Constitutional amendment to allow foreign born to become President

[Ken King]

...right now, I think the idea, an Arnold Amendment, ain't going nowhere with the GOP unless it is decided that he is the best candidate for '08.

If so, the DNC will scream bloody murder.

BUT...if the GOP sits on it, Arnie just may start liking the Democratic party platform.

Then, we'll see this massive converstion!

This could be fun!

He's already sleeping with one of the Kennedy clan, you think Uncle Teddy might want to slip under them covers too?

As to the amendment I find it unlikely that it could get the required support in Congress nor ratification by the states in enough time to allow Arnold to run.

 

[dems4me]

...right now, I think the idea, an Arnold Amendment, ain't going nowhere with the GOP unless it is decided that he is the best candidate for '08.


Seee!!!.... seee!!! See what I mean... if it's the best GOP candidate... why not just say presidential candidate... this is why I dread yet another amendment to the Constitution of the United States... it shouldn't be based on politics... it just bothers me that such a well-written historical document should be amended for political gain... whether its for democrats or in this case GOP gain :shrug:

(psst ken - stop following me please....)

 

[Ken King]

(psst ken - stop following me please....)

Get the hell out of the way then.

 

[SamSpade]

I cannot say with authority, but I suspect that foreign born citizens were a greater percentage of the population of the United States during the founders time than they are now. Maybe Sam Spade can chime in here. But, I would say that foreign born citizens were numerous at that time. The founders recognized the conflict that a foreign born citizen would have as Commander in Chief and chose to exclude them from being President. I think it was correct then and is correct now.

There isn't any Census data prior to 1850 on this subject (the first Census being in 1790), since "nativity", "place of origin" and "city of birth" weren't included until later. But at the *peak* of immigration, around the turn of the century, it rose to as high as 15 percent. I suspect it wasn't much different at the time of the Constitution. Keep in mind while the nation was just getting started, the colonies themselves had been established for well over 150 years - a LOT of us were native-born.

The fear then was the election of someone like Lafayette - very popular, but it would have been all too easy for someone like him to gain popularity with his money and influence. And it is hard to believe that any foreign-born citizen could be totally objective in matters should the nation of their birth come into conflict with the interests of the United States.

 

[ylexot]

Leave it alone and no we don't need a Arnold Library to make the line from Judge Dredd come true.

Wrong Stallone movie...it was Demolition Man.

 

[Ken King]

Wrong Stallone movie...it was Demolition Man.

Okay, all, or most, of his movies are the same anyway and the thought of it was still stupid, even Stallone's characters reaction showed that.

 

[dems4me]

Okay, all, or most, of his movies are the same anyway and the thought of it was still stupid, even Stallone's characters reaction showed that.

They were calling Arnold the Presinator last night....

 

[Dymphna]

I think its sadly, I do expect it to pass the republican Congress and republican Senate and then Bush.

With the exception of your numbers being off, you were actually making sense until you got to this part. Any political party tends to be self-serving and Arnie is a very charismatic candidate, but Republicans are still conservative as a rule and reluctant to change. Amending the constitution is a pretty radical move. They will want to weigh all the reasons for the constitution having been written that way in the first place. It won't take them long to see the same things we've discussed here and the risks involved.

 

[dems4me]

With the exception of your numbers being off, you were actually making sense until you got to this part. Any political party tends to be self-serving and Arnie is a very charismatic candidate, but Republicans are still conservative as a rule and reluctant to change. Amending the constitution is a pretty radical move. They will want to weigh all the reasons for the constitution having been written that way in the first place. It won't take them long to see the same things we've discussed here and the risks involved.

I knew I should have stopped while I was ahead

 

[2ndAmendment]

I think its sadly, I do expect it to pass the republican Congress and republican Senate and then Bush.

Want to bet?

 

[dems4me]

Want to bet?

Sure... this could be fun

 

[Ken King]

Dems it takes 2/3 of the Congress and 3/4 of the states to ratify before an amendment is passed. I think there is a better chance of repealing the 22nd and giving GW another term.

 

[dems4me]

Dems it takes 2/3 of the Congress and 3/4 of the states to ratify before an amendment is passed. I think there is a better chance of repealing the 22nd and giving GW another term.

I still think the GOP has a strong agenda to get Arnie elected in 2008 and will do anything to hold the reigns ... but I know that is the minority opinion on here.

:shrug:

 

[Ken King]

I still think the GOP has a strong agenda to get Arnie elected in 2008 and will do anything to hold the reigns ... but I know that is the minority opinion on here.

:shrug:

In all honesty I think that is simply loony tunes. First off Arnie cannot be the President and in no way shape or form will the people allow a foreigner to become one, it is that simple. Besides, the GOP has a couple of folk that could be the next President without having to get a Constitutional amendment passed and ratified. For instance there are two prime candidates in Rudy and Colin.

 

[2ndAmendment]

I still think the GOP has a strong agenda to get Arnie elected in 2008 and will do anything to hold the reigns ... but I know that is the minority opinion on here.

:shrug:

Want to bet?

Arnie would lose in a landslide. I would not vote for him even if he was the GOP selectee. I don't think many true conservatives or Republicans would. I am pretty certain that the NRA and the GOA would not endorse him; he has already pissed off the Second Amendment supporters. Arnie is a RINO.

 

[vraiblonde]

I still think the GOP has a strong agenda to get Arnie elected in 2008 and will do anything to hold the reigns ...

They could hold the reigns easier by running Powell or Giuliani than by changing the Constitution.

I like Ahnold - he's a social moderate/fiscal conservative. What I don't like is having a President that wasn't born in this country.

 

[sleuth]

IF the Constitution were changed against the will of the population... and IF Arnold was the GOP nominee... I'd bet a 3rd party would emerge to split the GOP vote... like Perot did in 1992.

I think the GOP would be wary of that happening, and would pick Powell or Giuliani above Arnold.

 

[Sharon]

Arnie is a RINO.

He should go back to making movies.

 

[dems4me]

They could hold the reigns easier by running Powell or Giuliani than by changing the Constitution.

I like Ahnold - he's a social moderate/fiscal conservative. What I don't like is having a President that wasn't born in this country.

I think I'd see a gay male as president and first man before I see an african american president... Just my opinion though.

How do you refute the stupid amendment commericials where they state "it's not their fault they were born where they were?" I would say... well if the mother wants her foreign kid to be president they shoudl have thought of that in advance and made the necessary preparations

 

[dems4me]

Guilliani is a good one but isn't he battling cancer? And you know the dems would bring up the fact of his infidelity (as GOP attacked Clinton) -- I mean really -- his wife had to hear on TV that they were going to be getting a divorce... how tacky is that :shrug: Yes, he's a great guy and once again 9/11 boost for ads, as I see the ads now for 2008, BUT, I don't think he's the right guy, nor Collin Powell. Didnt' the Washington Post credit Collin Powell as the one who choose to leave Saddam in power in the first gulf war? I see him like I see Bush.... (hold back on the red squares please)... but I see him as Cheney's mouthpeice. :shrug: