Think he'll clean up that steroid mess?
Posted on 02/24/2004 5:53:09 AM PST by Celantro
Arnold backs immigrant candidacy
By Audrey Hudson THE WASHINGTON TIMES
California's Austrian-born governor says foreign-born citizens should be able to run for president and he supports a constitutional amendment to make it happen.
"There's many, many, many people here that have worked within a government and have done an extraordinary job and not have been born in America," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican, told NBC's "Meet the Press" yesterday.
"I think that there are so many people here in this country that are now from overseas, immigrants that are doing such a terrific job with the work, bringing businesses here, and all this. There is no reason why not."
Mr. Schwarzenegger cited former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, born in Germany, and Madeleine K. Albright, born in Czechoslovakia, as "great contributors" to the nation.
"Times have changed. I think this is now a much more global economy," said Mr. Schwarzenegger, who added that President Bush could win California in this fall's presidential election.
The Austrian bodybuilder moved to America in 1983, becoming a Hollywood star and later a Republican Party activist. He chaired the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under President George Bush and officially entered politics last year, winning the governorship in California's recall election.
In his first Sunday-morning news interview since taking office less than 100 days ago, Mr. Schwarzenegger was asked about bills introduced in the House and Senate to lift the restriction on eligibility for the presidency and whether he would run for president.
"Well, if Sly will help me, I mean, of course I will," he said, referring to fellow actor Sylvester Stallone, whose futuristic movie "Demolition Man" makes reference to a Schwarzenegger presidency.
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Republican, and Rep. John Conyers Jr., Michigan Democrat, are sponsoring bills that would allow those who have been U.S. citizens for more than 20 years to run for president. Rep. Vic Snyder, Arkansas Democrat, has sponsored a similar House bill increasing the necessary length of citizenship to 35 years.
"This restriction has become an anachronism that is decidedly un-American," Mr. Hatch said in announcing the bill.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Hatch told the Salt Lake Tribune the legislation was not written as a means to draft Mr. Schwarzenegger.
For now, Mr. Schwarzenegger said yesterday, he is focused on leading the nation's most populous state.
"There's a lot of work ahead of me," he said, citing California's financial troubles and immigration, unemployment and environmental problems.
Mr. Schwarzenegger said he is counting on the federal government to give California a financial boost, which he predicts will help Mr. Bush win the state this fall.
"If the federal government does great things for California this year, I think there's no two ways about it: President Bush can have California and he can be elected. I'm absolutely convinced of that," he said.
Mr. Schwarzenegger is in Washington for the annual National Governors Association meeting to discuss education, health care and transportation.
Yeah? Well, Bill Klinton wanted to do away with the 22nd Amendment. Perhaps, the 2 of them ought to get together & form a support group?
Right Arnold - we'll set it up right after we plug in amendments for gay (mairrage), abortion of demand at grade schools, and relocating the national capital to Mexico City.
You just have to admire a public servant with their priorites in the right place.
We now have many more than two parties. What makes you think that more, or different, major parties will solve anything?
Think he'll clean up that steroid mess?
We don't in practice. Two parties get virtually all of the votes. We need a third party with a chance for a serious run in order to restore Conservatism by sending a message to the Republican Party that its base cannot be taken for granted. Leftists apparently feel that a third party candidate like Ralph Nader is a threat to their dominance too.
I'm telling you, John Stossel sounds like he'd get my vote. Both the dems and the Republicans would be in panic mode if he made a serious run. They'd both need to find their base and appeal to it for a change.
a) If US citizens working for the US government, or just visiting, in Austria give birth while there, is the child now eligible to run for President?
b) If Austrian citizens working or visiting in the US give birth, is the child now eligible to run for President?
The second issue would be vetting the prospective candidate to see if he carried the loyalty of his former country interests over that of the United States. I can see where this could fairly be called a toss-up with our present political system of selecting only those interested in their own and special interests instead of genuine regard for the betterment of the nation as a whole.
The biggest problem I see, would be the possibility of electing a succesor to the policies of the Third Reich or the Soviet Union. We have enough of our own extemists, thank you!
And which major party would benefit by your vote for Stossel?
Both the dems and the Republicans would be in panic mode if he made a serious run.
They would?
They'd both need to find their base and appeal to it for a change.
They were all put in office by the voters, many of whom make up that so-called "base". "It's the voters,...."
Conservatives voting Third Party self fragment and dilute their power across multiple parties....or is that your intention?
He can "dream the impossible dream" there's nothing wrong with that.
He has CA Attorney General Lockyer in his crosshairs over the gay marriage idiocy. I hope he keeps him there.
Conservatives voting Republican have to hold their noses to do it and my nose is beginning to hurt from all the holding. I'd rather vote for a conservative/Libertarian myself. I'm done.
Bull. If your nose hurts, put some ice on it.
I'd rather vote for a conservative/Libertarian myself.
Give it a rest.
I'm done.
Is that so.
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