Ted Cruz was born in Canada

My take on "natural born citizen" means it must not be an adopted child from a foreign country, or a person who somehow obtains citizenship through immigration.

I don't think this includes Ted Cruz. He's a natural born citizen because an American citizen gave birth to him.

originally posted by: pteridine

originally posted by: 38181
Your correct, he was born in Canada, his father was born and raised in Cuba, only his mother was born in American, that means he's not qualified.

www.washingtonpost.com...

"All the sources routinely used to interpret the Constitution confirm that the phrase “natural born Citizen” has a specific meaning: namely, someone who was a U.S. citizen at birth with no need to go through a naturalization proceeding at some later time. And Congress has made equally clear from the time of the framing of the Constitution to the current day that, subject to certain residency requirements on the parents, someone born to a U.S. citizen parent generally becomes a U.S. citizen without regard to whether the birth takes place in Canada, the Canal Zone, or the continental United States.

While some constitutional issues are truly difficult, with framing-era sources either nonexistent or contradictory, here, the relevant materials clearly indicate that a “natural born Citizen” means a citizen from birth with no need to go through naturalization proceedings. . . .
Despite the happenstance of a birth across the border, there is no question that Senator Cruz has been a citizen from birth and is thus a “natural born Citizen” within the meaning of the Constitution. Indeed, because his father had also been resident in the United States, Senator Cruz would have been a “natural born Citizen” even under the Naturalization Act of 1790"

So I must ask, why didn't the Founding Fathers just say that you could be president if your parent is a citizen?

It doesn't add up to me at all. In the 1700's the majority of people didn't travel more than 100 miles from home.
I think there is something to be said about a person being of the country and of the land that was very important to the Founding Fathers.

a reply to: Swills

But even if they had dual citizenship, it still does not matter because they were American citizens at the time of his birth...at least that's what I'm reading...I guess it could be a lie and they really weren't but I doubt that he'd run for office without being sure, but stranger things have happened. My friend and her hubby both have dual citizenship but their daughter is an American citizen, even though she also was born in Canada. They'll have to apply for her Canadian citizenship if they want her to be a registered Canadian.

originally posted by: Kitana
If its not an issue for Obama then it shouldn't be an issue for cruz.. at least cruz isn't trying to hide the fact.

Obama was born in the USA, so no matter the citizenship of his parents he is a natural born US citizen....

How is Obama hiding the fact he was born in the USA?

a reply to: yesyesyes

I think they were rather big on proper English at that time.

originally posted by: Kitana
a reply to: buster2010

Funny how the same people who defended Obama screamed it at us for years how legal it is, yet when it is someone they don't like suddenly its an issue. If its not an issue for Obama then it shouldn't be an issue for cruz.. at least cruz isn't trying to hide the fact.

The people I was referring to is currently the front runner for the GOP nomination.

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
There's precedent in the courts for this.

He's qualified.

He renounced his Canadian citizenship. Anybody who argues otherwise will have to make a court challenge, otherwise it's just talk.

~Tenth

As I recall, a great deal of people from the party that is opposed to Obama went through great efforts to disqualify him
because one of his parents was not an American, and claims that Obama was born in a different country.

This is no different, however it is 100% true that Cruz was NOT born in America.

I think the founding fathers intended the President to be an American.

Was Ted Cruz born by vaginal birth hence natural born or by cesarean unnatural?

a reply to: yesyesyes

So I must ask, why didn't the Founding Fathers just say that you could be president if your parent is a citizen?

That's exactly what they said. A natural born citizen, who is the offspring of parents who are US citizens.

a reply to: yesyesyes

Do you really think the founding fathres envisioned our world back then?

The ability to talk to anybody in the world instantly, to be able to fly around the world or half way in 18 hours?

No.

This is like 300 years ago. Can we please just stop wondering what dead men would have thought or think?

Considering it would not make one bit of difference. The founding fathers even stated themselves that the constitution should be re-written ever so often, in order to be in line with the current times and struggles of the American People.

It was supposed to be a living document in some respects, that's why there are amendments. The fact that they didn't tell you specifically the EXACT manner in which somebody should be born to quality for President, doesn't magically omit people from being qualified.

If your parents are American when you are born, then you are a US citizen. Period. And you are naturalized.

