Should The United States Change The Law To Allow Arnie To Stand For POTUS?

Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently not allowed to be President due to not having been born here, yet is an American citizen.

Should the law be changed to accommodate him and others like him?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 1

Aspiringlawstudent

3

There's no logical reason for the natural-born-citizen clause; nor should there be a requirement that one attain the age of 35 years. It's silly.

The residency requirement is debatable.

Reply 2

Gallifreyan95

13

I suppose my answer would depend on how long Arnie had been a US citizen.

Reply 3

thunder_chunky

19

Original post by HumanSupremacist

Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently not allowed to be President due to not having been born here, yet is an American citizen.

Should the law be changed to accommodate him and others like him?

No. Furthermore it would never be allowed for if it did it would basically sink the birther movement. Even though it's nonsense anyway it would basically zap their power to even mount such an argument.

Reply 4

Aspiringlawstudent

3

Original post by thunder_chunky

No. Furthermore it would never be allowed for if it did it would basically sink the birther movement. Even though it's nonsense anyway it would basically zap their power to even mount such an argument.

The 'birther movement' did not exist before the current president and it will not exist after him anyway.

Reply 5

thunder_chunky

19

Original post by Aspiringlawstudent

The 'birther movement' did not exist before the current president and it will not exist after him anyway.

Most likely however those that follow it still wouldn't do it as it would mean they would not be able to discuss it in the future even long after Obama steps down from his Presidential throne. Plus Americans are so patriotic they wouldn't go for this. They would want someone born on US soil to be their leader, many would not accept a foreign born person.

Reply 6

Aspiringlawstudent

3

Original post by thunder_chunky

Most likely however those that follow it still wouldn't do it as it would mean they would not be able to discuss it in the future even long after Obama steps down from his Presidential throne. Plus Americans are so patriotic they wouldn't go for this. They would want someone born on US soil to be their leader, many would not accept a foreign born person.

Do you know how constitutional amendment is passed, though?

You don't need complete unanimity, and the amount of people that actually believe in the 'birther' nonsense is mercifully rather small.

Reply 7

thunder_chunky

19

Original post by Aspiringlawstudent

Do you know how constitutional amendment is passed, though?

You don't need complete unanimity, and the amount of people that actually believe in the 'birther' nonsense is mercifully rather small.

I do actually and I'm not suggesting the birther movement is largely what would stop it. I believe the second part of what I spoke of is what might stem it. I'm actually interested as to why such a thing should be considered.

Reply 8

Swanbow

19

I see it is a hindrance to certain American politicians from achieving the ultimate seat of office. A lot of American citizens are born abroad in places such as Germany, Japan, Korea and the United Kingdom due to their military presence in these countries, and now they will be barred from holding the office of Commander and Chief. A lot of naturalised American citizens also contribute greatly to the country, i.e. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and these people are barred from the office of President. Mitt Romney's dad was forced out of a presidential race because he was born in Mexico, but no one would seriously try argue that the man was anything but American. In an increasingly globalised world people are born from all over and to set a restriction on where a person was born seems a bit daft to me.

Reply 9

HumanSupremacist

OP

12

Original post by Swanbow

I see it is a hindrance to certain American politicians from achieving the ultimate seat of office. A lot of American citizens are born abroad in places such as Germany, Japan, Korea and the United Kingdom due to their military presence in these countries, and now they will be barred from holding the office of Commander and Chief. A lot of naturalised American citizens also contribute greatly to the country, i.e. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and these people are barred from the office of President. Mitt Romney's dad was forced out of a presidential race because he was born in Mexico, but no one would seriously try argue that the man was anything but American. In an increasingly globalised world people are born from all over and to set a restriction on where a person was born seems a bit daft to me.