Current Events > Should America allow foreigners to become president?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Lets say someone like Jordan Peterson wants to run for president to help steer America in the right track.

Should that be acceptable?

---

https://i.imgur.com/SpmD9RH.gif

---

If someone becomes a citizen of the country I don't really see the issue tbh.

---

We already know that people born in the US can be controlled puppets.

---

Funkydog posted...

If someone becomes a citizen of the country I don't really see the issue tbh.

The reason it's in the Constituion is because the FFs were worried it would bring in foreign influence which meant more back then because of all the Powers surrounding the Atlantic. (think Monroe Doctrine lite 30 years earlier)

Still sorta true today but more for ideological reasons.

---

Funkydog posted...

If someone becomes a citizen of the country I don't really see the issue tbh.

This, but there should probably also be a residency requirement, like living in the US at least 25 years or something. If you've been in the country for like half of your adult life, then you're an American to me whether you were born here or not.
---

GallisOTK posted...

This, but there should probably also be a residency requirement, like living in the US at least 25 years or something. If you've been in the country for like half of your adult life, then you're an American to me whether you were born here or not.

Yeah. I'd have no objection to that. Someone instantly running a year or whatever after they came in could certainly lead to much more blatant issues of foreign influence than recent events in Britain/America have already experienced.

---

Cheater87 posted...

We already know that people born in the US can be controlled puppets.

But those people would certainly never get elected.
---

No because then we'd get some asshole like Elon Musk in office who thinks it's cool to call people "pedo guys" and shit.

---

You already had Obama for two terms

---

Naturalized citizens yes, actual foreigners no.

---

I don't see why not as long as they're US citizens. It's an extremely dated concept that doesn't really make sense in 2019 imo.
---

YourDrunkFather posted...

You already had Obama for two terms

This shouldn't be moddable but it probably will be
---

Instead of the 35 year old requirement make it a 35 year in the country requirement.

---

No.

---

No.

The only way I could ever see it remotely being allowed is if they renounced all citizenship claims to any other nation at an early age, gained citizenship here at an early age, served a full career(20+ years) in the American military, spent decades improving American cities and interests, then allowed their financial records to be publicly viewable to prove they're not being influenced by foreign money, as well as basically having no sense of privacy in regards to anything in their life to prove they're not compromised in any way.

Which is a higher and taller order than we demand of American-born candidates so that would never happen.

So no.

---

Only from countries who dont shill with trump
---

wackyteen posted...

No.

The only way I could ever see it remotely being allowed is if they renounced all citizenship claims to any other nation at an early age, gained citizenship here at an early age, served a full career(20+ years) in the American military, spent decades improving American cities and interests, then allowed their financial records to be publicly viewable to prove they're not being influenced by foreign money, as well as basically having no sense of privacy in regards to anything in their life to prove they're not compromised in any way.

Which is a higher and taller order than we demand of American-born candidates so that would never happen.

So no.

Why not require this for "natural citizens" as well. They are just as likely to be influenced afterall.

---

Seeing the quality of US born candidates I'd say yes.

---

Certainly there's no good reason to bar naturalized citizens.

I feel like that would result in other countries trying to outright absorb the US by installing one of their loyal citizens into the office of US President. Utilize vast sums of money to attempt to have both the republican and the democratic nomination be theirs.

---

Funkydog posted...

If someone becomes a citizen of the country I don't really see the issue tbh.

This is exactly how I feel about it, too.

---

I would argue that so long as they have been citizens for say 20 years, why not?

---

no, we already have issues with the current potus being owned by putin and foreign oligarchs

---

Foreigners? No.

Naturalized citizens? I don't see why not, though pushing a constitutional amendment to allow them to become president isn't high on my priority list.

---

Hexenherz posted...

No because then we'd get some asshole like Elon Musk in office who thinks it's cool to call people "pedo guys" and shit.

That is your big worry?

Well Putin is already our president.

---

Well America already allows Kenyans to become president.
---

konokonohamaru posted...

This shouldn't be moddable but it probably will be

Birther bullshit conspiracies should absolutely be moddable.
---

Yes, as long as he or she becomes a U. S. citizen.

---

DarthWendy posted...

https://i.imgur.com/SpmD9RH.gif

DarthWendy for first French president!

---

you guys make it sound like it's easy to get the nomination to begin with.

i'd be pretty damn impressed if somebody who only lived in the US for a year managed to get elected. that would prove he managed to dig up the funds and gained support with the right politics.

---

Conception616 posted...

Birther bullshit conspiracies should absolutely be moddable.

was literally joking around but I guess making jokes about the lord and saviour of the democrats is off limits

---

They should have held citizenship for quite a while. 2 decades?
The amount of time is debateable but i dont have an issue with someone who was born in a different country becoming president

---

No. Never.

---

What about being born here makes someone automatically less susceptible to influence, control, or bribery? That's the part I don't understand.

It just seems like saying "some citizens are more citizeny than others". For example, my whole family was born in another country. My youngest sibling was 1 when they moved here and has lived here ever since and has never left the country. You're telling me that one year as an infant is enough to taint my sibling enough so that they're incapable of leading the country? I'd need to hear a good modern argument for that.

---

theAteam posted...

Instead of the 35 year old requirement make it a 35 year in the country requirement.

---

Nope

---

The fundamental question is whether it's possible for someone not born in a country to eventually come to understand the needs of that country at least as well as natural-born citizens.

I would say yes, it is possible. But it would come with bare minimum requirements, such as nationalization and a minimum residency duration.

Though any foreigner who could actually convince the majority of the American populace to throw away the commonly held preference for natural-born citizens might honestly be worth consideration regardless.

IMO if you've been a citizen long enough that your naturalization documents are old enough to meet the age requirement for president AND you do not have a dual citizenship then yes you should be allowed to be president.

---

legendary_zell posted...

What about being born here makes someone automatically less susceptible to influence, control, or bribery? That's the part I don't understand.

It just seems like saying "some citizens are more citizeny than others". For example, my whole family was born in another country. My youngest sibling was 1 when they moved here and has lived here ever since and has never left the country. You're telling me that one year as an infant is enough to taint my sibling enough so that they're incapable of leading the country? I'd need to hear a good modern argument for that.

This

That guys sister for president
---

Native Americans only IMO

---

legendary_zell posted...

What about being born here makes someone automatically less susceptible to influence, control, or bribery?

When the Constitution was written, several safeguards were put in place including the Electoral College because there was a serious concern that people would want to go back under British rule. It was designed such that it would be really hard for people who would want to do that to get elected president.

That's not really a concern any more but it's also a pretty low priority change to make.

Still though. We could have President Arnold Schwarzenegger and finally figure out what the three seashells do.

---

IloveJesus posted...

Native Americans only IMO

I welcome President Rain In The Face

---

you need to at least be a citizen. allowing random people from other countries to run for president would be stupid. imagine if a guy born in Japan and lives in Japan, tried to be come US president

Hell no

Not born and raised here, you shouldnt be president.

That can lead to many issues. Whats to stop a foreign nation from groming a candidate and implanting them?

---

StealthRock posted...

Whats to stop a foreign nation from groming a candidate and implanting them?

Isnt that how most people feel about Trump and Putin anyway?

---

au_gold posted...

Isnt that how most people feel about Trump and Putin anyway?

Feelings arent always the truth though

Trump is a US born citizen whether people like it our not. And Putin did not groom him to become president.

---