Apparently, my daughter can't run for President

[Stray Pooch]

My eldest daughter, a flaming Democrat Obama fan, was born in Mons, Belgium while I was stationed in SHAPE in 1981.  She was, of course, a US Citizen born abroad.  But some are now saying John McCain, born in the canal zone to military parents, cannot constitutionally run for President because he is not a "natural-born" citizen.  The Canal Zone was, at least, a US territory and McCain was born on a US military post.  Belgium is a foreign country and my daughter was born on a NATO installation. 

This is, of course, ridiculous.  The intent of the founders in this case is obvious.  Nobody wanted someone to "carpetbag" by moving in from a foreign country and becoming a citizen, ultimately to control the government.  With children like McCain and my daughter, born to US Citizens who happen to be abroad, especially in military or diplomatic service, such concerns are unfounded. 

Ain't politics fun?

[fatman]

I wasn't even aware of the McCain situation until yesterday, when I read about it in the newspaper.  It seems to me that there isn't really any Constitutional issues, but the newspaper goes on and on about how successive legislation is unconstitutional regarding the issue of "natural-born".  In a way I tend to think that the whole thing is a bit outdated, I wouldn't mind the idea of Schwarzenegger or Kissinger running the country.  But I can see why it is there, with a lot of naturalized Hessians and British loyalists still in the country after the Revolutionary War.

[Amianthus]

But I can see why it is there, with a lot of naturalized Hessians and British loyalists still in the country after the Revolutionary War.

It would not have applied to them, either. Anyone who was naturalized before the adoption of the current Constitution (years after the end of the Revolutionary War) was still eligible.

After all, George Washington was born a subject of Great Britain...

[fatman]

Point taken Ami, I'm still working on the coffee this morning.  What, in your opinion, is the reason?  I think that a lot of nations allow foreign borns to be President or to head the country (Peru comes to mind).

[Amianthus]

Point taken Ami, I'm still working on the coffee this morning.  What, in your opinion, is the reason?  I think that a lot of nations allow foreign borns to be President or to head the country (Peru comes to mind).

The origin of the natural-born citizen clause can be traced to a July 25, 1787, letter from John Jay to George Washington, presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention. John Jay wrote: "Permit me to hint, whether it would be wise and seasonable to provide a strong check to the admission of Foreigners into the administration of our national Government; and to declare expressly that the Commander in Chief of the American army shall not be given to nor devolve on, any but a natural born Citizen." There was no debate, and this qualification for the office of the Presidency was introduced by the drafting Committee of Eleven, and then adopted without discussion by the Constitutional Convention.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural-born_citizen

[The_Professor]

This issue is, in my mind, a typical example of "majoring in the minors".

[Lanya]

I recently read that the elder Romney was born in Mexico. He ran for President and I don't remember any public discussion about this...but I was pretty young, it may have been discussed quite a bit and I missed it.

[BT]

It's called stirring the pot.

McCain will be ruled eligible by Scotus if any are foolish enough to press the issue.

He was born in Panama because his parents were posted there by the government.

[kimba1]

uhm
isn`t john adams a non-native?

[Amianthus]

isn`t john adams a non-native?

Several of the early presidents were.

[Rich]

This is a non-issue. It was looked into back in 1999 when McCain was attempting to be nominated. There's been a law passed that covers this kind of thing. It's just democrats blowing smoke.

[Xavier_Onassis]

foreign borns to be President or to head the country (Peru comes to mind).

========================================
Alberto Fujimori was born in Lima, Peru, in 1938. I am not sure what the Peruvian Constitution says, but he was legal from that angle. Because his parents were born in Japan, he is also eligible to be a Japanese citizen. He should have stayed in Japan. I think. Things are going poorly for him now.

I would not like to see Kissinger as president of the US, or even the idea of Kissinger.
I would prefer the IDEA of Arnold to Arnold himself. He would be preferable to McCain or Huckabee.
Plus, he can bench-press Chuck Norris and Grover Norquist simultaneously, which is not an entirely bad idea.

[kimba1]

I`ll be betraying my party

but I like arnold and I don`t care he says girlie man.

since he`s been my governor I really can`t say what more can he do

I admire the fact he`s asking the government to pay up for all the lost inventory from the national guard.
50% shortage is to much to let go

[Amianthus]

I admire the fact he`s asking the government to pay up for all the lost inventory from the national guard.
50% shortage is to much to let go

Errr, it's my understanding that the equipment was provided by the Federal government to start with...

[kimba1]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/26/MN29V8FHL.DTL&hw=national+guard&sn=010&sc=510


probly true ,but it`s effecting domestic situations which does have equal priority.
and it`s not just california