Presidential Qualification and Best Choice

Many have ask weather the current Presidential and Vice President candidates are qualified for the position? The simple answer is "yes."

Article II of the US Constitution provides for the qualifications for President...

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.

Constitutional Amendment XX, Section 3, covers the rules for the Presidency when either the President or Vice President are not qualified...

...if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

Given all of the candidates are qualified for the position of President of the United States, are they the "best" people for the position? This is too vague to be a realistic question. "Best" is based upon personal view and "best" takes every possible context of the candidate and the position they are running for.

In the long run, yes, these are the "best" candidates for the positions because these are the people their parties have nominated for the election. The winner of the 2008 electoral college will be the "best" because the country selected that team to become our top executive.

In a few short weeks we'll know our "best" choice of President and Vice President for the next term in office.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

The recent nomination of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and her story reminded me of Frank Capra's classic movie with one of the great American hero, Brigadier General, James (Jimmy) Stewart.

Whoopi Goldberg, Matt Damon, MSNBC, Keith Olberman, and others act similar to the "Taylor Machine" trying to crush and lick the VP nominee. Palin should feel comforted by the words from The Gettysberg Address that inspired Smith to put up his fight

"...that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." - Abraham Lincoln

Hopefully, like "Smith" the VP nominee will continue to speak to the people, not get discuraged by lies (even if it becomes a "hopeless cause"), and outlast the "corruption" trying to control the media.

The Second American Revolution...

While a revolution is not needed since we are lucky enough to live in a country provides the people the power of representation to change the government. Here is an interesting YouTube video clip about their "Second American Revolution." There is some good support for a unifying common language.

Candidate Interviews

Nothing can be more American than exercising the right and fulfilling the responsibility to vote. Here is a great place to learn more...

Saddleback Church and Dr. Rick Warren in their Civil Forum provided a great first look at our upcoming presidential candidates. A series of identical questions were provided to each candidate during their own one hour conversation with Pastor Rick. This telling format gives an excellent glimpse into the the thought process and beliefs of the men wanting to become our next President.

Amendment - Section 5

SECTION 5

United States (US) Citizens shall not possess concurrent citizenship with any foreign entity. Claim of non-citizenship or possession of non-US citizenship documents voids all claims to and revokes US Citizenship.

Only persons voluntarily rescinding their US Citizenship shall be provided with Lawful Permanent Residence status. All others shall be deported once all legal proceedings, incarcerations, and restitutions have been completed.

Multiple citizenship provides no benefit to the US population as a whole, yet it does not place all citizens equally. Those wishing to be citizens and placing the US first in their commitment shall be granted all privileges and responsibilities of citizenship, while those not committed to the US shall continue to be welcomed as residents with the limitations imposed upon all foreign nationals.

Just as important as it is for a common language, all citizens must be as willing as the original signers of the Deceleration of Independence were, to be committed first and foremost to these United States. Our forefathers were committing treason against the British Crown with risk of being executed as traitors, while we on the other hand must only be willing to protect their principals and guidance.

Amendment - Section 4

SECTION 4

Persons born within these United States, territories, and Federal Government controlled land, after December 31, 1999 (local time), shall only obtain citizenship if at the time of their birth at least one parent is a citizen. All others are foreign aliens of their parents' country(ies) and must obtain citizenship through naturalization.

Amendment XIV guaranteed citizenship to former salves and their families. After over 100 years, citizenship has been properly granted to all those it was originally intended to assist. Children of foreign nationals in the USA legally or illegally shall not become US citizens solely based upon the location of their birth.

Simple to Complicated

California Attorney General, Jerry Brown, took the very simple Proposition 8 Amendment language in the proposed law and created his own version with a significant bias.

Here the law is in its entirety...

Section 1. Title

This measure shall be known and may be cited as the "California Marriage Protection Act."

Section 2. Section 7.5 is added to Article I of the California Constitution, to read:

Sec. 7.5. Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

Very simple and straight forward... but Jerry Brown decided to embellish this text in his "Ballot Label" (wording used on the actual ballot) and "Ballot Title and Summary" (wording used on the Sample Ballot). The Ballot Label reads:

ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARY.
INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

Changes California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Fiscal Impact: Over next few years, potential revenue loss, mainly sales taxes, totaling in the several tens of millions of dollars, to state and local governments. In the long run, likely little financial impact on state or local government.

A description of this action can be located in a local news broadcast. The entire text for the ballot and sample ballot for this (and other propositions) can be found on the Secretary of State website.