Foreign Born President? Congress Eyes Amendment

Mobile Register from the San Francisco Chronicle | August 13, 2003

[ClearBlueSky]

Austrian born Arnold Schwarzenegger is still a long way from being elected California's Governor, but proposed Constitutional amendments that would allow foreign born citizens such as the action movie star to become President will be debated in Congress this autumm.

One of the proposals, by Schwarzenegger political friend, Senator Orin Hatch, Republican Utah, would allow anyone who has been a US citizen for 20 years, and has resided in the country for 14 years, to be elected President. Schwarzenegger was naturalized in 1983.

The other proposal, by a bi-partisan group in the house, whose ranks include conservative Representative Darrell Issa, Republican California- who spent more than 1.5 million to put the recall election on the October 7th ballot- would allow anyone who has been a naturalized citizen for 35 years to be eligible to become President. The House legislation, whose co-sponsors include liberal Representative Barney Frank, Democrat Mass., was proposed long before the recall movement in California.

Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, drafted in 1787, says that only natural-born Americans at least 35 years old who have lived in the country for 14 years can serve as President.

Proponents of a change say the rule long ago outlived its usefulness. Hatch said figures such as former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright or Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, the Canada native whom Democrats consider a rising star, couldn't be President. Nor could the 700 foreign born recipients of the Medal of Honor.

[ClearBlueSky]

Of all the changes in the Constitution that should not be proposed- now, of all times- is one that would make it easier for a foreign born national Muslim extremist to end up in the White House. I"m disgusted with Hatch. This should scare the hell out of everyone.

[lonestar]

This should scare the hell out of everyone.

It does! I can't believe some of these idiots!

[Commander8]

We need to start educating the public about this.

[gcruse]

Barbra Streisand. We should be able to elect anyone we wish to be president. This country is run by and for the people. If that's what the people want, they deserve it. The same goes for limiting presidents to two terms.

[WorkingClassFilth]

We're up to our necks in domestic traitors as it is. Why on earth would anyone want to add the nightmare with a flood of foreign-born people, I can't imagine.

Unless they WANT more traitors...

[Pukin Dog]

I have a theory about Orrin Hatch.

I think he has a fetish for television, and anytime he has been off the networks for as long as he can stand it, he will do something or say something stupid enough to get him back on television for a few interviews; after which his ideas will go nowhere and soon be forgotten.

[Ichneumon]

Hatch said figures such as former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright or Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, the Canada native whom Democrats consider a rising star, couldn't be President.

Um, and what's the downside?

[Paleo Conservative]

That sounds like Barbara Streisand.

[PAR35]

So, you would only support a native born muslim extremist for President?

[Paleo Conservative]

One of the proposals, by Schwarzenegger political friend, Senator Orin Hatch, Republican Utah, would allow anyone who has been a US citizen for 20 years, and has resided in the country for 14 years, to be elected President. Schwarzenegger was naturalized in 1983.

That explains why Orrin Hatch has been advocating this drivel. The history of expatriot Austrians running other countries is not pretty.

[Noachian]

The unintended consequences of such an amendment, down the road, are too scary to think aboubt.

Often times things that look good on on paper at one moment in time can wind up to be a disaster later on.

The Founding Fathers had a good reason to limit the highest office to natural born Americans, and unless Hatch can come up with better reasoning than the Founders had his amendment is going no where.

[Uncle Hal]

I do not want anything changed. I am satisfied the way it is,

[Bogey78O]

It's too late for Bob Hope.

[Barry Goldwater]

The first few presidents, George Washington, etc, were not born in the United States.

[Bogey78O]

There was a caveat in the Constitution allowing for territory incorporated into the US.

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Here's my theroy.

Arnold is a Kennedy plot to regain the White House.

[lilylangtree]

Somebody's been watching too many reruns of the "Demolition Man".

[sheik yerbouty]

Senator "Booby" Hatch.

[San Jacinto]

Hatch must be off his medication.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

We should be able to elect anyone we wish to be president. This country is run by and for the people. If that's what the people want, they deserve it. The same goes for limiting presidents to two terms

So much for the constitution. Your attitude is the exact reason we should NOT change it.