Let us take a moment to rejoice and be thankful for one thing...

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

This man will NEVER be President of the United States!!!

From Wikipedia:

Cruz was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Keep on rocking, my fellow Democrats!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Oh, that is good news!

[Thinkingabout]

2. I hate that the fact he has invaded Texas, I am one Texan who did not and for sure

Vote for Cruz. He has invaded Texas and is not a true Republican, it is time to start calling the Tea Party what they are. Currently they are the do nothings and need to run on their own name. He is like a rolling tumble weed, don't have a direction he is aiming for but a bunch of thorns to poke whoever he can.

[Warpy]

3. Tumbleweeds flame out in a flash

All we need to figure out is the right match to hold up to this one.

[sheshe2]

4. Matt,

You Rock!

Thanks, she

[dballance]

5. I Hope the People of TX are Sufficiently Embarrassed By Cruz

and they send him packing in the next election. Unfortunately senators like him have a six-year term. So he'll have a lot of time to further embarrass himself and do damage before he must go.

[sadbear]

7. Good luck with that.

We elected Goodhair three times (so far)!!!

[awoke_in_2003]

10. But we are slowly becoming...

more purple.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

12. Fingers crossed about...

Governor Julian Castro one day!

We should also remember that Texas is the state that gave us Ann Richards! May she rest in peace!

[awoke_in_2003]

14. I do miss her...

I took a Texas government course when I moved here in 92. As the instructor at the time pointed out, Texas elects democrats locally and republicans federally. The repubs have push hard since and now are getting both, but i think the pendulum is swinging back. Hopefully it swings back both locally and federally.

[elehhhhna]

27. We're the ones who dubbed him CARNIVAL CRUZE

so there is hope...

[Thinkingabout]

6. I am embarrassed, just got email yesterday about his news for the week, gues what,

He forgot about his "schooling" of Diane Feinstein so that tells me he never thought she would "school" him. Apparently there is no statement by the TP which is too stupid for them to say.

[gopiscrap]

8. OMG he shouldn't even be elected dogcatcher

[truebluegreen]

9. Isn't his mother American?

If she is, he could have citizenship through her, no matter where he was born. Hence, eligible (i.e. non-naturalized citizen).

Edited to add: the thing the birthers always forget is that Obama would have been eligible even if he had been born in Kenya.

[Cleita]

11. I was born out of the country to an American parent and since I was

not born on an embassy or American military base, I cannot be President. I don't think Cruz can either unless he was born in an American embassy or consulate.

[truebluegreen]

18. Did you have to go through a naturalization process?

Because there are only two choices: naturalized citizen or natural-born citizen. That's it.

[Cleita]

20. Not like an immigrant.

I had to maintain residence for five years before I turned twenty-one, tricky for my parents because they were still living in a foreign country during those years. I did complete the requirement when I turned seventeen, so then all I had to do was swear allegiance to this country in front of a judge and I got papers stating I was an American citizen from birth, which would not make me naturalized, but natural born as stated on the certificate. I was told I had all the rights of citizenship with the exception that I could not run for President.

[truebluegreen]

23. Interesting.

You were told by the judge? I'm just curious, because I've never heard of this before. I know that citizens born abroad have had to choose their citizenship when they reach 21 (I think now they can maintain dual citizenship), but I've never heard that they aren't natural-born citizens in every respect.

[Cleita]

28. I have dual citizenship. When you are sworn in you renounce the country of your birth.

However, that country doesn't recognize my American citizenship. Because I had to be sworn in before I was 21, they say I wasn't of age to make that decision. It was something that miffed me a lot because I felt like a second class citizen. Incidentally, this has been debated here before and I am right. I'm amazed at how many here have a misconception about that and that you were taught this in civics classes. Somewhere there is a text book that had misinformation in it that had widespread circulation.

[truebluegreen]

36. My civics classes are far behind me, and I don't recall a discussion of this there.

Much of what I learned I learned on the intertoobz, including a lot of legal discussions inspired by the birthers. I confess I may have written off a lot of their BS arguments because, well, BS!

Thanks for the info, but now I am very sad 'cause Ted Cruz will never be Prez.

[Cleita]

37. I'll add my crocodile tears to yours.

[Humanist_Activist]

25. If the papers said you are a citizen by birth, then you can run for president...

at least as far as I can remember from civic class. U.S. citizenship only comes in two classes, basically, natural born or naturalized, since you aren't naturalized, you are natural born. The only restriction is the residency requirement, but if you live here, it doesn't really apply.

[Cleita]

26. Not unless I was born in an embassy or military base, which is why McCain could run.

This was very explicit and from the judge who swore me and many other American kids born in foreign countries that day.

[Humanist_Activist]

29. McCain became a citizen through Jus Soli, he was born on U.S. soil...

You are a U.S. citizen because of Jus sanguinis(right of blood), one or both of your parents are U.S. citizens, so you are one, AT BIRTH(some restrictions apply). Only Jus Soli is specified in the U.S. Constitution, but Congress has defined Jus sanguinis when needed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthright_citizenship_in_the_United_States#Statute.2C_by_parentage

[Cleita]

32. I posted what Legal Zoom says right below here.

I was not born on what is considered US soil, usually defined as a miltary base or embassy, flying in an airplane and a few other exceptions. But apparently they changed the rules in 2001, which doesn't matter because the rules apply to babies born after 2001. The rest of us must abide by the previous rules. I don't think Cruz was born before 2001. Becoming President was never a major concern for me but be aware that the Republicans might try to run Cruz anyway by bending the rules.

