Should foreign-born citizens be allowed to...

[Downhome 0]

I just read the following about Arnold Schwarzenegger, and thought I would pose the question here to see what you guys here think about it. Do you agree with Aronld's stance, or not?

 

If you do, and if it had been allowed in years past, what foreign-born citizen do you feel would have made a great President? Or how about right now?

 

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer

 

WASHINGTON - Arnold Schwarzenegger, making his Sunday talk show debut as governor, said that he and other foreign-born citizens should be eligible to run for the White House and that President Bush can carry California in November if he does more to help the state.

 

The Austrian-born former bodybuilder, in the capital for his first meeting with fellow governors, said he has not thought about running for president in the future. The Constitution says only natural-born citizens of the United States are eligible for the country's highest office.

 

The Republican governor said anyone who has been a U.S. citizen for at least 20 years ? as he has ? should "absolutely" be able to seek the presidency. A constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, would make that possible.

 

"There are so many people in this country that are now from overseas, that are immigrants, that are doing such a terrific job with their work, bringing businesses here, that there's no reason why not," said Schwarzenegger, who became a U.S. citizen in 1983.

 

"Look at the kind of contribution that people like Henry Kissinger have made, Madeleine Albright," he said, referring to two former secretaries of state who were born in Europe.

 

Schwarzenegger said on NBC's "Meet the Press' that he has been too busy with California's problems to contemplate a future run for the White House. "I have no idea, I haven't thought about that at all," he said.

 

Schwarzenegger reaffirmed his opposition to the gay marriages that are taking place in San Francisco. He said Mayor Gavin Newsom's refusal to obey the state's law against same-sex marriages could set a bad precedent.

 

On Friday, the governor said he had directed California's attorney general to take action to stop the marriages.

 

"In San Francisco it is license for marriage of same sex. Maybe the next thing is another city that hands out licenses for assault weapons and someone else hands out licenses for selling drugs, I mean you can't do that," Schwarzenegger said on NBC.

 

"We have to stay within the law. There's a state law that says specific things, and if you want to challenge those laws then you can go to the court," he said.

 

Schwarzenegger, who was sworn in Nov. 17 after winning a special election to replace recalled Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, is making his first visit to Washington since taking office.

 

He is attending the winter meeting of the National Governors Association. State leaders were to meet with Bush at the White House on Monday.

 

Schwarzenegger campaigned during last year's recall election on a pledge to be "the Collectinator" and get more money for California from the federal government. Bush's budget, however, did little to help the state.

 

Schwarzenegger said he did not feel let down by the president and said Bush can win California in November ? if he does more to help the state financially. Bush lost California by 1.3 million votes to Democrat Al Gore in 2000.

 

"I think it is totally directly related to how much he will do for our state, there's no two ways about it," Schwarzenegger said. "Because Californian people are like a mirror, you know that what you do for them they will do back for you," Schwarzenegger said.

 

"If the federal government does great things for California this year I think there's no two ways about it, that President Bush can have California, he can be elected, I'm absolutely convinced of that."

 

Sincerely,

...Downhome...

[Guest]

I agree, but the person would have to have came to the United States at a young age.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

No.

[Highland 0]

It'll probably be changed someday....

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

It shouldn't be.

 

What other countries in the world let immigrants be their top executive?

[Highland 0]

You'd be surprised.

[Slayer 0]

What other countries in the world let immigrants be their top executive?

[Guest MikeSC]

It shouldn't be.

 

What other countries in the world let immigrants be their top executive?

Well, France and Germany did --- but, hey, how bad were Napoleon and Adolf Hitler, anyway?

-=Mike

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

Indeed.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

No.

 

But then again I'm just a big ol' Xenophobe...

[MrRant 0]

No.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I don't see the problem in yes. Saying no immigrants can run for president might take away a potentially great candidate. If someone who is an immigrant isn't a good fit, then they simply wouldn't be voted in. If you doubt their affiliations with the country, then just don't vote for them. A lot of other people would do the same and you wouldn't have to worry about them winning.

[MrRant 0]

True.

 

Or we could end up with a Frenchy as President.

 

It's not worth the risk.

