Remember the "Schwarzenegger Presidential Library" in "Demolition Man"?
It's Baaaack! Sen. Orrin Hatch has introduced a
constitutional amendment that would allow Arnold Schwarzenegger to become
president. (Hell, I'm not sure I even want him as governor of California, unless the only other alternatives are Davis and Bustamante).
Here's how Hendrik Hertzberg tells it in the 29
September, 2003 issue of The New Yorker:
"In 'Demolition Man,' ... As [Sandra Bullock] is showing [Sylvester
Stallone] around the L.A. of the future—where everything is tidy, corporate,
and bland—he does a double take when she mentions the “Schwarzenegger Presidential
Library.” Decades before, Bullock explains perkily, Arnold Schwarzenegger
became so popular that the American people waived the technicalities and
made him their maximum leader.
"This was satire, not prognostication. Either way, though, it appears,
at the moment, to be right on schedule. The big technicality, of course,
is a clause in Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution—the one that
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.”
"On July 10th, Senator Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah, quietly
introduced what he hopes will become the twenty-eighth amendment:
"A person who is a citizen of the United States, who has been for
20 years a citizen of the United States, and who is otherwise eligible
to the Office of President, is not ineligible to that Office by reason
of not being a native born citizen of the United States.
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![Demolition Man [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51YAAWVKH2L._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
1 - Michael Croft
The amendment doesn't excite me too much. Considering that it takes a minimum of 3 years and frequently more than 10 to become a citizen, the additional 20 years. I think that someone who got their citizenship and then left the country for 20 years wouldn't be viable.
On the other hand, naturalized citizenship can be stripped for Immigration Fraud, which is not the case with citizenship granted by birth.
Coincidentally The Murky-News lists two instances where Arnold Schwarzenegger may have violated immigration laws by working for a salary while on a work-restricted visa and starting a business while on the same work-restricted visa.
If you did what he (allegedly) did today, you'd never get a green card.
2 - Hal Pawluk
And, thankfully, constitutional amendments require ratification by three-fourths of the States (38) so the "Schwarzenneger Presidential Library" will probably never be collecting any "late-return" fees.
The political cynicism if not opportunism of the thing did bother me, though, especially when there are so many other, more serious issues Senator Hatch could be dealing with.
3 - Al Barger
Go for the Schwarzenegger amendment, I say- and I don't care whether it passes or not. This amendment is just silly and worthless, but harmless. If they spend 100 hours investigating and debating this insiginificant thing though, that's a couple of weeks where they won't be saddling us with new welfare entitlements to pay for, or conjuring up more Patriot Act assaults on our civil liberties.
4 - Hal Pawluk
Sounds good to me, Al.
And still ridiculous, Orrin :-)
5 - JR
As long as we're giving all our other jobs to foreigners, why not "outsource" the presidency?
6 - TDavid
It's no wonder so many people are disillusioned with politicians.
7 - JR
In all seriousness, I'm not sure this ammendment is such a bad idea. Why should we bar immigrants from becoming President? Just the fact that they've CHOSEN to become Americans should say something about their commitment to this country.
8 - Natalie Davis
Henry Kissinger must be plotzing.
"Vat about ME?"
9 - Chris Arabia
Nice use of "plotz."
KRUSTY: I opened with that bit at Woodstock. Jimi Hendrix almost plotzed--his exact words!
I don't see this amendment ever going anywhere because only specific possible candidates (in this case Arnie) will give it the necessary impetus, and under those circumstances it will never generate the needed breadth of support. Of course, they day could come when both parties have potential winners who are immigrants.
I would guess but am not sure that birth citizens born abroad (e.g. diplomat parents) are eligible but I do not know. Anyone?
Other than esoteric amendments such as flag desecration, it's hard to imagine any major amendments passing any time soon in the absence of some sort of cataclysmic event.
10 - Phillip Winn
Orrin Hatch is an idiot. Whether he was considered one before or not is irrelevant. This, alone, is enough.
Chris (#9), the requirement is that the President must be a "natural born citizen," which does include children born to Americans regardless of their location at the time of birth. However, they must have lived in the US for the previous fourteen consecutive years.
11 - JR
Indeed, John McCain was born in Panama; although perhaps the Canal Zone was also considered American soil at the time.