~Tenth

a reply to: buster2010

I know exactly who cruz is. I also know Obama was shoved down our throats by the same people who want to challenge cruz.

originally posted by: Kitana
a reply to: buster2010

Funny how the same people who defended Obama screamed it at us for years how legal it is, yet when it is someone they don't like suddenly its an issue. If its not an issue for Obama then it shouldn't be an issue for cruz.. at least cruz isn't trying to hide the fact.

The difference is that nobody proved Obama was not born here beyond a reasonable doubt. Even Ted Cruz does not
dispute where he was born.

Logic would dictate by your position that even if Obama was born in Kendonesia, he would still be eligible because his mom was born here, correct?

a reply to: tothetenthpower

Yet conservatives attacked Obama, even claiming he was born in Kenya, which if was true shouldn't have mattered because his mother was a U.S. citizen. Oddly, it did matter to them.

a reply to: yesyesyes

As I recall, a great deal of people from the party that is opposed to Obama went through great efforts to disqualify him
because one of his parents was not an American, and claims that Obama was born in a different country.

This is no different, however it is 100% true that Cruz was NOT born in America.

I think the founding fathers intended the President to be an American.

Well, if he becomes POTUS then they'll get precisely what they intended...because he is an American. Problem solved!

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: tothetenthpower

Yet conservatives attacked Obama, even claiming he was born in Kenya, which if was true shouldn't have mattered because his mother was a U.S. citizen. Oddly, it did matter to them.

I don't much care for the partisan politics, the GOP were being just as asinine then, as liberals are being now where Ted is concerned.

~Tenth

originally posted by: tigertatzen
a reply to: yesyesyes

So I must ask, why didn't the Founding Fathers just say that you could be president if your parent is a citizen?

That's exactly what they said. A natural born citizen, who is the offspring of parents who are US citizens.

But they didn't, they said a natural born citizen, they could of said "child of a citizen" which is less letters to write.

What does natural born mean in that case? Why the hell would they include those words?

a reply to: yesyesyes

Logic would dictate by your position that even if Obama was born in Kendonesia, he would still be eligible because his mom was born here, correct?

Negative. He would still be eligible because his mother was a US citizen. Not because she was born here.

a reply to: yesyesyes

But they didn't, they said a natural born citizen, they could of said "child of a citizen" which is less letters to write.

What does natural born mean in that case? Why the hell would they include those words?

Now you're just being pedantic. Have you checked out the rest of the Constitution? It's not exactly written layman's terms. Does it matter why they didn't write it more simply? Not for the purpose of your thread's topic. The only thing that matters is that Mr. Cruz is eligible to run for office under the law, which has been asked and answered. The lack of user-friendly language in the US Constitution is another ball of wax entirely...but I bet if you make a thread about that instead, you'll get more feedback than you can shake a stick at.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

And too boot, to be in Congress you don't have to be a natural born citizen like you do if your president.

Here's the article I was referring to, talkingpointsmemo.com...

Too be honest, liberals aren't too concerned about Ted's birth issues and definitely no where near the level the conservatives were. Liberals mostly bring it up to show what hypocrites conservatives are.

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
a reply to: yesyesyes

Do you really think the founding fathres envisioned our world back then?

The ability to talk to anybody in the world instantly, to be able to fly around the world or half way in 18 hours?

No.

This is like 300 years ago. Can we please just stop wondering what dead men would have thought or think?

Considering it would not make one bit of difference. The founding fathers even stated themselves that the constitution should be re-written ever so often, in order to be in line with the current times and struggles of the American People.

It was supposed to be a living document in some respects, that's why there are amendments. The fact that they didn't tell you specifically the EXACT manner in which somebody should be born to quality for President, doesn't magically omit people from being qualified.

If your parents are American when you are born, then you are a US citizen. Period. And you are naturalized.

~Tenth

Well we often refer to original intent when discussing the second amendment. With the same spirit, one could say, do you really think founding fathers intended for the people to have unfettered access to guns even when they are used to slaughter dozens of kids in a kindergarten?

My point is, your thrust opens up many questions that are often times viewed as open shut.


I think it is Important to note that those men wrote NATURAL BORN CITIZEN - as opposed to CITIZEN. Why would they include those words?