[Highland 0]

Meh, that constitional amendment is the only thing that keeps the office being literally for sale. Face it, anyone with enough money would be running otherwise.

[Guest MikeSC]

Meh, that constitional amendment is the only thing that keeps the office being literally for sale. Face it, anyone with enough money would be running otherwise.

Three words:

 

President George Soros.

 

*shudder*

-=Mike

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

True.

 

Or we could end up with  a Frenchy as President.

 

It's not worth the risk.

[Slayer 0]

Surely Canadians aren't to blame for that

 

After all, they have no direct say in the choice of their leader

[2GOLD 0]

No.

 

If you were born here, I don't care what race you are. You are American so go for it.

 

Otherwise, no.

[Dr. Tom 0]

No. With a foreign-born candidate, there would always be a concern that he'd be loyal to his home country first. America and its people must always be the first priorities of the president.

[Vyce 0]

No. With a foreign-born candidate, there would always be a concern that he'd be loyal to his home country first. America and its people must always be the first priorities of the president.

This is exactly why I'm 100% against allowing foreign-borns to become President.

[snuffbox 0]

No.

[Firestarter 0]

Absolutely not. I'm a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger's movies (I even like Last Action Hero) and I'm cautiously positive on his political record so far (what there is of it) but there is no way in hell I would ever even contemplate supporting an amendment to make immigrants eligible for the highest office in the land. That said, if he had been born in the United States, I'd give my right arm to see the Terminator in the Oval Office. You think Iran and Libya are scared of us now...

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I wouldn't have a problem with it, since there's a lot of immigrants who would probably make better leaders than some of America's own (like, say, this guy orthis guy), but the amount of work to go into changing something in the Constitution that we've always had there and abided is so much, that especially in this political climate I don't think it will happen.

[Downhome 0]

I haven't kept up with Arnold really since he was elected. What has he really accomplished in Ca. as of yet?

[Slayer 0]

I wouldn't have a problem with it, since there's a lot of immigrants who would probably make better leaders than some of America's own

While I agree with the notion of only natural-borns for Prez, I also have to play devil's advocate on this one, because I imagine that someone who started off in some shithole country under an asshole dictator who finds their way to this nation and becomes an upstanding US citizen would have a greater appreciation for the country than several of the "silver-spoon" natural borns who have been/are in power

[Vern Gagne 0]

No. It's the most important job in this country, and it needs to be someone who has complete loyalty to this country.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I haven't kept up with Arnold really since he was elected. What has he really accomplished in Ca. as of yet?

* Put the car tax at previous levels, immediately blowing up the state debt even more and drawing the ire of pundits. But he said he was going to do that while campaigning anyway, so it wasn't like it was some kind of sneaky trick.

 

* Repealed illegal immigrant licenses

 

* Made a few proposals to the legislature that got shot down by Democrats.

 

* Proposed a bond which got flak from both Dems and hard-conservative Republicans (including his Republican recall opponent, Tom McClintock) but has grown into a bipartisan effort, gaining support of Democrats including the very liberal Dianne Feinstein.

 

* Not much else.

[Der Kommissar 0]

If they could do a good job, I would have no problem with it. The loyalty issue is a bit sketchy to me. I think someone born in the US to foreign parents who was raised, at least somewhat, in their old culture, would certainly have some loyalty or interest in that country. They could, theoretically, be president, so I see no reason why someone who is qualified, and as American as a lot of people are, shouldn't get the shot just because he or she happened to be born in a foreign country.

[JHawk 0]

Although it will never happen, I say yes.

 

You would still have to be an American citizen, and if you're not a natural-born citizen then you usually need to pass an American history test to even become a citizen.

 

While the loyalty thing may be an issue, it doesn't necessarily mean they won't be loyal. Bob Hope wasn't born in the United States, but if you argued that he wasn't loyal to America after all those USO performances then you'd probably be bitched at by pretty much everybody.

[NoCalMike 0]

Arnold also seems like he can't be honest about the Bush/CA situation. First he says how he is going to be the "collector" and get CA money they are owed,and when Bush does little to help with this or deliver on Arnold's promises, Arnold then backtracks and says, "oh no, I am not dissapointed" wtf?