Foreign-Born US Presidents

[CJW]

Succession

I think that only the presidency has the requirement of being a natural born citizen, so what would happen if the vice president and others in the line of succession did not meet this requirement? Would they be passed over?

Chris

 

[Graham]

Just out of interest, do most of you, as thinking Americans, agree with this stipulation?

In other words, would you vote for a suitably-qualifed person as president even if they were born outside the United States?

Graham

 

[Virgil]

Just out of interest, do most of you, as thinking Americans, agree with this stipulation?

In other words, would you vote for a suitably-qualifed person as president even if they were born outside the United States?

Graham

I am loathe to change something the founding fathers thought was important.


sure vote for him all you want , it's just he won't be taking the oath of office.

Virgil

 

[Luke T.]

Re: Succession

I think that only the presidency has the requirement of being a natural born citizen, so what would happen if the vice president and others in the line of succession did not meet this requirement? Would they be passed over?

Chris

I assume they would be passed over. The clause says "eligible," not "elected" or "appointed."

 

[Luke T.]

Just out of interest, do most of you, as thinking Americans, agree with this stipulation?

In other words, would you vote for a suitably-qualifed person as president even if they were born outside the United States?

Graham

Are you asking if we would elect a Manchurian Candidate?

 

[Doubt]

Re: Succession

I think that only the presidency has the requirement of being a natural born citizen, so what would happen if the vice president and others in the line of succession did not meet this requirement? Would they be passed over?

Chris

That is exactly what would happen. I think the only person this has ever applied to is Henry Kissenger.

 

[Ed]

To Americans, the same thing.

Damn Austrian Kangaroos.

 

[Graham]

Are you asking if we would elect a Manchurian Candidate?

I'm sorry, I don't get it . . .

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Just out of interest, do most of you, as thinking Americans, agree with this stipulation?

In other words, would you vote for a suitably-qualifed person as president even if they were born outside the United States?

Graham

I would provided that they were both an American Citizen and had lived some suitably long period of time here, say 20 years or so.

There has been some talk (mostly among those that would, for some masochistic reason, like to see Arnold promoted from Governator to Presinator, admittedly), been some talk of trying to get the constitution amended in just such a manner, but I don't see it happening soon.

 

[Luke T.]

I'm sorry, I don't get it . . .

A candidate born in Manchuria, or a reference to a novel/movie in which an American soldier was brainwashed by the Chinese to act as an influence in American politics on their behalf.

I think the idea of a natural born American is to prevent foreign powers from attempting to place one of their own as the head of our country.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Damn Austrian Kangaroos.

Though I hear that the skiing is quite good in the Australian Alps.

 

[Graham]

A candidate born in Manchuria, or a reference to a novel/movie in which an American soldier was brainwashed by the Chinese to act as an influence in American politics on their behalf.

I think the idea of a natural born American is to prevent foreign powers from attempting to place one of their own as the head of our country.

Interesting. I see the logic behind it but it seems unlikely.

Rather, it seems more likely that anyone willing to spend the time and effort necessary to place a specific person into the office of US president would be able to find someone who was at least a second generation resident (I mean the son or daughter - just kidding, the son of a citizen).

Although I am not an American and therefore it really doesn't matter all that much to me, I think it would be more in keeping with the spirit of the US to allow anyone become president regaredless of their nation or origin. A 20-year residency stipulation would be enough to weed out the opportunists.

Graham

 

[Upchurch]

Interesting. I see the logic behind it but it seems unlikely.

Given the historical context, it didn't at the time. Most European countries, at one time or another prior to 1776, had monarchs who were born and/or raised in other countries.

 

[Tricky]

Technically, a naturalized citizen could become president of the United States, however, we would have to amend the Constitution first.

As I recall, Henry Kissenger was privately lobbying to get support for such an amendment.

 

[specious_reasons]

Re: Re: Succession

That is exactly what would happen. I think the only person this has ever applied to is Henry Kissenger.

Madeline Albright (sp? - I didn't bother to look it up) also fell into this category.

Still, both Kissenger and Albright were 4th or 5th in line, an unlikely occurance.

I remember one State of the Union address where Bill Daley was the designated successor, since the President, VP, House Speaker, President Pro-Tem, and Secretary of State were all in the same building. *Shudder*

 

[Beerina]

Re: Succession

I think that only the presidency has the requirement of being a natural born citizen, so what would happen if the vice president and others in the line of succession did not meet this requirement? Would they be passed over?

Chris

Presumably, yes. Such a person would probably be barred from seeking the vice presidency to begin with, but the others in the line of succession are defined by law by Congress, so any unqualified would have to be skipped over.


By the way, Congress has already meddled with the definition of "naturalized citizen" to include children of citizens in the military who are born overseas.


Of course, were such a person to run, and appear popular, no doubt the opposing party would run it straight to the Supreme Court, and from then who knows?

 

[specious_reasons]

Re: Re: Succession

By the way, Congress has already meddled with the definition of "naturalized citizen" to include children of citizens in the military who are born overseas.

I don't consider that "meddling" with the definition of naturalized citizen. Besides, they still have to meet the 14 year residency requirement.

 

[daenku32]

How about geography?

I was born in Finland and almost automatically received US Citizenship (there was a little paperwork, but I do have a US certificate of birth). I didn't even have Finnish citizenship until my father applied for it many years later?

So I suppose I could be the prez in another 9 years, even tho I was born and raised in a foreign country.

 

[Skeptic]

I interpret this part to mean even people born in the U.S. in the 20th century must have spent the last 14 years in the U.S. to run for president.

I think that's correct; if you are native-born American citizen but spent most of your life abroad, you cannot be president.

 

[epepke]

There has been some talk (mostly among those that would, for some masochistic reason, like to see Arnold promoted from Governator to Presinator, admittedly), been some talk of trying to get the constitution amended in just such a manner, but I don't see it happening soon.

This was covered in Demolition Man.