Once and for all! Can someone please help me understand something????

[Tim4319]

Can Ted Cruz be president? I was under the impression that he is not eligible to be president, however, every time I turn on the television, there's a poll about how he can be the GOP front runner.

Thank you in advance,

[rocktivity]

1. Though his father is Cuban and he was born in Canada

his mother was born in Delaware. So unless SHE renounced her U.S. citizenship somewhere along the line, Cruz is eligible. But think of all the fun we "neo-birthers" can have!!!


rocktivity

[rdharma]

5. We must demand to see his Canadian birth certificate

Just as payback for his assholeyness.

[Gothmog]

14. It was already posted

The issue is whether Carnival Cruz's mom meets all the requirements. We have not seen her birth certificate and that she lived in the US for the required period before the birth of Carnival Cruz

[rdharma]

16. Thanks for the info

Cruz' Canadian birth certificate should be shown as often as possible!

You know .... for the sake of full disclosure.

[former9thward]

20. She was born in Delaware.

That makes her instantly a citizen. No need of living in the US for any particular length of time.

[Bill USA]

31. okay so Ted Cruz's mother can run for president. He's still an alien, isn't he?

[former9thward]

32. Not under U.S. law.

He is considered natural born if his mother is a citizen and he is born anywhere in the world. This last came up in 2008 with McCain being born on Panama soil. The Senate (including Obama) unanimously passed a resolution saying it was proper for him to run.

[Luminous Animal]

6. Indeed.Let's stoop to their level. Idiocracy! Boo ya!

[rdharma]

17. It's not being vindictive if ....

... there's a valid teaching point involved.

[karynnj]

33. What is confusing is that the definition is not fixed or written into the Constitution

With the definition you give, there should have been no question with Obama - even IF he would have born in a Kenya hospital. His mother - born in Kansas - was JUST as American as Cruz's Delaware born mother.

As it was, Obama was born in the USA - and his hospital put an announcement in 2 Hawaii papers at that time.

There was a challenge (to Obama) that tried to define native born as requiring two American parents that was rejected recently in VT.

[Deep13]

2. Short answer: no, we can't help you understand.

Last edited Sun Mar 9, 2014, 06:17 PM - Edit history (1)

There is no specific definition for "natural born citizen" in Article II. The "all persons born or naturalized" definition from the 14th Amendment is the definition of a citizen, not necessarily a "natural born citizen." Congress wrote it to make sure former slavers would be citizens, not to determine if they were eligible for the presidency. So no, we cannot tell you if Cruz is legally eligible. As a practical matter, however, no, he will never be president.

[Prophet 451]

3. He IS legally eligible

His mother was a citizen and, assuming she didn't renounce her citizenship, that passed to him. Of course, the Teabaggers won't care for a second because he's white.

[Tx4obama]

4. Cruz was born in Canada. He has a 'Canadian birth certificate'. If he decides to run...

... there will be a lawsuit filed and he will have to fight it out in court.

More than likely it will go all the way up to the Supreme Court.

[former9thward]

21. It will be as the same as the Obama nonsense.

Only kooks actually filed suits against Obama. No elected Republican ever did. Only kooks will file against Cruz. No elected Democrat will.

[Tx4obama]

22. But it is NOT the same as Obama. Obama was born in the United States. Cruz was not. n/t

[former9thward]

23. U.S. law on this is settled.

His mother was born in the U.S. That is why no elected Democrats have said anything about the Cruz issue. I really doubt he will be the nominee so it will be a non-issue.

[HeiressofBickworth]

7. As I posted on another thread:

Before focusing on Cruz as the most likely opponent, his eligibility to run for President should be confirmed. He was born in Canada and still has dual citizenship as far as I know. His father is Cuban (was he a US citizen when Teddie was born?). His mother's status is unknown -- she was American but did she live in Canada for fewer than 10 years in order to pass her US citizenship to her son? See: http://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-parents

By focusing on him when his eligibility is in question, we don't spend the time on the wackadoodle policies of other Repubs like Rand Paul and Jeb Bush. So far, I view Cruz as a red herring.

