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The next constitutional amendment…
: I predict that the next constitutional amendment to pass will have nothing to do with marriage (or the flag or women’s rights or prayer).
It will be a constitutional amendment to allow foreign-born citizens to run for President.
Why? Schwarzenegger’s popularity keeps rising.
You know, I used to be against this, but with the proposed 20 years clause (i’d make it 30 myself), I support it. People for the proposal need to understand that those against feel that those not born here won’t really work for the best interest of the country, or will be excessively friendly toward their homelands. I would aggree this would be a problem for those who’ve only been here 5 years or so, but someone as Americanized as Arnold? I wouldn’t vote for him, but he should have the right to run.
Plus, there are lots of Democrats who’d like Jennifer Granholm to be eligible to run for President or VP someday. Everybody wins!
Wasn’t that a throw away line in “Demolition Man”?
When Sandra Bullock mentions the “Schwarzenegger presidential library”? and explains to an incredulous Sylvester Stallone that an amendment to the Constitution had been passed while Sly was in suspended animation and Arnie had been elected president?
Great, now we only have to have “Judge Dredd” come true to provide the new “judicial activism” of the 21st century!
*Kent Brockman voice*
I, for one, welcome our Robot overlords.
But seriously, that ‘native born’ requirement for POTUS never made sense to me. I care less about where they’re from than where they’re going.
To Carl H.: It made sense when it was written. The founders did not want foreign rulers like many nations in Europe had because of all the complex royal intermarrying and alliances: Germans ruling England, kings not even speaking the same language as the people they ruled, etc. I think as long as it is includes a citizenship and residency requirment of at least 20 years, then it is a good idea.
As an immigrant, I hope it fails. 9/11 taught us that we cannot know the true intent of all those in our midst. I’m not saying that a native is less likely to be a traitor. I’m just saying that there’s nothing wrong about saying that those not native born may not achieve the highest office in the land. On this matter, leave the Constitution as it stands.
Carl, check out the third season of Blackadder or Neal Stephenson’s Quicksilver for some sampling of how wacky things could be at the time this nation was founded and the preceding century of lunacy in Europe.
I agree that the 20 years is inadequate. I’d want a period of time that assured the wouldbe presidential candidate had spent a fair portion of their formative youth in the US.
Not that I think this would matter for Schwarzenegger. As mentioned above this would be verging too close to satire. The very fabric of reality might unweave if we genuinely had to face a presidential ballot that included Arnold, and this is coming from a Californian who voted for him!