To continue my political rant from my last article, this week I would like to focus less on the candidates and more on an issue that has been on the tips of everyone's tongues and the latest hot topic for many of the GOP clown car members to the point that lawsuits have been threatened over the situation by both political rivals and the voters themselves. You may have already guessed, my fellow Observers, that I'm addressing the "natural born citizen" clause that certain candidates have been pulling out of their political posteriors at every public speaking opportunity and persisting that it smells like Washington cherry blossoms on a spring day instead of a bovine gazing field in the middle of summer.
For whatever reason, my loyal reader, it seems to have become all the rave since Obama's "birther" controversy a few years back to question someone's citizenship. Following in fashion, it has prompted some to pull out an "American Only" soapbox that is being used to call question to the citizen eligibility of some presidential candidates. The main concern of the much to do about nothing gripe is that some who are running, although born American citizens, were not born on American soil. All of the hoopla flying around the political arena caused me to ponder exactly why the founding fathers decided to add the natural born citizen clause in Section one, Article two of the Constitution, as well as the twelfth amendment, especially since eight of the first nine presidents were British born.... Hmmm..... strange, huh? As it turns out the reason was a very early form of a very current fear.... foreigners. Though the framers of the Constitution reasons for doing so are now outdated, back then they were concerned about foreign subversion due to experiencing similar situations that took place in Europe. In Poland Stanislaus II was a "put in place" foreign monarch that fell prey to other dignitaries that ended up dividing the country amongst themselves. King George I of England was another that was a little closer to home for the colonists. Born in Hanover Germany he took the throne speaking absolutely no English and started a dynasty that lasted for generations. It was not farfetched to them that a European noble could possibly take control and return the newly found nation to a monarchy with overseas ties, if not give the country back to England in some foreign deal. With several European figures that were considered hero's of the Revolutionary War, this was a distinct possibility....229 years ago. I'm pretty sure that Prince Charles isn't conspiring to raid our political system, run for president, win and then unite Old Glory with the Union Jack. I have to admit that I do have my suspicions about Sarah Ferguson though.... there's something oddly unsettling about her freckles... but that could just be me, though.Not only is the natural born clause archaic, it is widely misinterpreted. The stipulation merely states that a president must be a "natural born" citizen. It states absolutely nothing about being born on American soil. Even though many believe, incorrectly, that this is what constitutes a "natural" birth, most legal experts and courts interpret the clause meaning that those who wish to run for president must be born to a US citizen in order to be eligible. It doesn't matter where the person is born and only one parent is required to be a US citizen. George Romney, Mitt's father, was born in Mexico, but was allowed to run in 1968. John McCain was born in Panama and Barry Goldwater was born in the Arizona territory before it became a state. Nobody questioned their citizenship that I remember. Misunderstanding the law has brought many cases of ineligibility to be tried in our courts. Some voters also believe that an opposing party could technically challenge against a possible non-native born candidate. Although there have been may accusations, my research has shown it has very seldom come to vetting a candidate through ballot access and never successful. It's more a form of political trash talk used to feed voters disinformation about opponents than a matter of law.
Another question it posed to me is what exactly is so great about being a natural born citizen anyway? What makes a "birther" a better person for the job than someone not born here in a country full of immigrants? I'm having trouble with that philosophy. Timothy McVey and Terry Nichols were "natural born" citizens that also considered themselves patriots. So what if they loaded up that truck with fertilizer and diesel fuel and parked it in front of that building in Oklahoma? Theodore Kaczynski, US born and raised, believed that scientific, industrial and technological progress caused he human race to live in misery, so he sent out letter bombs to those that supported it. Although it was probably the hoodie and sunglasses that put people off. Eric Rudolph detonated a device at the 1996 Olympics and bombed several abortion clinics in 1997 and 1998 but at least he was as true as an apple pie from the roots of the all American family tree when he was blowing up those people.
The truth of the matter is that not only is the natural born clause defunct, it simply doesn't matter anymore. With the influx of immigration over the past 200 plus years, the possible threat of foreign manipulation is all but extinct. Far be it from me to point out to "natural born" president supporters that every other office in our government, besides the president and vice-president, can be held by non-natural born citizens. That's it.... US citizens by birth or naturalization... doesn't matter which. The requirement that those who wish to hold or may hold the office of president be a natural born citizen has outlived its usefulness of the intent of the architects of our constitution and wastes valuable time in our courts hearing cases over the matter. It is used now in a way to keep potential candidates out of the highest office in our government based simply on where they were born. It has transformed from a motive of protection for our county from foreign influence to a form of political prejudice used by some to cause discord among the population against the executive office and those that seek it. Only when collectively we realize that the melting pot that forged our country is the source of our strength as a nation will we be able to see that the only ones that our manipulating us is our own "natural born" politicians. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, I have to find my birth certificate.
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