Comments on: John Wayne Syndrome: Americans like tall, square-jawed presidents during tough economic times

By: americanbychoice

americanbychoice — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:41:08 +0000

I usually don’t read comments, much less respond to jejune remarks, but the pure ignorance of the citizenship arguments are getting obnoxiously embarrassing: Whether Obama or McCain were born in Kenya, China, or the middle of the Sahara, the fact that one of their parents was a US citizen at the time of birth automatically makes them a natural-born US citizen!

By: Tracy Jobe

Tracy Jobe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:12:03 +0000

this is ridiculous …just more garble for anti-American sentiment fueled by the likes of Barack Obama

By: Conor

Conor — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:54:24 +0000

@Jon
Look up US Canal Zone Panama, it was a US territory at the time.

By: the Shah

the Shah — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:59:19 +0000

WOW, you people jumped all over the Governator thing… was just trying to be silly

That being said, when the presidency – in any country – is up for grabs, one can always expect the worst out of politicians. The office is a beacon of light in theory, but that doesn’t mean the occupier is in the slightest; usually just the opposite. Vote Nader in 2012! He’s a big guy, and a vegan. Just imagine how much bigger he would’ve been eating all the steriods and growth hormones in meat…

By: dave

dave — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:58:57 +0000

our government pisses on the constitution. read the 10th amendment.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:30:49 +0000

@Jon I’m not sure which country you live in, but we have checks and balances in America. You may want to look it up. I’m not going to give a civics lesson, but I’ll tackle one of your remarks:

“The president can also unconstitutionally veto anything congress passes (vetoes are allowable only if the law is UNCONSTITUTIONAL, not just if the prez dislikes it).”

FYI: When a bill is drafted by a committee, it is ratified by the house and senate. The bill goes before the president and vetoes it if he doesn’t like it. A signed veto with explanation is given back to congress. A 2/3 majority of the house and senate is required to override the veto, thus becoming law. Your idea that vetoes are unconstitutional is invalid and also irrelevant because of the override.

The rest of your comments are just as baseless, but good try!

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:25:29 +0000

drewbie said “I would’ve said Schwarzenegger is 2012, but given how California is mired in it’s own private depression, I wouldn’t count on that one anymore.’

One small detail ~ the Terminator clearly was not born in the US and thus is not eligible to run for the Presidency. Of course, we have yet to see the birth certificate for O as well ~

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:56:48 +0000

Oh and technically, regardless of the obama “birthers”, McCain was not eligible for the presidency and the “law” passed that says army brats born abroad are “natural born” is unconstitutional. The problem was because army bases abroad do not count as US soil, for example a foreigner can’t have a baby on our embassy or army base and claim citizenship.

So they passed a “law” allowing army brats abroad to be natural born and thus run for president. However, the constitution still says they can’t. It would require a constitutional amendment to make it “constitutional” for McCain to run.

So basically it was legal but unconstitutional. Like I said, the constitution has never mattered to politicians. On another note, there was actual talk of passing an Arnold amendment to the constitution anyways. A well coordinated internet movement helped stop it in it’s tracks tho.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:47:07 +0000

@Lindskog: You do realize the constitution has not mattered to any president for the past 140 years since Lincoln trampled on it. Presidents have been declaring wars without congressional declarations (required by constitution) for years.

The president can write law (legislate branch) via “executive orders”

The president can execute law (executive branch)

The president can interpret law via “presidential signing statements”

Thus the president can make and enforce laws. Which makes him a dictator.

The president can also unconstitutionally veto anything congress passes (vetoes are allowable only if the law is UNCONSTITUTIONAL, not just if the prez dislikes it).

But go ahead and live in your fantasy world, where the “constitution” matters and government officials “care” about the populace they deceive in order to get elected.

Democracy is “may the best liar win”.

By: Lindskog

Lindskog — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:29:39 +0000

@shah – Schwarzenegger can never be President of the Unites States as he is not born citizen and I really don’t foresee that requirement to change in the near future.