According to this site, “Arnold & Jen” need a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
I have yet to be convinced that we need to remove the native-born requirement for U.S. presidents, but a case can be made for doing so. That argument, however, should not include we need to change the Constitution so X can run for president.
First of all, the Constitution-amending process is so slow that it’s unlikely that any particular foreigner would still be a “hot” candidate by the time the amendment was finally ratified.
But more importantly, the U.S. Constitution is far too significant to be altered through a personality-driven campaign. The founders deliberately made the amendment process difficult so that it wouldn’t be subjected to the fluctuating whims of the masses. And that’s exactly what’s at work here with an “Amend the Constitution for Arnold” campaign.
Obviously, I’m a bit biased, but I think that its time. The concerns that the founding fathers had simply don’t apply anymore particularly with the 22nd Amendment formally limiting Presidents to two terms. In fact, I say get rid of the 35 years of age requirement while they’re at it. If the American public doesn’t want a young non-American born person to be President, then all they have to do is not vote for that person.
I have to disagree about the two terms. As much as I love Bill Clinton and wish he were still president, we MUST have limits. Otherwise, we could theoretically end up with a dictatorship of sorts – I mean, the American public DID vote for W again. Who’s to say they wouldn’t again….and again? And do we really want or need that? No.
The two-term limit wasn’t imposed by the founding fathers; it’s a consequence of FDR.
Say we did get rid of the native-born requirement. I don’t think we want someone who just got off the boat to become president. Should we still have some sort of minimum residency requirement? Twenty years?
I’m surprised the Reps don’t just try to get Maria Shriver to run for President as a Republican. Sure, it’d alienate her from the Kennedy’s, but when she’s President Ahnuld can run things from behind the scenes!
Isn’t that what people accused Hillary of doing? 🙂
Christina..as I understand it, the founding fathers introduced the natural born citizen requirement because they were afraid that America would devolve into the aristocracy that controlled Europe where marriage between thrones was used as a means of consolidating power. Having a native born requirement would reduce this risk. I would say that this risk has been reduced just due to world events and the 22nd Amendment means that nobody could be President for life anyways.
I don’t think we want someone who just got off the boat to become president.
Then don’t vote for someone who just got off the boat. I would suspect that few Americans would.
Should we still have some sort of minimum residency requirement? Twenty years?
The proposal in the House calls for a 20 year citizenship requirement. In order to be a Representative or Senator, you must have been a US Citizen for a certain period of time (6 and 9 years off the top of my head, but I’m not sure), so the 20 year requirement falls in line.
Maybe its just me, but with this sort of discussion going on, I am beginning to see threads of “Demolition Man” arising in this country. How low would this country have sunk if some hack Sylvestor Stallone vehicle becomes prophetic?
The “Schwartzenegger Presidential Library” indeed!
The only situation where our most precious constitution should be amended is to right a nationawide social injustice. And limiting presidential candidates to native-born Americans in no way qualifies.
Flag-burning and Federal Marriage amendment proposals are clear proof of this. Even an amendment proposal I agree with, in principal, Federal balanced budget, does NOT merit becoming an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. (Although it should become law in some form — allowing for short-term shallow deficits based on national emergency considerations).
Finally, while it may sound innocuous to allow naturalized citizens become president. There will always be a danger of uber-loyalties. Remember there were sleeper Soviet spies in this country who lived their entire lives here, only so that they could spy for the USSR. So is 20 years really any guarantee?
And yes, I am well aware that George W. is native-born, and as president, he is doing everything in his power to sell out this country to powerful corporate interests, and destroy the very fabric of this country, but he is the anomoly, not the rule.
What’s next??? An amendment for gay marriage? An amendment for abortion? I think the ONLY reason why anyone would support this stupid amendment would be because the “Girlie-man” Arnold is behind it.