Obama's Birth Certificate Released

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Not trying to be difficult here, I just don't understand why he wouldn't be eligible for the office of the presidency.

Because you're describing a statutory definition. The question in the case of the president is whether he or she meets the constitutional requirement, not the statutory definition.

And I'm not saying he wasn't/isn't eligible. I'm just saying the question it isn't limited to nutjobs.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Not necessarily. There are residency conditions the mother must meet in order to pass citizenship on to her child. I'm not saying this doesn't apply to Obama (I don't know much about his mother) I'm just pointing out that there are situations where U.S. citizen mothers CANNOT pass down citizenship.

Yep, I'm aware of that, and he's still an American by those criteria. People, however, argue that there is a higher bar set for President. That would be what MysticCat is referring you to on the older thread. If you want to apply this logic, both are US citizens no matter where they were born...though Obama was born in Hawaii which passes the higher limitation.

[SOM]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Not necessarily. There are residency conditions the mother must meet in order to pass citizenship on to her child. I'm not saying this doesn't apply to Obama (I don't know much about his mother) I'm just pointing out that there are situations where U.S. citizen mothers CANNOT pass down citizenship.



It's only complicated because people want to make it that way.

The PCZ was a U.S. Territory at the time of McCain's birth, I could see the controversy if he was born on foreign soil but since he wasn't...

Pursuant to 8 USCS § 1401, the following persons can acquire citizenship by jus soli:

-A person born in the U.S., and subject to its jurisdiction.
-A person born in the U.S. as a member of an Indian, Eskimo, Aleutian, or other aboriginal tribe.
-A person of unknown parentage found in the U.S. while under the age of five year. The person can remain a U.S. citizen if it is not shown before s/he attains twenty five years that the person was not born in the U.S.
-A person born in an outlying possession of the U.S. (i.e., including Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal Zone, Panama, the Virgin Islands and Guam.) of parents, one of whom is a citizen of the U.S. who has been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year at any time prior to the birth of such person.

Not trying to be difficult here, I just don't understand why he wouldn't be eligible for the office of the presidency.

PiKA2001:
Not to start any thing and not to be at all difficult with you or several of the other posters-who have written some rather interesting POV's and thought-But did you take the time to review the links that I posted? There are people a great deal more educated on this subject than I that do not see this as a slam dunk matter-now or perhaps in the future.

[SOM]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Given the legal precedent, it actually is more complicated than that. McCain was born the Panama Canal Zone (although some say he was born at a hospital outside the Canal Zone). There is honest difference of legal opinion about whether one is a "natural-born citizen" within the meaning of the Constitution under those circumstances, even when born of American parents.

I know we had a discussion about this back in 2008, but I can't find it now.

MysticCat: Very good posting and thoughts.

[moe.ron]

Obama strikes back against Trump

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCkTz...layer_embedded

[TonyB06]

Besides the fact that Romney's staff apparently cannot spell "America," both he and President Obama appear to be following George Bush's 2004 model, apparently believing it to be easier to squeeze more performance/turn out from your base than to win out with "independents" (which I think there are far fewer of than those self identify, by the way).

Personally, I think the "birther" thing is played. Most sane people accept the President's Hawaiian birth, the birthers think otherwise; but if it'll make a few more conspiracists turn out for MR, he'll take it. Why else would Romney, on the day he clinches the nomination (1144 delegates) step on his own story with Donald Trump dominating his headlines?

[PiKA2001]

Nice try but Romney isn't a birther (he's actually ridiculed the idea) and to call somebody who supports a candidate their "surrogate" is just dumb. But hey, if that's the way it goes nowadays I guess Bill Ayers is Obama's surrogate.

I also fail to see how Romney is bringing up the birther issue by this statement.

“I was speaking with one of these business owners who owns a couple of restaurants in town,” said Romney at a campaign event here in Las Vegas, mentioning a private roundtable he held ahead of the event with local residents. “And he said you know I’d like to change the constitution.”
“I’d like to have a provision in the constitution that in addition to the age of the president and the citizenship of the president and the birthplace of the president being set by the constitution, I’d like it also to say that the president has to spend at least three years working in business before he could become President of the United States,” said Romney, recalling the businessowner’s suggestion.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

. . . and to call somebody who supports a candidate their "surrogate" is just dumb.

Especially when that someone is a loose cannon like Trump.

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Nice try but Romney isn't a birther (he's actually ridiculed the idea) and to call somebody who supports a candidate their "surrogate" is just dumb. But hey, if that's the way it goes nowadays I guess Bill Ayers is Obama's surrogate.

I also fail to see how Romney is bringing up the birther issue by this statement.

I didn't know if you were referencing my post or one of the previously listed links in the OP, but I never suggested Romney was a "birther."

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by TonyB06

I didn't know if you were referencing my post or one of the previously listed links in the OP, but I never suggested Romney was a "birther."

I think he was referring to DrPhil's post.

Originally Posted by Article linked to by DrPhil and quoted by PiKA2001

“I was speaking with one of these business owners who owns a couple of restaurants in town,” said Romney at a campaign event here in Las Vegas, mentioning a private roundtable he held ahead of the event with local residents. “And he said you know I’d like to change the constitution.”
“I’d like to have a provision in the constitution that in addition to the age of the president and the citizenship of the president and the birthplace of the president being set by the constitution, I’d like it also to say that the president has to spend at least three years working in business before he could become President of the United States,” said Romney, recalling the businessowner’s suggestion.

I guess they know that would have eliminated Reagan from the running.

[amIblue?]

Also Eisenhower too, right? Wasn't he a lifelong military man?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

Also Eisenhower too, right? Wasn't he a lifelong military man?

Yep. And, as best I can recall JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Ford, GHW Bush and Clinton -- or everybody since WWII except Truman (a failed businessman, thanks to the Depression), Carter and GW Bush. (Of course, the man Romney quoted could say "and look where that got us!" )

But I just went with the one relatively recent president whom I would wager Romney at least, and perhaps the man he was quoting, would say was a great president.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I think he was referring to DrPhil's post.


I guess they know that would have eliminated Reagan from the running.

I dunno.. what does Romney's buddy thing "business" is?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I dunno.. what does Romney's buddy thing "business" is?

Uh, guys? Come on, it's not for nothing that they call it show business.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Uh, guys? Come on, it's not for nothing that they call it show business.

Yeah, but it's like no business I know.