“Being of a category that would immediately be accepted as a citizen is not the same thing as the nation being able to CLAIM YOU as a citizen.”
OK, so you are rejecting the notion that because Romney might have been able to seek Mexican citizenship, he’s disqualified.
Basically what you are saying is that if the Mexican government had a law that actually made him a Mexican citizen, then he would be disqualified. I can understand your argument, but I still think it’s pretty lame to suggest that our Constitution would disqualify someone just because of what the law of some other land says. Suppose Iran passed a law making Obama, Romney, and the entire GOP field citizens?
I guess we can laugh that then our problems are solved, but it doesn’t make any sense from a Constitutional standpoint.
Absolutely. Unless one of Romney's parents renounced his US Citizenship prior to his birth, Mitt Romney is a Natural born citizen as far as I can tell. I don't particularly care for him, (though I fear we are going to end up with him) but I am not questioning his eligibility to hold office. Jindal perhaps, and to a lesser degree Rubio, but I don't see Mitt being disqualified at all.
Basically what you are saying is that if the Mexican government had a law that actually made him a Mexican citizen, then he would be disqualified. I can understand your argument, but I still think it’s pretty lame to suggest that our Constitution would disqualify someone just because of what the law of some other land says. Suppose Iran passed a law making Obama, Romney, and the entire GOP field citizens?
If the law was based on a principle which the US recognizes, then yes. Jus soli is already recognized. If he was born in Mexico, then the Mexicans would have a claim that could be recognized. Were he born to Mexican Parents, we could recognize that claim as well. If he were both born in Mexico AND to Mexican parents, by what stretch could we even recognize him as one of our citizens?
If the Mexican law is based on the claim of having brown hair, that would not be recognized. It is a silly claim, as is also the claim of ancestry. MOST Americans have ancestors from some other country. To recognize such a claim as legitimate would allow for all our citizens to be seized by some country or another should they travel there.
No, our very existence relies on a refusal to recognize such claims as legitimate.