I disagree with half of what Byron has to say about the Arnold amendment. I think we should pass an amendment to allow naturalized citizens to run for president. But I think his solution - passing it with a time requirement that wouldn't allow middle-aged or older Americans to run - is silly. This amendment isn't about benefiting one person (or two if we count Gov. Granholm). It's about giving all Americans the opportunity to lead this country. I'd say it's reasonable to require that someone should have had to live here for 15 or 20 years so that they could have gotten a deep exposure to American life, but what matters here is making sure that all US citizens have equal opportunities and feel invested in their country's government. Opening the doors of opportunity to thousands or millions is of much greater importance to me than whether or not one or two people stand to benefit from this proposal right now. And what kind of message does it send to all the Americans who could never be qualified under his proposal? You're an American for life - but you can't run. I think that's awful.
Posted by armand at November 23, 2004 01:59 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Politics