posted on September 15, 2004 06:17:28 PM newRohrabacher seeks to let foreign-born citizens run for president.
Posted on Wed, Sep. 15, 2004
WASHINGTON - A California Republican congressman introduced a constitutional amendment Wednesday that would allow Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to run for president. But he insisted the candidate he really wants to see is a 76-year-old House Democrat from Hungary.
"There are those here today who will interpret this constitutional proposal permitting naturalized citizens to serve as president as a political ploy," Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, an early supporter of Schwarzenegger's gubernatorial bid, said in remarks prepared for the House floor.
"This is no ploy. I honestly believe that Tom Lantos should be able to seek the highest office in the land, just like any other elected official."
Lantos, D-Calif., who's served in the House for more than two decades, said he was flattered but saw no need to amend the Constitution.
"However, if the Austro-Hungarian Empire is re-established in the United States, I will invite Arnold Schwarzenegger to be my lieutenant," he said.
Joking aside, Rohrabacher said in an interview that Schwarzenegger is doing a great job as governor and voters might want to elect him president one day. But the Orange County lawmaker said that was just a short-term benefit to his proposal to allow anyone who's been a citizen for 20 years or more to be eligible to run for president.
"We've got some talented people who might be able to help our country and provide some much-needed leadership, and there's no reason if they've been a citizen for over 20 years to exclude them," Rohrabacher said.
His proposed amendment has companion legislation in the Senate authored by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
Schwarzenegger, who became a citizen in 1983, has said he supports amending the Constitution so he and other foreign-born citizens could be president. But he's sidestepped questions about whether he might want to run, saying he's focused on governing California.
It takes two-thirds majority votes in both the House and the Senate for Congress to propose a constitutional amendment, and then three-fourths of states must pass it, too.
posted on September 15, 2004 06:27:03 PM new
No, only US American BORN
It is nice that a naturalized citizen can hold an elected office, however I would never want to see a natualized citizen be allowed to run for President... even Arnold.
posted on September 15, 2004 07:05:45 PM new
If the person in question has been a citizen for 20 or 30 years, I don't see much problem.
This really all revolves around Arnold, whether they admit it or not. I'm not in California, so I really have no idea how good or bad of a job he's doing. But like him or hate him, I really see no reason he shouldn't be allowed to run.
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posted on September 15, 2004 09:09:16 PM new
He became a typical politician very early in the game Replay. Abandoned common sence and actual public good to pander to the voters from day one.
Good thing there are so many Indian casinos in San Diego County. They are paying to rebuild the firehouses and replace equipment lost in the fires last season since Arnold decided that the auto licensing taxes that would have aassisted in the replacement really were not neccessary and repealed them as his first act in office.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on September 15, 2004 09:13:32 PM new
Auto taxes were not abolished--he just did away with the extremely unpopular increase (or rollback too earlier levels, as it were).
____________________
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posted on September 16, 2004 08:46:48 AM new
I am a naturalised citizen who has been in this country for over 20 years,there are still aspects of american culture i dont understand.
Yeah,i can read about it in the news,i can hear people talk about it in english but it does not mean i grasp it as well as a native born.
Unless a person has been living in this country since he was say no more than 7 years old,that person is never really an american.
which does not mean we are bad people,but i just wonder someone like arnold can really grasp the issues ,of course someone from a different culture bring different perspective to the situation,which make him a valuable advisor.
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posted on September 16, 2004 08:47:41 AM new
That's what I was referring to Bunni - sorry if it came across incorrectly.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
Prevent Bigotry through Education.