A History Lesson - Cont'd - 2

further from Tea Party C.C.: ‘Carly: a flawed candidate’ - August 10

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Permalink Reply by Roberto Benitez 1 hour ago (August 13)

Joy, I believe that both Rubio and Jindal are Natural born Citizens and ARE therefore eligible to be president according to US law (which many reject) and Court rulings and the 14th Amendment (which many not only reject but despise).They, like Cruz, G. Romney, and McCain were never Naturalized, so either they're NBCs as no other category for citizenship exists or they're illegal aliens serving illegally. The critics can't have it both ways, not NBCs but legal.

In my opinion, perhaps biased as I'm Hispanic, it's due to a belief by some that they're not really eligible because they're not WASPs.

Still, because of widespread confusion and disagreement, I believe it behooves the States to call for an Amendment to clarify the issue. For one thing, I believe anchor baby citizenship status should be eliminated as all other industrialized nations have done.

Thanks.

Bob

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Permalink Reply by Stan Stanfield 1 second ago (August 13)

Bob,

"...either they're NBCs as no other category for citizenship exists or they're illegal aliens serving illegally. The critics can't have it both ways, not NBCs but legal."

Not so.  There is the category of a DUAL citizen for one  And that category is what the NBC requirement was/is all about: to keep anyone out of that particular office who has DUAL allegiance, not total allegiance to the U.S., from BOTH parents being U.S. citizens.

Besides the puzo website that I recommended, there are the two short videos by Prof. Herb Titus on this subject that I also could recommend; and specifically as to the various citizenship categories, there is CDR C.F. Kerchner (Ret.)'s website: an excellent source of info as well.

As for the 'anchor baby' thing, that is a perverted result of shoddy legalism - the 14th Amendment does NOT confer automatic U.S. citizenship on people who are not domiciled in the country LEGALLY.  "Subject to the jurisdiction thereof" means that they are resident here LEGALLY, not subject to the jurisdiction of their parents' home country.  A huge cleanup of the corrupt federal government is in order, in this, as in many other areas.

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If this sort of back-and-forth continues, I hope that I am given the space in the debate to point out that John Jay (who, it will be recalled, recommended to G. Washington that the C. Convention, in its formulation of the Constitution, require the office of the president & Commander in Chief of the nation's military forces to be a "natural born" citizen) was not only a leading statesman of the time, and subsequently chosen to be the first Chief Justice of the new U.S. Supreme Court - such was the respect for his knowledge, perspective, and mental and moral acumen - but was one of the key contributors - along with Madison and Hamilton - to what became known as the Federalist Papers; the pre-eminent authoritative analysis of the Constitution. 

No slouch he, then.