Getting rid of 'natural-born' President rule??

[bobobrazil1984 0]

What do you guys think about the idea of getting rid of the 'natural born' restriction on possible Presidents and Vice Presidents???

 

I know when Ahhhnold won California, a lot of Republicans were hoping that it would get lifted, seeing shades of Reagan in Ahnold. (I wouldn't have a huge problem with Ahhnold running. His views are quite moderate, which I dig).

On the other side, I know some Democrats would love for our own Jennifer Granholm (one of the best Democrats there are, in my incredibly biased michigan opinion, as well as an excellent talker) to get a shot at a President or (more realistically) vice president slot at some point in the future?

 

I *believe* Orin Hatch proposed an amendment on that a while back, but I dont know waht the status on that is.

 

What do you guys think? Should it stay or should it go?

[2GOLD 0]

Stay.

 

I can't see any reason for it to be lifted. While it's basically a paranoia rule, it's still one that should stay solidly in place.

[Styles 0]

No, it's there for a reason. We can't have our President have a possible split allegiance. We can't let our relations with his native country be jeapordized, especially if we need to take action against that country...

Actually, we already had a thread on this subject. Check it out here: http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...topic=50633&hl=

[Vyce 0]

As much as the idea of an Arnold presidency makes me giggle with glee, no, the rule should stay.

[Dr. Tom 0]

No, the rule needs to stay, for reasons already cited.

[Placebo Effect 0]

What if the House Speaker is a foreigner, and the President and VP die.

 

Does everyone's head just explode?

[2GOLD 0]

What if the House Speaker is a foreigner, and the President and VP die.

 

Does everyone's head just explode?

 

Isn't the rule "elected President"?

 

If the rule is elected then I guess he gets around the system but he can't run again. I'm not 100%. Or they skip them.

[MrRant 0]

It would just pass him then I would imagine. He doesn't meet the requirements.

[Guest Olympic Slam]

Leave it alone. In an age of multiculturalism where young people, born in America no less, are taught to embrace their cultural heritages, there is an unnecessary risk of creating dual allegiances. We can't risk having the head of state voicing a potential bias towards their motherland or the people that dwell within it. Some ties are hard to break.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I don't want no dirty immigrants as POTUS...

[Styles 0]

I don't want no dirty immigrants as POTUS...

What if they washed clean with soap before the inaguration?

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

You can't wash away your native country. Damn Dirty Immigrants...

[Guest Cerebus]

Leave it alone. In an age of multiculturalism where young people, born in America no less, are taught to embrace their cultural heritages, there is an unnecessary risk of creating dual allegiances. We can't risk having the head of state voicing a potential bias towards their motherland or the people that dwell within it. Some ties are hard to break.

Agreed. Coming from immigrant families on both sides I can attest to this.

[Stephen Joseph 0]

It would just pass him then I would imagine. He doesn't meet the requirements.

It passes over any foreign born Speak/Secretary. That's why when Gore/Bush almost went to crisis mode, it was noted Albright was foriegn-born and could not serve as interim President if needed (She was third in the chain of succession)

[redbaron29 0]

Yup it should definitely stay. Although the rule itself is one of those outdated post-colonial paranoia, any country as a whole that is paranoid tends to stay intact. As a huge Arnold mark, I agree with him for the most part politically, as well have had the pleasure of talking with him in person several times in my life (in fact the last time he ran into me he even remembered my name!) but I don't feel that I could bring myself to vote for him for president, even if the rule was thrown out. Although I doubt Arnold himself would do anything to jeopardize the country, I don't trust half the people running this country who ARE born here, why on Earth would I trust anyone who wasn't born here. Therefore no matter whom the candidate was it simply wouldn’t be right

[Downhome 0]

I've always thought that it should be partially lifted.

[redbaron29 0]

I've always thought that it should be partially lifted.

So what your saying is your on the "Third" side of the issue

 

 

Oh wait....you must be John Kerry

[Downhome 0]

I've always thought that it should be partially lifted.

So what your saying is your on the "Third" side of the issue

 

 

Oh wait....you must be John Kerry

 

I really just don't see any reason to limit this to those who were born on American soil. I'm sure there have been many in the past, and will be in the future, who could have been or could make a better leader than many that we have had over the years.

 

I'm not saying that it should be allowed to have someone that was born in say, Iraq, to come over here and run for office after being in the US after only a few years. But for those that just happened to be born somewhere else, but came to America at some point early in their life, I just don't see too much wrong with that.

