“I do not remember being taught that “both parents of the candidate had to be citizens of the United States” to produce a natural born citizen.”
You “do not remember”?
Does not cancel out those who do remember, or more importantly, abrogate the provision in the Constitution.
“...the Electors must pass upon the qualifications of anyone that they choose to be President.”
Laughable. Electors can’t change the Constitution.
“... the Constitution does not provide a role for courts in the selection of presidents.”
Go ask a Gore fan. NOW you resort to Constitutional law.
“...it is in fact the voters who RULE upon the qualifications of the candidates.”
No, voters don’t rule on anything; they vote.
The ONLY time the term “natural born citizen” is used in the Constitution is referring to who is eligible to run for president. The other qualification requirement is being thirty-five years of age.
The term “citizen” is used quite often. That should give you a clue that they had something more in mind than mere citizen. As I posted earlier, the Naturalization Act of 1790 clearly refers to and defines the term “natural born” — both parents citizens of the United States.
Your theory that both parents must be a citizen of the United States to produce a natural born citizen is a theory that you are free to use when you evaluate candidates for President. Other people have other theories.
Again, Obama did not have two parents who were citizens. Did the Supreme Court believe that he was qualified to be President? Of course, they did. Many of them attended the inauguration ceremony. The Chief Justice even presided over the ceremony and administered the oath of office.
So, you have your theory about the natural born citizen clause and that is fine. But, the Chief Justice and I are entitled to utilize our own theories in selecting the President and we are going to continue to use them. Our system has worked pretty well for more than 200 years and if we decide that it needs to be changed, we will amend the Constitution.
Thanks for your view.