LABJ FORUM – Foreign-Born President?
Ever since Arnold Schwarzenegger became California governor last year, his potential to run for higher office has been the subject of speculation. Because he was born in Austria, Schwarzenegger is prohibited from running for president, but Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch has suggested eliminating that restriction through a Constitutional amendment. So the Business Journal asks:
Do you believe foreign-born Americans should be allowed to be president of the United States?
Jocelyn Thompson
Partner
Weston Benshoof Rochefort Rubalcava MacCuish
Immigrants come to our country with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and belief in our democratic ideals. However, I think it’s best to have a somewhat longer view of the country and its history that is more likely to come from being born here and being part of a generation or more of American residents. A president can’t make decisions just for today but must make those decisions with sensitivity toward a country’s place in the world and the knowledge of what’s been tried successfully or unsuccessfully in the past.
Paul Devore
Chief Executive
Financial Management Services Inc.
I have no problem with it. To one extent or another, we are all foreigners. Some of us just happen to be second-generation or third-generation foreigners. I would say there needs to be a very long residence requirement 25 years before they could run for president. It’s so they have a long time to prove their loyalty to the country. Given that the job is impossible for any human being to do, the pool of really top, qualified people who want the job seems pretty small. So perhaps allowing foreign-born citizens might expand the pool.
Ron Yukelson
Director of Business Development
St. Vincent Medical Center
Our founding fathers had solid reasoning for developing election criteria. A Constitutional amendment to allow for naturalized citizens to become president could be interpreted (to mean) there is not an adequate pool of natural-born citizens with the qualifications to become president, which simply isn’t true. I’m opposed to making Constitutional amendments that don’t fill a loophole or that won’t substantially improve our quality of life.
Domenick Miretti
Professor of Economic Geography
East Los Angeles College
They should be born in the United States. You have to understand the foundation on which this country has been built. A lot of times, people who come from foreign lands don’t have as much understanding. They might see their own country as still being the homeland rather than really having a commitment to the United States. My grandparents were born in Italy. When I was a kid, what struck me was that they always said that when they made their fortune, they were going to go back to the Old Country. Being president should be a privilege for people born in this country.
Guy Fox
Executive Vice President, Customs Services
Stonepath Logistics International Services Inc.
I certainly think that there are people who are foreign-born who have a lot of integrity and would be good for this country. Most of us are immigrants going back generations. Even the people who signed the Declaration of Independence were immigrants. As long as somebody is a proven American and is loyal to this country, I wouldn’t have any objections. Anybody that would back this country and fight for this country would have my complete backing on this.
Hal Kaltman
Owner
Hal Kaltman Textiles —
I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I believe in the Constitution and that it was written the way it was written for a reason to make sure that no foreign national can come into this country and become the head of state. On the other hand, there are so many naturalized citizens that do have tremendous talent, both in leadership and understanding of foreign affairs. Are we missing out on somebody who could possibly lead this nation? Perhaps somewhere down the line, but not right now.
