A Vote for President Schwarzenegger Is a Vote Against the "Birthers"

Even at my most drunk and grandiose, I would not attempt to convince anyone that I'd make a better president than Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arianna Huffington, Mel Martinez, Jennifer Granholm, Henry Kissinger, Andrew Sullivan, Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, or Anh Cao.

None of those people can be your president. I can.

Why?

Because I'm made of sturdier iron than Thatcher? No. Simply because I was born here.

Because I've wrestled budget messes more capably than Arnold? No. Simply because I was born here.

Because I'm more astute than Arianna? No. Simply because I was born here.

Because I know more about Congress from reading books than Martinez knows from being a senator? No. Simply because I was born here.

Because I've led a state facing more challenges than Granholm's Michigan? No. Simply because I was born here.

Because I have Cao's refugee perspective on why it's worth risking one's life to make it to the safe harbor of America? No. Simply because I was born here.

If I'm ever your president and you find yourself realizing that Schwarzenegger, Huffington, Martinez, Granholm, Kissinger, Sullivan, Mandela, Thatcher, or Cao could be doing a vastly better job, please take comfort in the knowledge that I was born in Port Jefferson, New York. What's more, I was born in Port Jefferson, New York before I could even think or make choices for myself. Talk about foresight.

I mean, really. Cuba?! Vietnam?! Canada?!!! What were those fetuses thinking?

It's as if none of them had read Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution. It's right there: "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 ..."

Let's get serious here.

Article II, Section 1 should be amended. It's antiquated. What's more, it is all that gives even the flimsiest veneer of legitimacy to the ongoing fringe fixation on Barack Obama's birth certificate and the claims by so-called "birthers" that the president is not an American citizen qualified to serve as president. (Incidentally, the birthers and their claims got the last best smackdown they deserve from Jon Stewart here.)

To be clear, I don't propose we amend the Constitution to render Obama eligible to remain president. Obama was born here. He's eligible. That does not seem to be open to sane debate.

But Article II, Section 1, as I said, is antiquated. The worldview it has come to represent -- the paranoid xenophobia of the birthers -- deserves to be repudiated. Not recklessly, mind you. America's founders included these restrictions for a reason.

In the wake of the Revolutionary War, the founders didn't want a Constitution that would permit the king of England to run for U.S. president. I get that. Nowadays, we need a Constitution that eliminates any chance that Osama bin Laden might win the presidency by hiring Rove and Carville to cobble together the God-hates-gays vote and the it's-the-economy-stupid vote. I get that, too. I even get that we want a Constitution that prevents Nicolas Sarkozy from winning the White House in 2012 by squiring Carla Bruni around on a presidential campaign tour of America's beaches.

But I don't see who it hurts if Sarkozy wants to resign as president of France, move here, participate in our civic life, become a citizen, and run for the American presidency as soon as he becomes eligible under the amended Constitution. In 2032, let's say.

We deserve better than the status quo. It's a short-sighted patriotism -- and indeed a perverse, self-defeating conservatism -- that decides in the maternity ward itself that Margaret Thatcher will never, ever, under any circumstances be worthy of the presidential aspiration that is the birthright of Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann.

Huffington Post blogger David Quigg lives in Seattle. His own blog is here. His Twitter feed is here.

Comments

[SeymourButz]

This article is a little hard to understand. Do you really think the best way to address the "birther" phenomenon is the change the Constitution? If anything, this will make the birthers even louder. Not only will they look at it as a government conspiracy, they will now have "proof" that Obama is not a native born citizen, even though he is.

Secondly, do you really understand the implications of changing that part of the Const? I am a liberal in many ways, but I think there are some rights that should be extended to only native born citizens, the presidency being one. Changing that could turn the world into a free-for-all for the American presidency.

[ddadm09]

I never thought birth of Obama will become such a big discussion topic. I am following this closely to see where this conspiracy ends. Meanwhile I have collected some good articles and sites related to Barack Obama (more than 200 sites or articles). If you are interested take a look at the below link
http://markthispage.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-do-i-get-information-about-barack.html

[snesich]

Actually, David, this piece of yours, intentionally or otherwise, effectively gives some sort of credence to the "birthers".

I'm hoping you meant it as satire.

[David Quigg - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for reading and commenting. Please help me out, though.

My dictionary defines "credence" as "belief in or acceptance of something as true." Help me understand the sense in which my piece "gives some sort of credence to the 'birthers'."

In case anyone is unsure, I'll repeat what I wrote: "Obama was born here. He's eligible. That does not seem to be open to sane debate."

If readers finished the piece unclear on those points and wondering whether the whole thing was intended as satire, that's my fault as a writer. I'll strive to be more clear in the future.

For comparison's sake, here are two examples of how I do satire:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-quigg/mccain-and-the-clouseau-d_b_141926.html

http://arithmeticofhope.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/03/president-hilla.html

[SeymourButz]

I agree with snesich. Amending the Constitution to allow foreign born people to become President will not stop the "birther" movement from claiming Obama is foreign born. If anything, it will add to their suspicions that this is a big "government conspiracy."

[KipFromCalif]

Thank you Mr. Quigg for your response to my comment on Cherita's post (sorry for not seeing it). It was kind of hidden there and I didn't notice it at first (had to click to expand it). I think that you're right that immigrants should at least have the ability to dream of becoming president. I also agree that we need to silence the birther movement. All it would take is a simply worded amendment to the Constitution: "Any person who has been a US citizen, naturalized or born, for 35 years is eligible to be President or Vice President of the United States of America".

