Posted on 11/12/2010 10:35:14 AM PST by ColdOne
Because some people confuse the Constitution with Vatel's book.
Maybe I’m too young, but I don’t get the reference.
Many people in the Birther community are wedded to Emerich de Vattel and the definition of natural born citizen that he included in his "The Law of Nations". That definition would exclude Jindal from being eligible for the presidency as well as Obama.
Gotcha. But how do they justify ignoring the 14th amendment? I’ve even had people on here tell me that amendments to the Constitution aren’t as valid as the original text... the 14th is just like a statute, etc. I couldn’t believe it. Every time I bring the 14th up to them they claim I’m distorting it by saying that anyone born on U.S. soil is natural-born.
There's currently a thread with 500+ replies on the very subject of Jindal's eligibility:
Is Bobby Jindal Eligible To Become President If He Was Born Before Parents Were Naturalized?
Birthers seem to believe that if they repeat the same bunk over and over again it will magically become fact and the matter is now settled. This is despite the fact that in the past two years, they have had absolutely no success whatsoever in selling their definition of Natural Born (a definition embraced specifically in a desperate ploy to make the Obama Presidency magically disappear) to anyone outside of the birther circus.
Oh, they'll tell you you're dead wrong until they're blue in the face, wail and gnash their teeth calling you an "O-bot". Yet they are no closer today in their efforts to remove Obama on the basis of his father's foreign citizenship than they were two years ago. And now that the names "Jindal" and "Rubio" are being tossed around as possible contenders, they'll scream these two men aren't eligible either (while a man with a foreign parent safely resides in the White House and every effort to remove him has foundered on the starting line).
IMHO it's even simpler than that. The Constitution identifes only two forms of citizenship - natural born and naturalized. If you are not one then you must by definition be the other. Since the 14th Amendment states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizen then people born in the U.S. are natural-born citizens regardless of the citizenship of their parents.
Wow, that thread has really gotten pathetic. I’m amazed that so many seemingly intelligent people have been hoodwinked by this conspiracy theory crap. The birther movement really is similar to the 9/11 truthers movement in a lot of respects. It is blatantly political and makes them look petty. McCain wouldn’t be going through this had he won the election, despite the fact that he had arguably less of a claim to natural-born status (because he was born in the Panama Canal. FWIW, I believe both are natural-born citizens, as is Jindal.
Isn't this just a logical progression for them? The first argument they came up with was that Barry wasn't born here. When that argument failed to gain traction, most started to concede that he was born here, but that it doesn't matter anyway, because he was born a Kenyan father. Maybe it's a schism in the movement though because you still have people who insist that he needs to release some magical long form birth certificate. I was born in D.C. - my "short" form was good enough to get me a driver's license and passport. Then when you point out the newspaper announcements of his birth in 1961, they say that those don't prove anything, only that someone called the newspaper to announce it.
Like you, I'm not aware of any clause in the Constitution that supports that or any court decision that defines three classes of citizenship.
Isn't this just a logical progression for them? The first argument they came up with was that Barry wasn't born here. When that argument failed to gain traction, most started to concede that he was born here, but that it doesn't matter anyway, because he was born a Kenyan father. Maybe it's a schism in the movement though because you still have people who insist that he needs to release some magical long form birth certificate. I was born in D.C. - my "short" form was good enough to get me a driver's license and passport. Then when you point out the newspaper announcements of his birth in 1961, they say that those don't prove anything, only that someone called the newspaper to announce it.
If at first you don't succeed, etc., etc.
Yeah, it's sad. To be fair, the issue has lost a lot of steam. The more colorful characters from the past two years (Taitz, Smith, Donofrio) have faded away and most of the birther "facts" that get posted on eligibility threads are nothing but the same crap reheated over and over again. Pretty much the same handful of players on those threads, tilting at windmills, confident that the next court case will see the "Magical Birther Do-Over Button" utilized and Obama and every law he ever signed will just *poof* disappear.
I think they’re a minority even on here. They seem to be the majority but I think that’s only because the birthers are more passionate about posting 50 pages a day than non-birthers are. What disturbs me the most about it is the support of people like Lt. Col Lakin who disobeyed direct orders. Lakin should be dishonorably discharged and be barred from obtaining a medical license in any state. To hear people justify it by saying that Barry is ineligible to be president is rather foolish. He may be a socialist and hold repulsive views on some issues, but he’s still the president. He was elected. The road to defeating him is already half-way complete with the new majority in the House of Representatives. The priority should be defeating him in 2012. This birther crap distracts from it and makes those spouting it look like they don’t have any other complaints about him.
And I imagine his dual citizenship may cause them some heartburn as well.
____________________________
It causes me no heartburn at all. Jindal is not eligible and I’m glad. I can’t stand him. He’s weak, he will never be President.
No way, please, just no! Jindal will never be President. NO! He’s not eligible.
If it is Jindal, I can assure you that we will have Obongo for 4 more years. NO to Jindal, hell no!
If it is Jindal, I can assure you that we will have Obongo for 4 more years. NO to Jindal, hell no!
Why is there sseemingly no love on this forum for Jindal in 2012 or Jindal period?
_____________________________
His speech after Odumbos faux state of the union speech was a disgrace. An embarrassment. He’s weak. He’s also not eligible. If that’s the best we can do, welcome to 4 more years of Hussein because he will never beat him. NEVER!
If I had to guess who terrifies the Dimwits the most right now, it is Rubio. He’s young, nice looking, a conservative, has a nice story, nice family and could take some of what they consider THEIR Hispanic vote away. He’s their worst nightmare.
Obongo stated on his website that he was born with dual citizenship. His father was a Kenyan citizen and that automatically conveys to his U.S.-born son. He grew up in Indonesia and, apparently, that conveyed their citizenship on him, too. All of the Presidents before Barry, with the exception of Chester Arthur, met the criteria of natural born citizen, that is born in the United States of two U.S. citizen parents.
As the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces there must be no question of allegiance or divided loyalties. Anyone that seriously thinks Odumbo’s loyalties lie with the U.S. and only the U.S. must be an idiot.
Dude, your son isn’t eligible and never will be. Rubio is eligible. He was born here to parents that were both US citizens. NOT the case with Hussein and Bobby.
He is not eligible. If you think he is, then what is to prevent some radical Islamics from coming here, having kids, then becoming a citizens and beginning to groom them to become president. JC I’m sick of goofy foreigners wanting to become President.
Do you realize how racist and stupid it sounds to use names like Obongo?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.