Chris - "I don't see this amendment ever going anywhere because only specific possible candidates (in this case Arnie) will give it the necessary impetus"
Unfortunate as this is exactly the wrong reason to be for or against such an amendment.
12 - Chris Arabia
JR - true enough.
13 - patrick
it's "most disturbing" that scores of foreign-born men and women who have risked thier lives preforming in the action movies of this great nation are ineligible for the presidency.
14 - No-fucking-way
Say No-Fucking-Way to Arnold!
There are millions of Americans more deserving of the presidency than Ahh-nold, I'll be back, Schwarzenneger. (McCain being one)
15 - RJ
"they day could come when both parties have potential winners who are immigrants."
The Gov. of MI is a popular Democrat who was not born in the US...
16 - RJ
"John McCain was born in Panama; although perhaps the Canal Zone was also considered American soil at the time."
It was, until Jimmy Carter gave it away...
17 - boomcrashbaby
CNN did a review of Arnold's first year in office.
Some quotes:
"Now he holds some of the highest approval ratings of any governor in California history, and a majority of voters say they're optimistic again about California."
(and that's what's important, isn't it?)
"Yet the 57-year-old governor is a tangle of contradictions. He calls himself the "people's governor," but tilts fiercely toward big business. He promised to "sweep out" special interests, yet accepts more of their money than Davis did. And despite his popularity, 12 of the 16 candidates he pushed for legislative seats on November 2 lost."
"even as he talks about open government he frequently ducks reporters."
"While certainly much has changed in California since Schwarzenegger took office, some argue that in key policy areas of state government -- especially how tax money is spent -- voters are getting a bad sequel."
"Schwarzenegger has succeeded in some areas -- restoring a sense of confidence is probably the biggest thing," said Edmond Costantini, professor emeritus of political science at the University of California, Davis.
"But when it comes to the budget, it's really a lot of smoke and mirrors. In some ways, when the history books are written, some will write that he really missed an opportunity to come to grips with our budget problems."
Since I have learned that politics are not about real solutions but perceived comfort, I can totally see America wanting Arnold as President. And yes, as far as Republicans go, I'd much rather see him in the Oval Office than most anybody else, but I don't believe all this amending of the Constitution that the right wants to do on everything. The current Constitution is not a rough draft and we shouldn't modify it to discriminate and we certainly shouldn't modify it for the benefit of one person (and that is really what the Amendment in this blog is for).
18 - Mac Diva
I agree with Steve (Boom). The majority of folks who bothered to vote just told us again they like shallow, bone-headed guys who talk big. Make that talk big with an acceptable (European) accent, and you'v got 'Ah-nold.'
19 - Victor Plenty
Democrats may support this too if they realize they also have an equally well-known and popular figure who could run for the Presidency if the birth barrier is broken. Of course I speak of none other than former Cincinnati mayor Jerry Springer, who happened to be born in London and is thus currently ineligible to be elected President.
The Hatch Amendment would change all that for Jerry just as surely as it would for Arnie.
Talk about a riveting election season! Schwarzenegger for the Republicans, Springer for the Democrats. It could be the ultimate extension of bread and circus into the political arena.
I predict we'll see new record high voter turnout numbers if this ever happens.
20 - Mac Diva
I think Springer would be sunk by his admitted dalliances with prostitutes. Since the women he has groped were paid, according to the the Rules of Politics (not yet availalbe in a Nutshell) that is worse than Ah-nold's exploits.
21 - Victor Plenty
My point is, Springer might galvanize a new bloc of voters who admire his admitted dalliances with prostitutes. Something tells me a large number of his fans have rarely ever voted before.
Of course, the "moral values" voters might still be too numerous to let Springer actually win the election, but that wouldn't necessarily stop him from doing well enough to make the contest interesting.
22 - Mac Diva
I would love to see, Jerry Springer: The Musical. I hope they are able to keep it alive for its opening in the U.S., despite financial problems.
23 - Big Tex
I agree with #7/JR comments, "Why should we bar immigrants from becoming President? Just the fact that they've CHOSEN to become Americans should say something about their commitment to this country". William Harris, the ninth President was foreign born (England). The Founding Fathers established two sets of rules. Alexander Hamilton,James Wilson and Pierce Bulter were foreign born Founding Fathers who could have became "President". Just keeping it real.