Who should be able to be President?
Moms View Message Board: The Kitchen Table (Debating Board): Who should be able to be President?
Amend the Constitution?
There is a proposal in the U.S. Senate to amend the Constitution to allow non-natural born citizens eligible to hold the office of President.
The link above is Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's thoughts on the subject, but if you do a search, you'll find more information on it.
What do you think? Should a naturalized citizen, given whatever criteria the lawmakers make (must live here for so long, etc.) be eligible?
My opinion is that you should be a natural born citizen. Too many issues can arrise otherwise.
I feel that as long as certain requirements are met, someone born in another country should be able to run for president. The article's mention of Madeline Albright is an excellent example. Our Senators, Congressmen, Judges, Governors, etc. are not held to this same criteria. The voters would be able to decide if they feel that the person has our country's best interest at heart. JMHO. :-)
Ditto Ladypeacek
I have thought about it, and I would not amend the constitution. Madeline Albright is one example - Schwarzenegger (who still cannot properly pronounce the name of the state he is governing) is another.
But, I think there is great value in requiring that a president is someone who grew up in this nation. People who come here from other countries have a different background and a different perspective, and no matter how talented, how skilled, and how well qualified otherwise, I think there are some areas in which they would just "not get it" because they didn't grow up in the U.S. (But then, neither does Ralph Nader, imo.)
I think there are such vast cultural differences that it would be almost impossible for a person to totally change themselves and be totally "Americanized" unless they came here as an infant, and somehow I don't think a constitutional amendment requiring that the person lived here from before kindergarten would fly.
Admittedly, that means we might not be able to vote for the absolutely perfect candidate, but then, there are always lots of candidates. When you have a system with requirements you always run the risk of not being able to select an otherwise perfect person for the job.
ditto Ginny and Ladypeacek.
Ditto here too...........
Ditto the other ditto-ers. 
I've never given it any thought. But I would say, yes, it should be possible. They still have to make the vote in order to win.
Also, the plain fact that they ARE from another country knowing just how special we have it here in the US gives them a view point that born Americans can not grasp. They may be able to see things and value things to a deeper meaning than we do. We may take our privleges for granted. Please note I am saying "MAY"...it just all depends on the person.
Natural born citizens only. I'd be afraid that the loyalties of anyone born in another country would be severely tested, if the USA was in conflict with their nation of birth.
Very good point Bea.
Schwarzenegger (who still cannot properly pronounce the name of the state he is governing)
This made me laugh. I still can't believe he was elected governor, but then again, there are a lot of things I still have a hard time believing. 
I am with the majority and think that the requirements should stay the same. I always thought that the drafters of the Constitution put this in to insure that a "foreigner" could not gain power. I don't know that it would be an issue today, but it still holds some merit for me. I also agree that it would open up the door to too many issues.
My daughter and my soon to be son will be naturalized citizens of the United States having lived here since they were 17 months and 30 months of age respectively. As things stand now they would not be allowed to be President. I have a hard time believing that they will have loyalties to a birth country that they do not even remember living in.
I go both ways on the subject I believe that some people how they are raised - would determine if I would vote for them.
If they raised in the foreign country then no, cause of their loyalty, but if they were raised here as children, then I think that they would respect the US.
Like I said I could go either way on the subject. I believe that voting is not the good way to think about I know younger people that vote for one person cause they just do not like the other person that is running. I say dont vote at all, but some people are that way.
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