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Wendy
SFN Regular
USA
614 Posts |
 Posted - 11/10/2004 : 09:13:18
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It's old news that Arnold Schwarzenegger would like to amend the Constitution so that he (and others born outside the United States) would be eligible to be President.
http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/entertainers/actors/arnold-schwarzenegger/
I'm curious as to how the people here would feel about such an Amendment, and why.
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Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do on a rainy afternoon.
-- Susan Ertz
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Edited by - Wendy on 11/10/2004 11:29:45
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
 Posted - 11/10/2004 : 09:31:39 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Wendy
It's old news that Arnold Schwarzenegger would like to amend the Constitution so that he (and others born outside the United States) would be eligible to be President. . . I'm curious as to how the people here would feel about such an Amendment, and why.
Strangely, there's some irrational knee-jerk reaction in me that makes me hesitant to do this. Why? I'm not sure. Perhaps I'm worried that, in, say, Arnold's case, there'd be some crazy new alliance with Austria, where they all of a sudden get billions in econimc aid, a squadron of F-22 Raptors, and we all have to eat Wiener Schnitzel and drink Zipfer beer.
OK-- so that's obviously irrational and stupid. In the end, I can't think of a serious objection to removing the stipulation, and yet I still can't bring myself to say that it should be removed. Call it the latent American xenophobe factor. |
| Edited by - Cuneiformist on 11/10/2004 13:45:37 |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 09:39:54 [Permalink]
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| Well american seem to be doing a really bad job of it, so I dont know how we could do worse with outsiders. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 09:52:21 [Permalink]
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Call me an xenophobe if you must, but no.
I think that the framers of the Constitution had good reason not to allow this. Cuneiformist has said it for me. There might be too much forign influcence placed upon our government. Yes, we have problems, but they're our problems.
Arnie as Prez? The mind boggles.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 09:58:45 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Wendy
It's old news that Arnold Schwarzenegger would like to amend the Constitution so that he (and others born outside the United States) would be eligible to be President.
http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/entertainers/actors/arnold-schwarzenegger/
I'm curious as to how the people here would feel about such an Amendment, and why.
No freakin way.
The current set up had to do with charismatic individuals from foreign countries moving here to specifically run for President that may have foreign commitments instead of the US as sole commitment. It's a concern of 200+ years ago that still makes sense. I see no reason to change it.
Call me a xenophobe, but I cannot see where citizens of foreign nations can come to another nation and run it better.
On a humorous note, if you really want to hear about President Schwartzenegger, rent "Demolition Man". |
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 10:05:56 [Permalink]
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| I think Presidents should come from France. They talk cool and we won't be able to tell what they're saying, so we can't accuse them of lying. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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| Edited by - Gorgo on 11/10/2004 10:07:17 |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 10:07:21 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
and we all have to eat Wiener Schnitzel and drink Zipfer beer.
What's wrong with that? I'm told that any beer tops American...   |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 10:18:30 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
quote:
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
and we all have to eat Wiener Schnitzel and drink Zipfer beer.
What's wrong with that? I'm told that any beer tops American...
You got that right, Doc! I've drank beer almost all around the world and, except for some micro-brewries, American beer is scarcly worth pumping through your kidneys.
Hmm. Maybe a forign prez could get us some better beer, maybe?
Naw. Even that is not worth it.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 10:24:33 [Permalink]
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| There's your answer. Eliminate the office of President, and buy beer instead! |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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Wendy
SFN Regular
USA
614 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 10:38:52 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Gorgo
There's your answer. Eliminate the office of President, and buy beer instead!
Whew! Well, I'm glad that's resolved! |
Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do on a rainy afternoon.
-- Susan Ertz
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 11:43:00 [Permalink]
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The youngest age an American can become prez is 35. My thoughts are, if a foreign born person has lived in America and been a U.S. citizen for that length of time (35 years), then they should be eligible.
I say that mostly because I think it sucks for those people who immigrated to the U.S. when they were 6 months old and don't remember any other home anyway. They should be able to run.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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Wendy
SFN Regular
USA
614 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 11:53:01 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Ricky
I think that you shouldn't have to be born here, but live here for 10 years (or some other number) before you can run for president.
I believe the current requirement is fourteen consecutive years immediately preceding candidacy.
I'm inclined to agree with you Ricky, but I still have strong misgivings that I can't quite reasonably defend.
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Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do on a rainy afternoon.
-- Susan Ertz
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Paulos23
Skeptic Friend
USA
446 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 12:05:22 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by H. Humbert
The youngest age an American can become prez is 35. My thoughts are, if a foreign born person has lived in America and been a U.S. citizen for that length of time (35 years), then they should be eligible.
I say that mostly because I think it sucks for those people who immigrated to the U.S. when they were 6 months old and don't remember any other home anyway. They should be able to run.
I have to agree with H. Humbert here. 35 years makes lots of sence, and would stop foren agents from becoming President. What agressive contry against the USA has lasted more then 35 years? |
You can go wrong by being too skeptical as readily as by being too trusting. -- Robert A. Heinlein
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. -- Aldous Huxley |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 12:17:17 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
quote:
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
and we all have to eat Wiener Schnitzel and drink Zipfer beer.
What's wrong with that? I'm told that any beer tops American...
Yeah, major-brand American beer does suck, thanks to prohibition. In the early 1900's there were thousands of breweries in the US. Indeed, Baltimore (where I currently reside) has a fantastic brewing history, including the brewing of National Bohemian beer-- my favorite, if only because of the One-eyed Man.
But several factors led to the current state of today's beer situation. First, of course, was prohibition. Kept out of the business for over a decade, most smaller breweries died out. The larger ones survived by creating other products.
Once it was legalized again, the major companies tried to maximize their dominance by shifting production to very ligh, pale, pilsner-style beer. This was in part because, with many millions of young men off in various wars, the major companies had to create a drink that was paletable to women, who often preferred a less-hearty, less alcoholic beer than men. By 1980, less than 50 breweries existed.
Things began to shift then, when home brewing was allowed in 1978. During the 1980's, a number of small micro-brews appeared, particularly in the northwest and northeast.
Now, in the early 21st century, there are well over 1,000 breweries operating in the US, and while virtuall all the production in raw numbers is dominated by the top few (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.), the range and variety of beers in the US is staggering.
Working at a liquor store (because that's just what a grad student needs-- ready access to discounted alcohol), I can tell you that there's just not enough space to carry even a fraction of the quality beer being brewed in this country, from Harpoon to De Groen's to Anderson Valley Brewing, to name just a few.
Does most of the main-stream domestic beer suck? Yup. But there's plenty of good stuff out there, and it's honestly not hard to find! |
| Edited by - Cuneiformist on 11/10/2004 12:20:49 |
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 12:51:59 [Permalink]
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Psh. Screw native-born Americans. I will be the next US president!
Nah. Too much work. Anyway, I'm inclined to agree with Ricky. If one's been in the country enough, then why not?
Though, I can almost SEE Arnie as the prez... |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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