It May Be Time to Resolve the Meaning of ‘Natural Born’

The New York Times ^ | January 18th, 2016 | By CARL HULSE

[Mariner]

WASHINGTON — After he left Wall Street to enter politics eight years ago, Representative Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut, began fielding the occasional question of when he intended to run for president.

“It has come up in jest any number of times,” said Mr. Himes, who always has his answer ready. “There could be constitutional questions.”

Mr. Himes, you see, was born in Peru in 1966 while his father worked for the Ford Foundation. That makes him one of at least 17 current members of Congress who, because of their birth outside the United States, could run afoul of the Constitution’s “natural born citizen” presidential requirement should they try to relocate down Pennsylvania Avenue.

For generations, confusion and uncertainty have surrounded this murky presidential qualification. It is a question that dogged President Obama, and even his challenger in 2008, Senator John McCain. With “birtherism” now seemingly a regular feature of American politics, demand is mounting for a definitive answer to the modern meaning of “natural born,” a term that was crafted in an era when ocean crossings took months and people rarely ventured more than a few miles beyond where they were born.

[Mariner]

If we don't resolve this pressing Constitutional issue now, we likely never will.

[Resolute Conservative]

I wish somebody would, I am getting sea sick.

[miss marmelstein]

Forget the Peruvian connection. Haven’t we had enough presidents whose parents were employed by the Ford Foundation?

[paintriot]

Born on US soil to US citizen parents. Our country deserves nothing less.

[DannyTN]

And I’m tired of people with questionable eligibility running.

[WhiskeyX]

The meaning is simple and was always resolved. The New York Times and people who profess not to know the meaning are simply ignorant or pretending to be ignorant of a customary legal principle that has been in usage for centuries.

[SkyDancer]

I have a super fundamentalist Christian gf who says if you’re not born of water (i.e you had a Cesarean section birth) you’re not natural born. (see:John 3:5)

[driftdiver]

Thats not what it means.

Hitlary is a NBC, perhaps she is what we deserve?

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

I agree that this should be resolved, so I hope we get some cases with expedited schedules and reviews. Pretty confident as to how the Court would decide, but it would be of benefit to everyone to actually have a decision.

[Duchess47]

Is it possible to start making it an issue at the State level? Candidates have to be certified in some manner to go on State ballots. I decided this morning to write to my Secretary of State, my State Republican Party, and my local newspaper. One letter won’t bother anyone but what about thousands? The Secretary of State is an elected official.

[Parley Baer]

I hate the new york times. However now is as good a time as any to get this issue over with once and for all.

[driftdiver]

I’m more concerned with having someone who understands America and will fight for American values.

[Ms Mable]

And where was the woman born that’s running the show at the WH?

[Mariner]

"The New York Times and people who profess not to know the meaning are simply ignorant or pretending to be ignorant of a customary legal principle that has been in usage for centuries."

Worse, many people equate being born to a citizen parent anywhere in the world constitutes NBC.

[driftdiver]

But look people are talking about this instead of a multitude of legitimate issues such as Iran being handed billions of dollars to fund terrorism.

[Safrguns]

Good idea!... lets start with why the dual parent citizenship + birthplace is important.

Hint: Think in terms of our founding fathers trying to prevent intentional userpation of the office by a foreign power.

Note: Because of our free and open electoral process, NO set of qualifications we could impose on candidates would be totally foolproof against intentional foreign exploitation. Even using the birthplace + dual parent citizenship can be exploited. This is why years of residence are also specified in constitutional law.

[GraceG]

I think they will “Punt it” because the establishment would have to admit they F***ED up with vetting Obama, and if they Kick Cruz out they would have to take Obama with him.

Personally I think the term “Natural Born” means you obtain your citizenship “By Blood” rather than “By Soil” or “By Process” (ie. Naturalization from another country”.

I also think the constitution gave congress the power to write legislation covering the conditions of citizenship and how to apply it. Which if so Obama is ineligible because his mother was too young to convey blood citizenship via the law in effect at the time he was born. Paradoxically if Cruz is eligible due to this law, then Obama is not.

“Soil Citizenship” was the norm during the time of Kings and Emperors to “claim subjects” under THEIR control if they were born on THEIR land.

The Progressives LOVE “Soil Citizenship” because it is a direct endorsement of the process of “Anchor Babies” and they crave adding more Subjects to control and to have them vote for their power. It also make Obama that more Legitimate to claim Soil Citizenship with him supposedly being born in Hawaii.

[driftdiver]

“Worse, many people equate being born to a citizen parent anywhere in the world constitutes NBC.”

Only because that is what the law says.

[driftdiver]

“Hint: Think in terms of our founding fathers trying to prevent intentional userpation of the office by a foreign power.”

Well that didn’t work.

[paintriot]

You must support Cruz, as you got butt hurt enough to say we deserve hillary.