It’s time to remove the ‘natural born citizen’ requirement from the Constitution

It’s time to remove the ‘natural born citizen’ requirement from the Constitution

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Sen. Ted Cruz, (R-Tex.) at a campaign stop in Hudson, N.H., on Tuesday. (Matt Rourke/Associated Press)

By Editorial Board January 15 at 6:01 PM

We believe that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) is eligible to be president. As he was born to a U.S. citizen, Mr. Cruz’s birthplace does not matter — and should not matter. It also should not matter for many other people born outside the United States, even to parents who are not citizens. It is past time to remove from the Constitution the outdated requirement that the president be a “natural-born citizen.”

Post columnist Ruth Marcus notes that the intent of the citizenship requirement was, in the words of Founding Father John Jay, to “provide a strong check to the admission of Foreigners into the administration of our national Government.” This may have been a danger when the young, weak country was emerging from British rule, surrounded by hungry European colonial powers.

Having just thrown off the British crown, the Founders sought to prevent backsliding in peacetime — both toward aristocratic forms of rule and toward domination from overseas.

Some of the vestiges of the country’s early years, such as a prohibition on U.S. officials accepting titles of nobility, emoluments and other honors from foreign governments, still serve to preserve the nation’s independent republican tradition.

The “natural born citizen” requirement, however, serves no purpose that could possibly justify its continued application. It creates two classes of citizens — those who are eligible to run for president and those who are not. It undermines the notion that allegiance to the Constitution, the democratic process and the rule of law defines what it means to be an American, rather than the provenance of one’s blood. It insults naturalized Americans, many of whom appreciate these principles more keenly than many of those who were lucky enough to be born with U.S. citizenship. It is, moreover, anti-democratic, denying voters the opportunity to choose from some of the country’s best, brightest and most patriotic citizens simply because they were naturalized after their births.

Mr. Cruz’s fitness to serve — or lack thereof — has nothing to do with his parentage. Similarly, former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) would have had some policy achievements to tout — and a few things to answer for — in a hypothetical presidential run. But the fact that he is a naturalized citizen should not disqualify him. Once you are a U.S. citizen, you should get all the rights and privileges thereof.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...79a_story.html

Read more:
Mary Brigid McManamon: Ted Cruz is not eligible to be president

Jonathan H. Adler: Yes, Ted Cruz is a ‘natural born citizen’

Randy Barnett: Why Ted Cruz is a ‘natural born citizen’

Ruth Marcus: Donald Trump’s bogus attack on Ted Cruz

Ruth Marcus: Abolish the ‘natural born citizen’ test

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It is, moreover, anti-democratic, denying voters the opportunity to choose from some of the country’s best, brightest and most patriotic citizens simply because they were naturalized after their births.

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Ted Cruz was not naturalized after his birth. He was born an American citizen and by virtue of his mothers birth and citizenship is a natural born citizen according to most legal experts and scholars on the subject.

No, Arnold Schwarzenegger, does not and should never qualify to be President of the United States.

My schooling goes WAY back.....I was taught you HAD to have 2 CITIZEN parents.....Rubio is an Anchor Baby.....NO CITIZEN parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by grandmasmad

My schooling goes WAY back.....I was taught you HAD to have 2 CITIZEN parents.....Rubio is an Anchor Baby.....NO CITIZEN parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Yes, we were taught way back through our parents and through our schools who could and could not be President and Vice President. That's why Americans have known who is and is not a natural born citizen for over 227 years.

Born on US soil.
Two US citizen parents.

Very simple.

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We believe that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) is eligible to be president. As he was born to a U.S. citizen, Mr. Cruz’s birthplace does not matter — and should not matter. It also should not matter for many other people born outside the United States, even to parents who are not citizens. It is past time to remove from the Constitution the outdated requirement that the president be a “natural-born citizen.”

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It does matter. It probably matters more today than ever before.

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The “natural born citizen” requirement, however, serves no purpose that could possibly justify its continued application. It creates two classes of citizens — those who are eligible to run for president and those who are not. It undermines the notion that allegiance to the Constitution, the democratic process and the rule of law defines what it means to be an American, rather than the provenance of one’s blood. It insults naturalized Americans, many of whom appreciate these principles more keenly than many of those who were lucky enough to be born with U.S. citizenship. It is, moreover, anti-democratic, denying voters the opportunity to choose from some of the country’s best, brightest and most patriotic citizens simply because they were naturalized after their births.