[Humanist_Activist]

33. Ha, true, guess it s a good thing he's not qualified...

By the way, out of curiosity, I looked up Canada's rules for citizenship, both old and new, man are they fucked up(look up lost Canadians), seems to be one of the things the United States generally does right is when and where to grant citizenship.

[Cleita]

31. Here is what legal zoom has to say about it.

They are a little fuzzier about the rules and my parents always had US residency even though they lived abroad, but this is what the judge was referring to:

Although the "citizenship by birth" rules have been complex, the February 2001 Child Citizenship Act (CCA) simplified the process. Now, a child who is under the age of 18, was born outside the U.S., and has at least one U.S. citizen parent automatically acquires U.S. citizenship upon entry into the country as an immigrant. No further paperwork is necessary. The parent may request a Certificate of Citizenship and U.S. Passport for the child if proof of the baby's American-ness is desired.

But this process only applies to children permanently residing in the U.S. If the child is under 18, was born outside the United States, but lives abroad in the physical and legal custody of a U.S. citizen parent or U.S. citizen grandparent, the parent or grandparent must apply for naturalization of the child. In addition, more criteria must be met.

The U.S. citizen parent or grandparent must have been physically present in the U.S. for five years before the child's birth, at least two of which were after age fourteen. Further, the child must be temporarily present in the U.S. for the naturalization process and to recite the oath of allegiance. Of course, if the child is too young to understand the oath, this requirement may be waived.

http://www.legalzoom.com/marriage-divorce-family-law/family-law-basics/is-your-child-us

At this naturalization ceremony, the foreign-born, foreign-resident babies gain not only a certificate of citizenship but also membership into an exclusive club. The Constitution rules that only "natural born" citizens can hold our highest office, so it seems these new Americans won't grow up to be President either. The regulations suggest parents who contemplate baby's future run for the White House may want to consider permanent residence in the United States after the birth of little George or Hilary.Although the "citizenship by birth" rules have been complex, the February 2001 Child Citizenship Act (CCA) simplified the process. Now, a child who is under the age of 18, was born outside the U.S., and has at least one U.S. citizen parent automatically acquires U.S. citizenship upon entry into the country as an immigrant. No further paperwork is necessary. The parent may request a Certificate of Citizenship and U.S. Passport for the child if proof of the baby's American-ness is desired.

Apparently, they changed the rules in 2001, like they did everything else in this country. So I fall under the previous rules while we still paid attention to the Constitution.

[Buns_of_Fire]

17. I believe the Constitution makes a distinction between a citizen and a "natural born" citizen.

Article II, Section 1 states:

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; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

The requirements for Representatives and Senators don't include the "natural born" part.

I suppose it can be debated what they meant by "natural born," but the last time I talked with Thomas Jefferson, he told me specifically that it was included to bar ignorant sacks of manure like Ted from ever possibly becoming President, and he's sorry they used so many commas, which makes it a little hard to interpret at times. That's what he told me, anyway.

[truebluegreen]

19. See reply to #11.

And Cruz is indeed a fuckstick, but unfortunately he could be eligible even if born in Canada.

[Dustlawyer]

13. I am proud of my state for a lot of reasons,

but politicians are not one! Even when we gave the world W., we still had the Dixie Chicks to call him out. For all of the right wing nuts we have, we have a lot of people that either were Dems to start with, or people who have seen what the Repug policies are doing to our state and have decided to become Dems. When the Castro brothers are ready, they will show the nation that Texas is not all Tea Party extremists. I believe they will be the key to unlock Texas as a Democratic state! Watch for them in the future and support them all you can!

[mountain grammy]

16. Hang in there, Texas Democrats, your day is coming back

and when it does, I just hope it doesn't give my redneck brother in law a heart attack.

[freshwest]

22. Even Carnival Cruz sees the writing to the wall.

[mountain grammy]

24. haha I love that name.. will try it on my in laws next time we go to Texas..

they've given up on ever "saving us" anyway.

[Dustlawyer]

38. You have THE name for that rat bastard!

[freshwest]

39. He's a Randian Rat Bastid, this is what he thinks freedom is... (dial-up warning)

[October]

30. I like this.

As a Pennsylvanian (SE), I understand. People keep trying to call us a swing state, but we go BLUE all the time. Still, we have had our share of ridiculous politicians (Santorum, anyone?). The big mouths always get the press, but we have some good people, too.

Thankfully, our current right-wing governor's poll numbers are way low. He needs to get the boot!

Wishing you luck in TX, too!

[RainDog]

15. Until Republicans decide that rule needs to change...

as some wanted to do for Ahnuld.

[freshwest]

21. For this bountiful blessing, we give thanks to Canada! (dial-up warning)

[johnnyrocket]

34. Remember when they wanted to change the constitution for Arnold Schwarzenegger? HAHAHA

Bwahahaha!

[Cleita]

35. If you think the Clinton/Monica tryst was scandalous, imagine

what Arnold would have done in the White House. Probably half the housekeeping staff would be knocked up.

[Jamaal510]

40. Not to worry--the Birfers will find a way to get him into the Oval Office somehow.

IOKIYAR

[Bake]

41. ROCK ON!

Bake