naturalized citizens who might think about running for president. They may not do so. "No Person," states Article II, Section 1, "except a natural born Citizen ... shall be eligible to the Office of President."

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Oh good. Which requirement will be next to fall?

[bootless]

Absolutely not. I don't care HOW qualified Schwarzenegger may be for POTUS ... you cannot make a Constitutional policy decision based on one person.

So, how about someone who's a naturalized AQ or PRC sleeper? NIGHTMARE!

[PRND21]

Hatch needs to go.

[Texas_Jarhead]

I've met immigrants that have lived in America for 20+ years and still didn't speak fluent English. I like the current criteria but then I favor an enduring, not living, Constitution.

[Prime Choice]

But that concern, says Mr. Hatch, is hardly so compelling today.

It is extremely dangerous to presume that our Founding Fathers' wishes are irrelevant. It is thinking of that kind that leads to the perceived obsolescence of the framework of our Constitution.

The Left has long engaged in this sort of dangerous thinking with respect to our Second Amendment rights. I am dismayed that any Republican should start entertaining such notions about foreign-born people being eligible for the Presidency.

I for one will not tolerate this stepchild to treason.

[Paleo Conservative]

Because Mr. Hatch and Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger, the soon-to-be California governor, are said to be close friends, the senator's measure has been skeptically dubbed the Schwarzenegger amendment.

The history of Austrian expatriots becoming head of state of their adopted countries is not good.

[GeronL]

Vincinte Fox elected US President!!!!!

Illegal alien vote goes 99% for the former Mexico President!

[squidly]

No way, no how. Over my dead body, or more likely, after my body has expatriated.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

..... er ........ NO!

[California74]

Mr. Hatch calls his proposal the "Equal Opportunity to Govern" amendment.

Gimme a break!!!

[stands2reason]

Yeah, right, those constitutional amendments are a slippery slope---we have to make them more difficult to pass! (/sarcasm)

[weegee]

Mr. Hatch acknowledges what most scholars regard as the reason the Framers denied eligibility to naturalized citizens: concern that a foreign power might place someone inside the young and fragile nation and contrive to have that person elected president.
But that concern, says Mr. Hatch, is hardly so compelling today.

Of course Madelyn Albright didn't pose any threat to "long lived" America even though she said that America being the world's lone superpower scared her.

Fifth columnists and traitors can come from within America but those who were not born here are not always loyal to America. Some refuse to renounce their birth country citizenship even though the US has a loyalty oath for naturalized citizens and does not recognize dual citizenship (Petah Jennings is a lying liar among them).

Why not lower the age requirement too? Let's get Max Frost running America:

[carlson]

This sounds like a dim-wit idea fostered in the 'hallowed' halls of the U.N.

As another dim-wit on ABC says, "Give me a break!"

[fire_eye]

Every time I see this proposed, I remember how the fall of the Roman Empire was dated to a barbarian becoming Caesar.

But I had a thought, the other day... How many of you would support a Constitutional amendment eliminating the American nativity requirement for Presidents, if the Amendment also removed the automatic grant of citizenship to anyone born on American soil?

[Talawanda]

Everyone here is missing a big part of this topic. There has already been one foreign born US President: Arthur St. Clair.

He was one of the 10 Presidents before George Washington, under the Articles of Confederation. He was born in Scotland, and was a General in the Revolutionary War.

The 10 men before Washington need to be recognized and listed as US Presidents, and if they ever are, we will already have had a foreign born President.

[squidly]

I'd prefer we expanded the prohibition on naturalized citizens in government to include the Cabinet, Congress, the Supreme Court, and a number of other powerful and/or sensitive positions.

If we don't, we might get a Czech born Secretary of State who gets us into a war in the Balkans!

[Texasforever]

Why fix what ain't broke?