So, in other words: SHOW US THE LONG FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

[xfundy]

8. Recall when repigs wanted Swarzzenegger for prez?

Of course, he then screwed up Califo-- scuse me, "Gullyvornia"-- in a monumental manner. But that's what repigs do.

[jmowreader]

9. I don't think the Koch Brothers want him to be president, so he won't be

Teabaggers are bad for the bottom line.

[beachbum bob]

10. under the law he is an american

don't know why you don't understand that. We can have dual citizenships.

[MADem]

12. You're unclear on the law. He's not eligible to be President. Not of sound mind. nt

[kairos12]

26. Waited for that one. Thank You.

[okaawhatever]

35. The law doesn't allow for American citizens to run for President. It only allows for natural born US

citizens. That's why it didn't come up when he ran for Senate. The rules are different for Senators. The Constitution didn't really define "natural born" and congress has not done a very good job either. We need to revisit the rules for all these situations when no one is running so it doesn't become a partisan issue.

[MADem]

11. He CAN be President of the USA!!!!

So long as USA stands for "Unmitigated Shitheels' Association!"

But no, he cannot be President of the United States of America. Jenifer Granholm (who would be a fine President, IMO) can't either, because she was born in Canada.

[former9thward]

24. That is not what the law is.

Ever wonder why no elected Democrats comment on this issue? Its because they know what the law is too.

[MADem]

27. Truth of the matter is, this will go to the Supreme Court if he is nominated.

There is no definition of "natural born" anywhere.

To me, "natural born" is Boooorrrrrn .... in the USA!!!!!" Or a territory, like Puerto Rico, Guam, or the Panama Canal Zone. About the only reason one could be born OUTSIDE the USA and still be "natural born" is if a parent of the child was abroad in the employment/service of the United States Government. IMO, anyway--of course, that just my take.

However, the Supremes might decide to adjust the definition to suit their biases, and we'll be stuck with it forevermore...unless/until someone finds a way to revisit the matter.

Years ago, there was a guy named Christian Herter who was seen as a grand potential president, but he never ran because he was of the view--and it was shared by others--that he was not "natural born" because he was born in Paris, I believe.

Ahh, yes, here is some discussion of it, also revolving around Mitt's daddy:

http://nativeborncitizen.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/crs-the-natural-born-citizen-qualification-for-the-office-of-president-is-george-w-romney-eligible-1968/

There is no doubt that Congress, by appropriate statute, may constitute any person a “citizen at birth”, that is, one who is a citizen solely by virtue of the circumstances of his birth; illustrative statutes are referred to herein. There would seem to be no doubt, either, that by virtue of one such statute, Governor Romney has been a citizen from the moment of his birth. The critical question, however, is whether, in all instances, one who is made by statute a citizen at and from his birth is, because of that alone, a “natural born” citizen within the meaning of the constitutional requirement. “Citizen at birth” and “natural born” citizen are not necessarily synonymous. Did the Framers have in mind that only one class of persons might properly be regarded as “natural born citizens”? If so, what was this class? Or did they contemplate that the Congress, by appropriate statute, might thereafter, and from time to time, give specific and possibly varying meanings to that phrase; just as Congress may from time to time, make provision for who may become, or are to he considered as, citizens. If the meaning of the term, as intended by the Framers, can be modified only by a Constitutional Amendment, did the Fourteenth Amendment have any such effect? As indicated, the answers to these questions, in the view of some, are not free of doubt.

[Sunlei]

13. His mother is a US citizen. It doesn't matter where he was born. He's an American.

It's his Canadian citizenship that should be scrutinized. Cruz said he didn't know he had Canadian citizenship ( he got both at birth, USA because his mom is USA and Canadian because he was born there)

Was that a lie and does he have investments in Canada using his Canadian citizenship? and why won't he fill out the paperwork to get rid of that Canadian citizenship?

[okaawhatever]

36. to run for President (but not lower office) you must be a "natural born citizen". So, being an

American citizen isn't enough.

The Guardian has followed up on his renouncing his citizenship and as of January he hadn't done it. Not only that, the Canadians got involved. Lolz.

