[Tau Food]

Jeff, if Ray76 and DiogenesLamp are registered to vote in federal elections, they have a right, power and even a duty to refuse to vote for any candidate that they deem to lack constitutional qualifications to be president. In reviewing a candidate's qualifications, they (like everyone else) may rely upon the writings of any philosopher that they believe to be relevant to their analysis. Our founding fathers entrusted them with that responsibility.

The vast majority of people now, like the vast majority of people at the time of our founding, have never heard of Vattel or what a relatively few people sincerely believe would have been Vattel's thoughts on the "natural born citizen" standard if he had ever thought about the matter.

A commitment to popular elections rests in part upon a belief that sound and sensible decisions will emerge from a democratic electoral process, i.e., that the consensus of 130 million voters is superior to the consensus of 9 elitist judges or 1 elitist politician. A few voters may attempt to channel an 18th century Swiss philosopher and a few may even turn to a ouija board. Fortunately, most will do neither.

A democratic republic may sound like a crazy idea, but it is the American idea. And, our Constitution is worth defending.

[Jeff Winston]

They are certainly free to vote for whomever they like.