[Peace-discuss] FW: Only Natural Born Citizen can run for President

[Karen Medina]

(cute, laurie)

Actually, over the years, there has been some conversation over who is a natural 
born citizen of the US.

factoid: John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

factiod: Berg v. Obama, 08-04083 (E.D. Pa. 2008)
Philip J. Berg made an allegation that Barack Obama is not a natural born citizen 
and is therefore ineligible to run for President.
http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-
courts/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2008cv04083/281573/20/

Wikipedia has a good article on Natural Born Citizen
"The requirements for citizenship and the very definition thereof have changed 
since the Constitution was ratified in 1788. Congress first recognized the 
citizenship of children born to U.S. parents overseas on March 26, 1790, under 
the first naturalization law: "And the children of citizens of the United States 
that may be born beyond sea, or outside the limits of the United States, shall be 
considered as natural born citizens." (See ref. for the Act of 1795)[11][12]

"The Fourteenth Amendment mentions two types of citizenship: citizenship by 
birth and citizenship by law (naturalized citizens): "All persons born or 
naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are 
citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

"All persons born in the United States, except those not subject to the 
jurisdiction of the U.S. government (such as children of foreign diplomats) are 
citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment. Persons born in the United States, 
and persons born on foreign soil to two U.S. parents, are born American citizens 
and are classified as citizens at birth under 8 USC 1401. There is some debate 
over whether persons who were born US citizens and are classified as citizens at 
birth under U.S. law should also be considered citizens "by birth," whether they 
should all be considered to be "naturalized," or whether they should be 
considered "statutory citizens." There is also some debate over whether there is 
a meaningful legal distinction between citizens "at birth", citizens "by birth" and 
"statutory citizens" since U.S. law makes no such distinction, nor does the 
Fourteenth Amendment use the term "at birth." Current U.S. statutes define 
certain individuals born overseas as "citizens at birth."[13] One side of the 
argument interprets the Constitution as meaning that a person either is born in 
the United States or is a naturalized citizen. According to this view, in order to 
be a "natural born citizen," a person must be born in the United States, or 
possibly an incorporated territory; otherwise, they are a citizen "by law" and are 
therefore a "statutory citizen," (not necessarily, however, a naturalized citizen, 
which implies a pre-existing foreign citizenship).[2] Current State Department 
policy reads: "Despite widespread popular belief, U.S. military installations 
abroad and U.S. diplomatic or consular facilities are not part of the United States 
within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. A child born on the premises of 
such a facility is not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and does not 
acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth."[14] However, the State Department 
is of the opinion that this does not affect those who are born abroad to U.S. 
citizens and who otherwise meet the qualifications for statutory citizenship.[15]"
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural-born_citizen
 
---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:43:56 -0600
>From: "LAURIE SOLOMON" <LAURIE at ADVANCENET.NET>  
>Subject: [Peace-discuss] FW: Only Natural Born Citizen can run for President  
>To: <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>
>    
>
>   A high school government class was discussing the
>   qualifications for candidates for President of the
>   United States.  It was pretty simple:  the candidate
>   must be a natural born citizen and at least 35 years
>   of age. 
>
>     One girl in the class immediately started in on
>     how unfair it was that the candidate had to be
>     a natural born citizen.  In short, her opinion was
>     that this requirement prevented many capable
>     individuals from becoming president.  The
>     instructor and the class were just taking it all
>     in and letting her rant, but everyone's jaw hit
>     the floor when she wrapped up her argument by
>     stating . . .
>
>     ''What makes a natural born citizen any more
>     qualified to lead this country than one born by
>     C-section?"
>
>    
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