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All one has to do is look at Congress that is not restricted by a natural born citizen clause, a Congress of just "citizens", to know the natural born citizen clause still matters for the White House. Had voters complied with the Constitution in 2008 and 2012, we would not have many of the problems we face today when we have both a Congress and a White House of just "citizens".

Americans better wise up, be strong, be smart and stop this freight train, right here, right now. And if Republicans don't stop it, then who will?

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Originally Posted by grandmasmad

My schooling goes WAY back.....I was taught you HAD to have 2 CITIZEN parents.....Rubio is an Anchor Baby.....NO CITIZEN parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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A natural born citizen is someone who is considered a United States citizen from birth. Unlike naturalized citizens, these people do not need to apply for any of the rights of citizenship. They are granted the right to vote at 18, along with all of the other rights and responsibilities associated with citizenship in the United States. In addition, they are permitted to run for the positions of president and vice president, while naturalized citizens are excluded from these roles in American government by law. Ted Cruz, according to most legal experts and scholars is a natural born citizen and here is why:

Regardless of where born, he was born to a native-born U.S. citizen mother. The definition of a qualifying mother: The mother must have lived in the United States for at least five years at some point before the child's birth as a full American citizen, and at least two of those five years must have occurred after the mother's 14th birthday. In the case of a child born to such an American mother, the child is considered a natural born citizen. Of course there are other situations that qualify an individual as a "natural born citizen" but this is the one that qualifies Ted Cruz. Unless the U.S. Supreme Court were to rule otherwise, which is unlikely, Cruz is eligible.

I believe I read somewhere that Ted's parents returned back to the United States after seven years of working in the Canadian oil industry. Ted was only four years old at the time of their return. No, Ted was not native born, but according to most legal experts on the subject he is considered natural born. Ted Cruz is just as much an American as you or I, and my ancestors have been in this country since the 1700's.

Now, why would we want to deprive Ted Cruz or any other natural born citizen their legal birthright?

When you have to cite naturalization law, the 14th Amendment or the Wong Van Ark Case to justify the citizenship, the person is not a natural born citizen.

Not being a fan of let's rewrite the Constitution" to suit foreigners nor to "rethink Thomas Jefferson", it is dangerous to have a foreigner in high office - therefore the writings of our founding fathers. Anything less is absurd, another sellout to foreign takeover.

Born in America to 2 citizen parents please. Once again, founding fathers had reasons to write the words they did record, document and agree to become binding LAW.

Have you noticed that foreign born & their adult children born here are often time NOT assimilated to American ways even though it is a requirement to have the opportunity to reside in America legally - San Bernadino tragedy an example.

I'm exposed to many foreigners, most do not assimilate but teach their children their native country's language. They & their children are not true Americans but are here for the opportunities/advantages. They have no patriotic spirit for the USA but do to their native country. Someone of that mind set, should not be in a high political office - it is unethical and ruinous.

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Originally Posted by artist

Not being a fan of let's rewrite the Constitution" to suit foreigners nor to "rethink Thomas Jefferson", it is dangerous to have a foreigner in high office - therefore the writings of our founding fathers. Anything less is absurd, another sellout to foreign takeover.

Born in America to 2 citizen parents please. Once again, founding fathers had reasons to write the words they did record, document and agree to become binding LAW.

Have you noticed that foreign born & their adult children born here are often time NOT assimilated to American ways even though it is a requirement to have the opportunity to reside in America legally - San Bernadino tragedy an example.

I'm exposed to many foreigners, most do not assimilate but teach their children their native country's language. They & their children are not true Americans but are here for the opportunities/advantages. They have no patriotic spirit for the USA but do to their native country. Someone of that mind set, should not be in a high political office - it is unethical and ruinous.

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Cruz does not fit the examples you laid out. He is a natural born citizen by virtue of his mother being a native born American. She was born in Delaware and has spent her entire life, minus 7 years, here in the United States. Additionally, according to the majority of legal experts and scholars who have spoken on this, Cruz is a natural born citizen. It seems the only thing that will change this is if the U.S. Supreme Court rules otherwise, but at this point it seems unlikely that they will take the issue up.

Americans have known for over 227 years what a natural born citizen is, and they can either elect one or choose again not to do so. If you don't learn from history, you doomed to repeat it.