Making the Presidency More Loving: A Simple Way Elections Can Represent Democracyby Bradford Hoffman (Undergraduate) The Constitution of the United States declares that all persons born outside of the country do not possess eligibility to serve as president. The intent behind Article II Section I Clause V was to protect the U.S. from a British born loyalist winning an election and turning the U.S. back to the motherland. The threat of this never occurred and is even further removed now. Citizenship in the U.S. includes blood and land yet, the Supreme Court has never had a case in which they were forced to define what a “natural born citizen” is. There have been disputes between Senator Obama, Senator McClain, Senator Rubio, and Senator Cruz’s place of birth. Most as political mudslinging promoting a culture of division and polarization. The very design of the Constitution gives space to each branch to move and work, since they do not hold sole authority. The checks and balances in place correct the president's actions and character, which applies to those born in the U.S. or abroad. The argument for a Constitutional amendment and the repeal of Article II Section I Clause V outweighs that of the current position. Britain is not in fact a threat to U.S. homogeny. America was birthed out of immigrants who braved the Atlantic and sought new life. One asks the question, can the presidency be more loving? The answer is yes. It can be made to represent 45.3 million immigrants better. The American people want to elect people that truly represent the needs that they possess. It can be made to support one’s neighbor better. This is not a matter of Right vs. Left. Rather, if one is deeply convinced that love for the neighbor stems from dignity found within the imago dei, and they walk around as a reflection and reminder of Christ’s beauty, people’s needs ought to shape change. |