[Styles 0]

I'm not saying that it should be allowed to have someone that was born in say, Iraq, to come over here and run for office after being in the US after only a few years. But for those that just happened to be born somewhere else, but came to America at some point early in their life, I just don't see too much wrong with that.

Oh sure, selective prejudice will go over REAL well. We'll allow SOME foreigners to run, just not the Arab ones...

Universal rule, no one feels left out, you have to be a natural born American. Period.

[Guest MikeSC]

I'm not saying that it should be allowed to have someone that was born in say, Iraq, to come over here and run for office after being in the US after only a few years. But for those that just happened to be born somewhere else, but came to America at some point early in their life, I just don't see too much wrong with that.

Oh sure, selective prejudice will go over REAL well. We'll allow SOME foreigners to run, just not the Arab ones...

Universal rule, no one feels left out, you have to be a natural born American. Period.

How about anybody but them dirty Canucks or Mexicans? I think we can all agree on that.

-=Mike

...Who'd want to hear "Eh?" after every sentence of a State of the Union speech, anyway?

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

I'm not saying that it should be allowed to have someone that was born in say, Iraq, to come over here and run for office after being in the US after only a few years. But for those that just happened to be born somewhere else, but came to America at some point early in their life, I just don't see too much wrong with that.

Oh sure, selective prejudice will go over REAL well. We'll allow SOME foreigners to run, just not the Arab ones...

Universal rule, no one feels left out, you have to be a natural born American. Period.

That's not what he saying. He's saying that if someone is born in another country and comes to the United States at a very young age, before they can be strongly influenced by their home country and develop political opinions, then they should be eligible to run for President. I can certainly see that as being a reasonable idea, moreso than a full lifting of the rule.

 

On the other hand, I have a disfavourable view of anything being pushed by Orrin Hatch.

[Guest MikeSC]

I'm not saying that it should be allowed to have someone that was born in say, Iraq, to come over here and run for office after being in the US after only a few years. But for those that just happened to be born somewhere else, but came to America at some point early in their life, I just don't see too much wrong with that.

Oh sure, selective prejudice will go over REAL well. We'll allow SOME foreigners to run, just not the Arab ones...

Universal rule, no one feels left out, you have to be a natural born American. Period.

That's not what he saying. He's saying that if someone is born in another country and comes to the United States at a very young age, before they can be strongly influenced by their home country and develop political opinions, then they should be eligible to run for President. I can certainly see that as being a reasonable idea, moreso than a full lifting of the rule.

 

On the other hand, I have a disfavourable view of anything being pushed by Orrin Hatch.

What age is the cut-off point? How do you deny the right to a person who is extremely close to the cut-off point?

 

These are just a few of the massive problems that will come with changing this law. The law really doesn't need to be changed, nor should it.

-=Mike

[NoCalMike 0]

I would just leave the law alone.

[redbaron29 0]

Lets face it people....its the goverments job to discriminate equally. and thats why the rule remains in place.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Keep the rule

[Guest Smues]

Have we learned nothing from Demolition Man? If Arnold is allowed to be President then eventually we're all going to become a bunch of pussies who all eat at Taco Bell. I'd prefer Taco Time in my future.

[Downhome 0]

That's not what he saying. He's saying that if someone is born in another country and comes to the United States at a very young age, before they can be strongly influenced by their home country and develop political opinions, then they should be eligible to run for President. I can certainly see that as being a reasonable idea, moreso than a full lifting of the rule.

Thank God you have enough of sense to understand what I meant. I just don't see any reason why so many people should instantly be kept from running, because of something so much beyond their control.

 

What are the rules on this for other various countries?

 

Just think about what might have been had various presidents throughout history had been born in another country, for whatever reason.

 

As the rule stands, isn't it still possible that someone with greater ties to another nation could become president of the USA? Someone could have been born here at a very early age, moved to another country, and over their life could have only lived here a total of 14 years or so.

[Highland 0]

I believe I stated no in the other thread about this topic, but I wouldn't oppose it if they changed the requirement for being US-born, but still had to be a citizen of and live in the States for a certain number of years (20 or more).

 

Just my 2¢.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I *believe* Orin Hatch proposed an amendment on that a while back

That's enough to make me say no.

 

 

I'm kind of mixed. It's not good to change the constitution unless it's absolutely necessary, on the other hand there's a lot of immigrants who could do a lot of good we aren't finding in our natural-born leaders.

[Guest INXS]

If it got lifted, I could run for President!