My aunt and I were having a discussion about Obama, and she claimed what the topic title says. It's common knowledge that he is native to a foreign country. Her complaint was that, because of said origin, Obama should not be allowed to become President. But why is this? Barring any federal law to the contrary, there is absolutely no logical reason to make that kind of unfounded, baseless claim.

Given my aunt's background, I feel I already know where she's going with this. "HE HAS TIES TO THE TERRORISTS (read: a gross generalization of Islam), WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"

Any thoughts on this?

Let's just lock this now...

My understanding is that you have to be born in the US to become President. He was born in Hawaii, so he's good to go.

Edit: Of course he's "officially" born in Hawaii If that's a lie, then I guess he shouldn't be President. Rules are rules. 

Heh, I don't care about nationality that much. If he does okay, keep him. Heck, if he can, give him 10 terms on office. (Which there shouldn't be a cap on terms.) If somebody has a kid while on vacation in like Spain, kinda unfair that he can't become president. Although, the biased nature of people (even myself) wouldn't vote for somebody who was clearly not American, so I don't think it even matters much truthfully. Interesting topic though.

If that's the case, I stand corrected. But my point still stands about my aunt's mindset. And it isn't just her; a lot of ignorant people in this country assume that just because he seemingly has ties to the Middle East, that he's the end of us all.

It's bad enough that even one person holds this view. But for innumerable people to?

Well yeah, it's not like his nationality is going to destroy your country.

It's in the federal laws going way back to the early days you have to be born within the country or one of its territories, or on American soil(ie: US base in a foreign country) or you can't be president. McCain wasn't born in the US, his old ass was born in Panama when we owned the land by the canal for example. The problem with Obama is he feels he's above listening to the birthers and will not release a true birth certificate and instead a halfass birth announcement has been made public. Either there is one and he's legal, or there isn't and the cranks aren't so cranky after all.

I do wonder though, in theory, if he is Kenyan for this argument, if it came out after he was out in 2012, 2016 or somewhere within a 1st or 2nd term -- what would happen? He would be committing a federal felony being in that position and also for perjuring himself to legal authorities when he made the run for the office. That could get amazingly ugly with the highly partisan lefty media we have, Fox's opinion nightly people would have a field day, and Congress probably would implode into some black hole of stupidity and shenanigans I bet.

I heard about a guy a few years back who was suposed to argue to the american congress why that law should NOT be repealed. After the guy for repealing it gave his speach the opposed guy stood up and said "I have eight minutes to explain why we should not get rid of this law but i can do it in two words Arnold Schwarzenegger"

Also, you don't have to be born in Canada to be Prime Minister and our country is still doing fine.

The only thing I hate about that law in the US is that Schwarzenegger can't run for President.

I am going to blow everyone's mind and not comment at all about this. I love to discuss politics and argue with cold, hard historical facts to back me up but there are too many different ways this could discussion could and too many people to piss off so I promise no matter how bad I want to or how wrong someone is, on either side, I will not make any comments on this subject, really, I promise. This is a gaming forum, now let's all take a deep breath, collect our thoughts and pretend this never happened. One more think to blow your mind, I am reading Dreams From My Father at this very minute, well, 5 minutes ago and I will continue in about 2 minutes, freaky huh? Ok, everyone wish me luck on my self-control.

Sorry, "different ways this discussion could go", fucking smartphone is not so smart after all, that is all, I promise. :'(

I'm probably being naive, but why does it matter where he was born? I would think that there are deeper issues than whether or not was born in US territory. Yeah, I know rules are rules too. I don't think there's a rule like this in Canada, although the Conservatives (?) have been running TV ads attacking the Liberal leader about a similar issue.

Pretty sure his dad is running around in Kenya somewhere jk

The issue isn't where Ignatieff was born, it's that he lived in the US and came back to Canada relatively recently and the Conservatives are advertising that he doesn't deserve to be Prime Minister. 

I stand corrected, then. I couldn't spell Ignatieff's name right after the first couple of attempts, so I didn't bother (because I'm lazy right now)

I am pretty sure that most people who say that the President wasn't born in the USA are just saying it because it's a way to express frustration with the administration, or because it's cool or something. There were birth certificates released and no substantiated reasons to doubt anything. The only thing that birthers would accept for proof is a time machine to go back and watch the head emerge with the mayor of Honolulu standing next to them, and even then they would find a reason to doubt it.

It's just a way to rally the ignorant masses. Both major parties have little irrational nonissues like this to get people in a frenzy over. It's disgusting.

*

Obummer

It matters because it's federal law.  If he were found to have broken the law he would have committed a few felonies.  He would potentially get jail time and definitely thrown out of office.

^ you couldn't find a less classy insult / joke like something making fun of the holocaust or hiroshima or a scat picture or something?

i'm waiting to see skull tear apart those 2 letters called zi. i seen it happen when that pic got posted last time. so i KNOW it will happen

He might have already foed Zi. I remember him saying that he foed something like 20 some odd people and that's the truth foe sho. I know foe sho, kung fu, nin jitsu, and ca-razy.

I'm not easily offended. The fact that I am now, really says a lot.