After Gov. Schwarzenegger's incredible speech tonight at the Republican National Convention, I thought it was fitting to update this prophetic post from February:
The stages in the regress to barbarianism…
From the movie Demolition Man ( 1993):
Stallone: "Hold it! The Schwarzenegger Library?"
Bullock: "Yes, the Schwarzenegger Presidential Library. Wasn't he an actor?"
Stallone: "Stop! He was President?"
Bullock: "Yes. Even though he was not born in this country, his popularity at the time caused the 61st Amendment…"
From Jean Hampton’s Political Philosophy (1997):
Now while it is undeniable that some people are smarter or more virtuous or stronger than other people, these differences by themselves do not seem relevant to establishing political domination. Think, for example, of all the ways in which people are different from one another, physically, mentally and temperamentally. If someone has greater muscle strength than another, does that mean that he gets to rule the other? No: Arnold Schwarzenegger is not considered, by virtue of his physical prowess, a political authority. (p. 19) (Via: Crooked Timber)
From the New York Times (Feb. 23, 2004):
Mr. Schwarzenegger, who immigrated to the United States from Austria 35 years ago, on Sunday endorsed an amendment to the Constitution to allow immigrants who have been citizens for at least 20 years to run for president. Mr. Schwarzenegger became a citizen in 1983.
From NRO's The Corner (Aug. 30, 2004):
27th amendment! 27th amendment!
I've always thought that the natural born requirement was an anachronism. Don't forget they wrote an exception to this rule, that if an immigrant were born prior to 1750, he is still elibigle--they had Alexander Hamilton in mind, who was born in the British West Indies.
I favor a change to the constitution, though not necessarily for Arnold. The Dems might even play ball, too--their liberal senator from Michigan was born in Canada.
Make that liberal Governor Jennifer Granholm as a Canadian immigrant. Stabinow and Levin are native-born.
I meant to say Governor--sorry.
Senators never make it to the Presidency, and Granholm, were she eligible, might be the Dems' best shot.
Not a very deep bench, on that side of the aisle.
And that was me, in post #3
Maybe Governor Schwarzenegger could go before a judge and get his birthday legally changed to 1749.
Good idea.
Or he could convert to Islam and insist that it's really 1425.
Reasonable idea, but little chance to get it passed. But 20, or 21 years (adulthood), is a pretty reasonable threshold for the "Arnold" Amendment.
I don't think the natural born requirement is an anachronism. There is good reason that the chief executive should be a person raised and educated from childhood in the traditions and principles of American constitutional government. (Of course, whether that can be counted on in today's educational environment is another question!)