Unfortunately, the process to amend the Constitution is incredibly difficult and has only been done 17 times. If you're truly serious, someone would be needed who has some sway with a congressperson to get something this monumental started. Doesn't an amendment have to originate in the congress? Then, it goes to states for final approval. Got any ideas on who could start this? Doubt my representa­tive/senat­or would listen to me even though getting a US Constitutional Amendment passed would look nice on their record.

[gypsy508]

I would disagree that the times we live in are the reason to suspend this part of the Constitution. Sure it is easy to give Arianna and Arnold as examples but it is a small price to pay. Doing so in today's world would invite every foreign country to send their wealthiest children to America to become citizens and possibly President. Some nations certainly have the money to make this happen. It would be in their best national interest to at least try. While there may be some argument to a world without borders, I wouldn't be willing to give up control of the U.S. to foreign interests just yet.

[SeymourButz]

agreed completely.

[KipFromCalif]

I, too, always thought that this section of the Constitution should be amended for the modern era (really, is there any chance some European prince could come and take over the country these days). My idea is to combine the two requirements into one. Currently, you have to be 35 years old and a natural born citizen. How about, instead, we have a single requirement that you be a US citizen (naturalized or natural born) for 35 years. This way, immigrants can be eligible to be president 35 years after they become a citizen. For example, if you became a citizen at 10 years old, you would be eligible to run for president (or VP) when you became 45. Of course, if you were born here, you'd still be able to run at 35 years old with this rule. I think that after living here and being a citizen for 35 years, you have shown sufficient loyalty to this country and should at least be eligible to run for president (or VP). I was born here and I have no problem with that kind of amendment so that some of our talented immigrants have at least the chance to be considered for the job. The ultimate American Dream shouldn't be kept from them.

[Cherita Smith]

Your point would have been better made had you not used Arnold Schwarzenegger as a prime example of the shining political goodness we're missing out on in the Oval Office because of the geography of his birth. In his case, it can only be good for our country that he's from Austria and thus unable to be POTUS. Just sayin'.

[David Quigg - Huffpost Blogger]

Many thanks to you, Cherita, and to the others who took time to read and share comments. I'm sorry if my post left you thinking that I believe Schwarzenegger or any of my other examples necessarily twinkle with "shining political goodness." I was trying to make a much more basic point: Schwarzenegger has been governor of California and I once served as a small newspaper's interim editor during a maternity leave, so I think it's silly that the Constitution hands little old me -- not Schwarzenegger -- the hypothetical prospect of being president.

Whatever you might think of Schwarzenegger, I suspect you would agree that somewhere in America there is an even less competent, less enlightened politician who stands some chance of becoming president some day. As long as that remains true, I don't see what we gain by making it impossible for Schwarzenegger to run for president.

[KipFromCalif]

Mr. Quigg, what do you think about amending the Constitution to allowing anyone to be eligible as long as they have been a US citizen (naturalized or born) for 35 years? That way, if you're born here, the usual 35 year old requirement stays intact and it also allows immigrants the ability to run once they've passed their 35th year of US citizenship. I think that would be the ideal compromise. What are your thoughts?

[OverIt]

You lost me at "war criminal" --- ahem --- I mean Kissinger. NEXT.

[David Quigg - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for reading and commenting.

If I'd meant my post purely as a sales job, I'd be kicking myself right now. But your comment leaves me glad that I included Kissinger in my list. Amending the Constitution is serious. I'd feel terrible if I tailored my list to the HuffPost audience and tricked anyone into believing that an amendment like this would only benefit progressive candidates.

If Kissinger is so repugnant to you that you think the Constitution should prevent you from getting the chance to vote against him in a presidential election, then this is not the amendment for you.

As for me, I'd leave the Constitution exactly as it is if I thought outlawing foreign-born presidents would spare us the shame of being governed by someone who violates international laws and standards of human decency.

George W. Bush was born in New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Dick Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
So keeping the Constitution as it is doesn't seem to spare us any such shame.

[Lendall]

Correct me if I am wrong, but was there not a debate when Barry Goldwater ran for president that he was ineligible because when he was born, Arizona was a territory, not a state?

I happen to have been born abroad of American parents. My father was in the military. After a couple of months my parents moved back to the States, and I did not leave the country again until I was in my thirties. When I was in elementary school, my father explained to me that whatever my ambitions in life might or might not be, whatever goal I might set for myself, that goal could never be to become "President of the United States."

Ever since that day when my father laid that bombshell on me, I have been depressed. I have lacked ambition. Everything has seemed futile.

Then I read about little "Barry" Obama at age 10 or 11 or so, telling his school chums in Indonesia that he wanted to be president.

Come to think of it, was George Washington born in the United States? Or Thomas Jefferson?

[gypsy508]

John McCain proved it wasn't an issue. He was born on U.S. territory in Panama.

[KipFromCalif]

Lendall, I actually think your dad's wrong and you are able to run for president. It doesn't matter that you were born abroad, if at least one of parents were a US citizen. This is one of the birther myths that they use once their other delusions are found to be untrue. They say that if you're born abroad that you are ineligible. As far as the research has shown me, even people who are born abroad are eligible (they are still considered natural born due to other amendments). The only people who are not eligible are immigrants who have been naturalized. If you are a US citizen, born to US citizens, you are eligible. Anyways, that's why I'd like to see it cleaned up with an amendment like the one I proposed above: Anyone is eligible to run for president as long as they have been a US citizen (naturalized or natural born) for 35 years.

Also, you questioned about George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. I believe the first seven presidents were technically born in the British Colonies, but the section the author quotes above also includes citizens at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, so they're all OK. Just to clear that up for you.