Uncle Sam wants you. Maybe.
There's an interesting editorial in the January 9 issue of Newsweek by Anna Quindlen. Her essential point is that the residency qualification for president should be struck down.
I don't agree with Quindlen though it's not something that I care about all that much, pro or con. I also don't think she makes a very good argument for changing the residency requirement. Her main premise is that by having the Presidency open to everyone, young people would be more likely to enter politics. She also adds that as the population of immigrants increases--about 12% of the US population was currently born elsewhere--it's prejudicial to deny the top office to the foreign born.
Since the residency requirement is laid down in the Constitution, the only way to change it would be to get a 2/3 majority in both the House and Senate and also ratification by at least 75% of the states. That's just not very likely.
What do you think? Should the US Presidency be open to anyone at all? Should there be requirements, but not as strict? Stricter, perhaps?
I don't agree with Quindlen though it's not something that I care about all that much, pro or con. I also don't think she makes a very good argument for changing the residency requirement. Her main premise is that by having the Presidency open to everyone, young people would be more likely to enter politics. She also adds that as the population of immigrants increases--about 12% of the US population was currently born elsewhere--it's prejudicial to deny the top office to the foreign born.
Since the residency requirement is laid down in the Constitution, the only way to change it would be to get a 2/3 majority in both the House and Senate and also ratification by at least 75% of the states. That's just not very likely.
What do you think? Should the US Presidency be open to anyone at all? Should there be requirements, but not as strict? Stricter, perhaps?
Age and Citizenship requirements - US Constitution, Article II, Section 1
No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.
Term limit amendment - US Constitution, Amendment XXII, Section 1 – ratified February 27, 1951
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.
No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.
Term limit amendment - US Constitution, Amendment XXII, Section 1 – ratified February 27, 1951
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.
Comments
That, and under a new premise of ANYone can be President, we might end up having to learn how to speak Chinese. (I know, not very deep.) ;-)
3T
But my way of thinking is why take chances? Even if the danger is quite remote.
Now, on the other hand, I think we should start electing black, women, etc presidents too. Ideally, we should elect a black lesbian female jew as president :) Not to promote diversity, but because a black lesbian female jew would not take crap from anyone else, know what it's like to live hard, and be open-minded to the problems ALL Americans face, not just the white English-speaking upper class Americans.
That's just my 2 cents :D
Have a groovy day.
Lois Lane