Posted on 01/17/2016 4:37:25 PM PST by BlackFemaleArmyColonel
In recent weeks, much time and effort has been devoted to debating whether Ted Cruz is a "natural born citizen" eligible for the presidency. Whichever way you come down on this question of constitutional interpretation, the real lesson of this debate should be the absurdity of excluding naturalized citizens from the presidency in the first place. Categorically excluding immigrants from the presidency is a form of arbitrary discrimination based on place of birth (or, in a few cases, parentage), which is ultimately little different from discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity. Both ethnicity and place of birth are morally arbitrary characteristics which do not, in themselves, determine a person's competence or moral fitness for high political office.
The "natural born" citizen requirement was originally inserted into the Constitution because some of the Founders feared that European royalty or nobles might move to the United States, get elected to the presidency, and then use the office to advance the interests of their houses. Whatever the merits of this concern back in the 1780s, it is hardly a plausible scenario today.
One can argue that immigrants have less knowledge of the country and its customs, and might make worse presidents for that reason. But that problem is surely addressed by the constitutional requirement that a candidate for president must have been resident in the United States for at least fourteen years. As a practical matter, anyone who attains the political connections and public recognition needed to make a serious run for the presidency is likely to have at least as much knowledge of the US and American politics as most serious native-born candidates do.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The evidence shows that quite the opposite is true.
So you have a Chinese and a North Korean who have a child on American soil and raise the child in their own cultures. he is an American Citizen by birth, but he does not have any assimilation or understanding of American Culture. Look what we have in the white house now.
One who believes in the 200 year old constitution as written not as any current feel good grouo who happens to control a branch of the government for a couple of years might want to change in it.
So Rubio is an anchor baby?
I am naturalized Citizen. Elect me. I can say what so called Conservative want to hear.
I can definitively do better job.
And (c) clearly defined.
How about using the precedent . . . for president
You must be born in the U.S.A. (like Bruce Springsteen) or be from Kenya. No one else need apply.
Disagree.
Arbitrary means: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system. If it's based on something, then, by definition, it's not random and it's not arbitrary.
And, it's not based "on a place of birth", it's based on citizenship.
You are either a "natural" citizen, or you a "naturalized" citizen.
If you are not "naturalized", meaning, you were a non-citizen, but went through a process to become a citizen, then your are a "natural" citizen.
Because Cruz's mother was a citizen, he is a citizen by nature of his birth and he is a "natural" citizen.
Beats me. I'll just say the insults with no repercussions was a factor in me no longer contributing to the site.
Agreed.
Not according to Vattel, The Law of Nations.
"I say, that, in order to be of the country, it is necessary that a person be born of a father who is a citizen; for, if he is born there of a foreigner, it will be only the place of his birth, and not his country."
No. It actually means the opposite of “Foreign born” . Cruz better find out quick although I think lying to the FEC has him about finished.
We’ve all suffered through seven or eight years of ignoring/ suppressing our American Constitution. Perhaps it would be nice if we tried to respect and support it for a change IMHO.
Baloney. Ted Cruz would support this amendment, and might even argue that naturalized citizens have MORE allegiance to the US. An neutralized citizen can’t be dual - a born one can. A naturalized citizen takes an oath.
......................................................
Ted Cruz’s father took an oath as a Naturalized citizen of Canada. We don’t know whether or not his mother did. Until 2005, Cruz Sr. remained a citizen of Canada even though he lived in the USA. Now you want to declare his son eligible to be president. I certainly do not!
That is why I believe the change should be made using the procedure written into the Constitution itself. Why is that so odious to you?
No conservative can believe that the Constitution is a living document.
As for the NBC question, I have a brother in law who is a law school professor and he believes in the strict definition of natural born citizen, so strict that he claims one would have to have be born in the USA with two American parents to be a natural born citizen.
That would exclude both Obama and Cruz.
Maybe someone will finally get the question in front of a judge and we will get a definitive answer.
What do you believe?
Obama is exhibit A as to why the founders insisted on natural born citizen only for President.
Born here of citizen parents.
Cannot possibly be anything other than a US citizen.
No divided loyalties.
If the post is against it we need to keep it.
Why not settle once and for all, in court?
Real conservative? What is that?
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.