I have a child who was born in a different country.
I have for him that ‘Certificate of Live Birth’
Now, my issue has always been that he should be able to run for president because he WAS born ‘American’.
I’ve always had difficulties with that ‘Natural Born American’ phrase.
Does this mean that an illegal alien, but physically born in this country CAN be president? When at the same time, due to issues with my husband’s papers, our son was delivered overseas, with his mother a legal American citizen, and he, owner of a social security number and US passport from BIRTH, CANNOT?
(not that I’m for Obama, but I really don’t get this issue)
Good questions, Sarah, and there is no definitive answer, because the courts have not given one.
The most narrow interpretation — and, frankly, what I think the framers intended, to guard from foreign influence — is that “natural born” means born on American soil of citizen parents.
The broadest view is that of those who think just being a citizen is OK and that the constitution is nothing but an outdated piece of paper. In Barry0’s case, there’s no proof that he’s even a citizen, born or naturalized.
It’s hard to argue that he’s qualified as “natural born” when, if you accept his account, he was born a British subject. That is NOT what the founders intended, for sure.
I don’t know why you’d want your son to grow up to be President anyway. Terrible job, ages men in dog years.