U.S. Presidents & The Natural-born-citizen Clause

[KUSA]

I know you are new here but I'd really ( really!) like you to take a good look at the citizenry and consider what kind of batshit nuttiness would emerge from a constitutional convention.



Let's leave bad enough alone.

You should go to one of his concerts. You will enjoy it. Follow along. https://tour.tednugent.com/#/

[Brian37]

I am torn on this,

Certainly in a utopia, if Hawaii was not a state, sure I would still rather have Obama as president vs Cruz even if he was born here.

Having said that, in the global financial market we really do have foreign bodies literally buying up property. Not sure it is a good thing to allow someone to migrate here become a legal citizen and then become president. I think to make that work, you'd still have to enforce anti monopoly concepts and get big money out of politics.

In an ideal world I would say sure, where you were born should not matter as long as when you run you are legal. But as long as you have global rich including investors with closed market mentalities and fascist or dictatorial markets, you would not want a flood of foreign super pack money already pouring gas on the fire.

But, I am certainly comfortable with say, someone born here, who is not pasty white, who is not a Christian, who may have Chinese or Mexican or GASP Arab parents, born on US soil as per "no religious test", running for office. No, that would not mean they automatically get the office, or my vote. Just the legal right to make the attempt. I would still vote on liberal social and economic positions so if they were running on the GOP "Fuck you I got mine" no, I would not vote for them.

I'd be more for it if we got rid of Citizens United and we taught civics without the "chase for the buck" "Christian nation" revisionist history.

[God of Mr. Hanky]

I'm rarely in favor of inflexible rules like this and I make no exception here. I understand the intent but its pretty dated. If someone ran for President today and his/her loyalties were elsewhere, it would come out. The scrutiny a candidate receives today is extreme. Look at the attention Romney got over riding his dog in a carrier on the roof of the family car, lol.

That said, the law regarding Presidents that I despise is the two-term limit. The only thing that should be limiting anyone's terms IMO is the voters.

Oh, no! Term limits are important, as anyone knows if they've every had to live with an asshole of a State governor or city mayor who cannot be driven out because they aren't subject to such limits. However, I would be in favor of bumping the ceiling up from two terms, or (much better), extending the Presidential term to 6 years so that less time would be wasted on political campaigns.

[AFTT47]

Anyone can be driven out by the people not voting for him/her. See how simple that was?

[God of Mr. Hanky]

Anyone can be driven out by the people not voting for him/her. See how simple that was?

No, I actually don't - maybe that's because I live in the real world. Which fantasy-world do you live in?

[robvalue]

I don't see what it matters where you were born. I do think it's sensible that you should have been a US citizen for a certain amount of time, though.

My wife thinks it makes no difference who is president as they have very little power.

[AFTT47]

Okay, I'll make this really, really, simple:

Term limits or no, a politician comes up for reelection every four years. If he's been a bad boy and the majority of people don't want him back, they don't vote for him and he's gone.

[Lemonvariable72]

I don't see what it matters where you were born. I do think it's sensible that you should have been a US citizen for a certain amount of time, though.

My wife thinks it makes no difference who is president as they have very little power.

I disagree the president has a lot of power. It is just muddied intentionally. The founding fathers wanted to make a functional system where it would be very difficult for a tyrant to rise. I think they were very successful in that as in the american system it is far harder for politicians that want to attack the American people to come to power then the Parliamentary system. But it was a system made in wartime. Because of that the president can step in and weild very direct power via the military and executive orders.

[downbeatplumb]

The problem is that the constitution uses the phrase "natural born citizen" and never defines it.

I think it means no IVF babies or clones.

[God of Mr. Hanky]

Okay, I'll make this really, really, simple:

Term limits or no, a politician comes up for reelection every four years. If he's been a bad boy and the majority of people don't want him back, they don't vote for him and he's gone.

Thank you for making it so clear how simple your thinking, or at least your weak grasp  on the reality of political machinations is.