Catherine Frazier, a spokeswoman for the conservative Tea Party favorite from Texas, said on Saturday that lawyers are preparing the paperwork. She said Cruz, who was born in Calgary, Alberta, "has been fully focused on fighting for Texans' values and interests" and "looks forward to the process being completed soon".

Frazier's response came after a Canadian immigration attorney said the process was simple and wondered about the delay.

Richard Kurland, a Vancouver-based immigration attorney, told the Associated Press on Friday that unless there was a security or mental-health issue that hadn't been disclosed, renouncing citizenship was a simple, quick process.

"If he's attempting to bring our system into disrepute by suggesting it's lengthy and complex, it's just not true. Revocation is one of the fastest processes in our system," said Kurland.

[brooklynite]

15. Remember - there are TWO strains of Birthers...

One believes that you're ineligible if you're born outside the US. The other believes that you're ineligible if you don't have two US Citizen parents.

[treestar]

19. This

Cruz qualifies because he was an American citizen at birth.

But to the insane birthers who quote Vattel about natural born meaning your parents are also both citizens, Cruz does not qualify. Watch them twist in the wind to figure out why he is different from Obama in that regard.

[DavidDvorkin]

18. He is a "natural-born citizen"

because of his American parent. The Constitution specifies "natural-born" not "native-born".

[MADem]

28. There is no "definitive" definition of "natural born."

See this link: http://nativeborncitizen.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/crs-the-natural-born-citizen-qualification-for-the-office-of-president-is-george-w-romney-eligible-1968/

Your head will hurt as you slosh through this---mine did, anyway.

The Supremes will decide this if the jerk gets the nomination, and they'll probably decide for the little cretin, but the issue isn't so much "Who's yer daddy?" like they were trying to pull with Obama; the issue is "Where were you born?" Obama was born on US soil; Cruz was not.

[whistler162]

25. Well next time you see him......

ask him when Thanksgiving is! If he says mid-October he is really Canadian

or when he is at a ball game play O' Canada imstead of the Star Spangled Banner and see if he stands and sings along. If he does then he is Canadian!

[blkmusclmachine]

29. McSame ran in '08, and he was born in Panama.

[Tx4obama]

30. McCain was born on a U.S. military base, which is considered to be 'U.S. soil'. n/t

[JHB]

34. S.Res. 511 (110th): A resolution recognizing that John Sidney McCain, III, is a natural born citizen

Cosponsored by Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama

110th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. RES. 511

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 10, 2008

Mrs. McCaskill (for herself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Obama, Mr. Coburn, Mrs. Clinton, and Mr. Webb) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

April 24, 2008

Reported by Mr. Leahy, without amendment

April 30, 2008

Considered and agreed to

RESOLUTION

Recognizing that John Sidney McCain, III, is a natural born citizen.

Whereas the Constitution of the United States requires that, to be eligible for the Office of the President, a person must be a “natural born Citizen” of the United States;

Whereas the term “natural born Citizen”, as that term appears in Article II, Section 1, is not defined in the Constitution of the United States;

Whereas there is no evidence of the intention of the Framers or any Congress to limit the constitutional rights of children born to Americans serving in the military nor to prevent those children from serving as their country’s President;

Whereas such limitations would be inconsistent with the purpose and intent of the “natural born Citizen” clause of the Constitution of the United States, as evidenced by the First Congress's own statute defining the term “natural born Citizen”;

Whereas the well-being of all citizens of the United States is preserved and enhanced by the men and women who are assigned to serve our country outside of our national borders;

Whereas previous presidential candidates were born outside of the United States of America and were understood to be eligible to be President; and

Whereas John Sidney McCain, III, was born to American citizens on an American military base in the Panama Canal Zone in 1936: Now, therefore, be it

That John Sidney McCain, III, is a “natural born Citizen” under Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution of the United States.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/sres511/text


Because what kind of idiotic fanatics would you have to be to dispute that sort of thing? Oh, wait, the ones who do 180s when someone with a D is in the White House, that's who.

[hack89]

37. There are only two kinds of citizens: Natural born or naturalized. He was not naturalized.

therefore he can be president.