[danamco]

Not out of cowardice (in either case), but because they are sensitive to the fact that they are the only unelected branch of Government, and because they are constrained by 220 years of precedent as to the limits of their jurisdiction.

But they have never had in 220 years to deal with an usurper in office who effectively is using the race card to silence everybody, even the Clintons who were the first "birthers"???

It SHOULD be their forum to settle this Constitutional crisis, a crisis that our nation has never experienced before, whether we like it or not, or if it unpopular, The Constitution is the Constitution that SCOTUS deals with every day!!!

[BP2]

At one point, the delegates writing the Constitution in 1787 considered THREE "presidents" in the Executive for "checks and balances." They ALSO considered a "Natural-born citizen" clause for Senators in the Constitution, as well. Debating those issues, they felt that a NBC clause for Senators would limit the pool of possible candidates, and MAY cause bad feelings with immigrants needed to "jump start" the newly-formed republic.

In the end, the Framers compromised that Senators be required to be US residents for 9 years, while striking the "Natural-born Citizens" clause for Senators. INCIDENTALLY, THIS SHOWS THAT THE FOUNDERS UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE between Citizens and "Natural-born Citizens", and the implications both classes carry. In the end, it came down to NUMERICAL Checks & Balances within the Senate, eventually become 100 Senators that debate and vote for the nation's laws.

The Framers, concerned about power corrupting ONE man like King George III, also considered THREE "presidents" in the Executive branch. In the end of course, they compromised on ONE Executive. BUT to ensure internal "checks and balances," the Framers inserted in Art II, Sect. 1, Clause 5: "No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President..."

The NBC clause was NOT an accident, nor was it an inane rule to be restrictive to immigrants, and it certainly isn't just a "political" issue easily modified by a ever-changing Immigration policy ... undying, unwavering, and unquestionably LOYALTY to the US is the reason the NBC clause was inserted into the Constitution for the POTUS — because of limited numerical checks and balances in the Executive branch. They did not want Benedict Arnold-types that might gain power via foreign financial influence and then change his allegiance to another nation.

TO PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE:

We have NINE Justices sitting here (internal checks and balances):


We have a total of 535 Senators & Representatives sitting here (internal checks and balances):
and

BUT only ONE person sitting here (NO internal checks and balances):

THUS is the importance of "Natural-born citizen" as understood by our Founders, and the criticality in maintaining our Constitution within its intended framework — with all of the other "check and balances" intact.