AmendforArnold.com

As many of you have already seen and heard, there is a big push right now as I type to amend the Constitution and allow foriegn-born citizens to run for President. This amendment would allow a certain well-muscled Governor from California to perhaps one day take the wheel of this great nation. This movement has even mobilized itself to the point that it has created a website at www.amendforarnold.com.

Article 2, Section 1, Clause 5 of the Constitution states that "no person but a natural born citizen, or a citizen at the time of the Adoption of the Constituion" can be elected President of the United States. Our forefathers did this to protect our young nation. They feared that a foriegn power would try to take advantage of our democracy, and get a puppet elected President. These fears were founded in the days of our forefathers, but some would say that they are now out-dated.

There are currently two proposed amendments in front of the Congress. Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, proposes allowing foriegn-born citizens to become President after 20 years of living in the United States. In the House, Rep. Vic Snyder, a Democrat from Arkansas, would require foriegn-born citizens to live in the US for 35 years before being eligible for the Presidency.

My initial reaction is to say, "But couldn't a foriegn power do the same thing now that our fore fathers feared then, if we dropped our gaurd??" We hear all the time about sleeper terrorist cells that lie dormant for years and then all of the sudden strike. If a terrorist cell would wait 5 years to crash a plane, wouldn't they certainly wait 20 years (or 35) for some real power?

But, after my paranoia sudsides, I think, " But what about the honest guy, such as Arnold? Why should he live here as a half-citizen?" If he is a citizen, he should enjoy the same rights as any other citizen. There should not be a "class" system when it comes to citizenship; you should either be in or out.

Moving along with that same thought, it would seem to me that our Naturalization Service should be pretty sure a person did not want to derail our National Framework before offering them citizenship. The 9/11 hijackers were not citizens, they were here on visas. I think we should have enough confidence in naturalization system to give foriegn-born citizens every aspect of citizenship, and not hold back certain aspects in the name of security. Again, I say if you're in, you're in.

Now, I'm sure that some of you are thinking this is a purely Republican pursuit,an effort to get Arnold in the White House, but before you start beating the partisan drum, consider a few facts. First, one version of the amendment was submitted by a Democrat. Second, the current Governor of Michigan is a Democrat, and also a Canadian-American (if there can be such a thing). This could open a few doors to her as well.

So there it is. I guess after I reading this, that I am in favor of this amendment, but there is still that little black spot of fear in the back of my mind that thinks in doing this, we may be opening ourselves up for some serious problems in the future.

But that's just my opinion. What do you think?