Time for Naturalized Citizens has come
For some reason the Founders decided that only persons born within the United States should become President. Thus, every since that day, naturalized citizens of the United States have been barred from serving. So much for the American dream!
In an LA Times op-ed piece, historian Richard Tedlow uses the biography of Intel founder, Andy Grove, as an example of why this should change. We think of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a possible presidential candidate, if only he weren't born in Austria. But as Tedlow points out there are lots of important contributors to American life who are naturalized citizens. It' s a good thing that the nation doesn't prevent them from serving as business leaders, inventors, and more.
I agree, why should this relic of a different age prevent perhaps a most accomplished person from serving as President. Since I'm not an Arnold backer, I say this not to allow him to serve, but to free others who could lead us into the future. The time is now for change!
In an LA Times op-ed piece, historian Richard Tedlow uses the biography of Intel founder, Andy Grove, as an example of why this should change. We think of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a possible presidential candidate, if only he weren't born in Austria. But as Tedlow points out there are lots of important contributors to American life who are naturalized citizens. It' s a good thing that the nation doesn't prevent them from serving as business leaders, inventors, and more.
The prohibition against naturalized citizens becoming president of the United States is as counterproductive as a similar prohibition on their becoming chief executives of major corporations would be. It is telling that no other governmental position in the country is similarly restricted. The other branches of government all welcome naturalized citizens. Foreign-born U.S. citizens have served with great distinction in the Cabinet, from Alexander Hamilton, President Washington's brilliant and indispensable secretary of the Treasury, who was born in the West Indies, to Prague-born Madeleine Albright, President Clinton's secretary of State.
I agree, why should this relic of a different age prevent perhaps a most accomplished person from serving as President. Since I'm not an Arnold backer, I say this not to allow him to serve, but to free others who could lead us into the future. The time is now for change!
Comments
Or maybe you can't, but trust me, when he was running I went around saying, "Can't you remember all the awful things he did when he was governor (like dumping the mentally ill out on the street with no net whatsoever)?" but nobody could. What we should probably have is a prohibition against movie stars, not immigrants.
It is incredible how so long after it was written our constitution is still saving us. It must have been to some extent been divinely inspired.