In a dramatic development, Canadian-born Sen. Ted Cruz delivered his Canadian birth certificate to the Dallas Morning News and in the process, discovered that he is Canadian. While there is some debate as to whether a foreign-born national qualifies for president of the United States, we should focus on the big picture.
In an attempt to bring some clarity to this issue, here are the top 5 reasons Ted Cruz's Canadian citizenship would be an asset to America if Cruz were elected president.
5. Territorial Expansion. By electing a Canadian, we would be fulfilling a long-held American dream of owning Canada. Not since George Washington sent Benedict Arnold to try to capture Canada have we been so close to realizing that dream. President Ted Cruz could, like President James Polk did to one-half of Mexico, simply annex his home land, thereby almost doubling the national territory of the United States. Big bonus: finally achieving, thanks to Canada's abundant oil reserves, energy independence.
4. Immigration reform. Electing a foreign-born president would create a new climate in America for immigration reform. Gone would be the rancid comments from the likes of Rep. Steve "Cantaloupes" King, replaced with a fresh appreciation of the great contribution immigrants make to America. Nothing says "immigrants built this country" like serving in the White House. President Cruz would be a great ambassador for immigrants everywhere.
3. God ordained it. While we have a strict Constitutional mandate of separation of Church and state, the Queen of Canada, Elizabeth II, is of course the Head of the Church of England, too. That one of her subjects, Ted Cruz, could rise to the presidency of a former British colony like the U.S. can't simply be an accident. Besides, Cruz's father has already confirmed that God has chosen Ted for the big time.
2. Will and Kate. One day William and Katherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will be King and Queen of Canada, which would make Cruz the first presidential subject of a foreign monarch since William Henry Harrison (who was born under the reign of Prince William's ancestor, King George III). As the global media swoon over the royal couple's baby shows, they're the coolest royals in the world -- America could use some of the reflected glow from the freshly repainted British monarchy.
1. Health care. No one is better equipped to roll out Obamacare than someone who was born in a hospital run by Canada's excellent national health care system. Cruz is uniquely experienced in how a single-payer health care system can boost health outcomes while controlling costs. He is the spokesman Obamacare has been needing -- and Cruz's prize-winning debating skills should give him ample rhetorical tools to convince Tea Partiers everywhere that universal health care does not lead to socialism.
There are many more reasons why having the first Canadian-born president of the United States would be great. I just hope that all the Birthers -- yes, you, Donald Trump -- can see beyond the headline "Ted Cruz Is Canadian!" and grasp the great opportunity for our country in embracing this particular immigrant as our next President.