A Test: Am Presidential Politics

[Tim Gratz]

This is just a test. What does it take to be President of the United States?

Under the Constitition, to be President a person must be:

(1) 35 years of age or older

(2) born in the United States

(3) lived in the United States for fourteen years.

And the final thing it takes to be Presdident is?

[Mark Knight]

270 electoral votes...unless the 25th amendment is brought into play.

Edited July 19, 2005 by Mark Knight

[Tim Gratz]

Mark, you got it!

Very quick!

Congrats!

But I think the 25th Amendment only comes into play once a person is sworn in as president.

Query how many American forum members would support a constitutional amendment permitting a naturalized citizen to be president?

Edited July 19, 2005 by Tim Gratz

[Mark Knight]

But I think the 25th Amendment only comes into play once a person is sworn in as president.

I believe you're incorrect in this assertion, as the 25th Amendment details the means of presidential succession...so once a person is sworn in as president, there is no further need to invoke the 25th amendment unless THIS person serving as president becomes incapacitated.

Schwartenegger notwithstanding, I believe that our founding fathers knew perfectly well what they were doing by requiring that the office of the presidency be occupied ONLY by a native. [The question was also raised, I believe, in years past in regards to the presidential aspirations of George Romney, an American citizen born to two American citizens in Mexico, IIRC.]

So, truly, "there is nothing new under the sun."

But the constitutional requirements to become president have, in my opinion, served us well since 1789...and I'm conservative enough to suggest that they should not be altered for at least ANOTHER 216 years or so.

[J. Raymond Carroll]

This is just a test.  What does it take to be President of the United States?

Under the Constitition, to be President a person must be:

((2)  born in the United States

(2) is a Common misconception. The constitution only requires that a person be a U.S. CITIZEN at birth. That does NOT require that a person be born on U.S. soil.

Shame on you Tim for propagating such misinformation.