Week 6 - Top News

Natural Born Citizen

It has been brought to the attention of America that Senator John McCain may in fact not be a natural born citizen. As stated in the Constitution of the United States, only a natural born citizen can be elected president. Well, where do we say the "United States" starts and ends, with so many of our territories and bases overseas? What about those children?

It appears there used to be a law, passed in 1790, that stated, "children born outside the U.S. 'shall be considered as natural born citizens'." According to MSNBC this give us an idea as to what the founders were thinking at the time of the conception of the both the Constitution and the law.

Ted Olson most certainly says it best. "The plain meaning of 'natural born citizen' includes persons who become citizens of this nation 'naturally,' that is, by virtue of their birth to parents who are citizens, particularly when the birth takes place on territory occupied and controlled by the United States, in Senator McCain's case, a U.S. military base in the Panama Canal Zone."

Honestly though, who cares? I'm so tired of this nation always advocating the nation of the free, when there are so many old, old, OLD customs that we still adhere to. The two party system is useless by today's standards. Why don't we just vote for whomever we think has the best solutions for our nations problems? Why do we still need an Electoral College? How can a president win the popular vote but lose the electoral vote? Garbage. Blasphemy.

Look. Its time we actually lived up to what we claim to be. If this is the land of the free, then why not let us decide who we want to be president. Who cares if a candidate wasn't born of this country? If that person seems fit to run, then by all means let them run. The people will decide. And seriously, there are so many checks and balances in place, they swear like the president, even if he were to abuse his power (speaking in the sense that congress used to be afraid of having a non-natural born citizen as president because they were afraid of an outside tyrant coming in and taking over) he wouldn't get very far.

And another thing. Black, white, Asian, Mexican, male or female - all should be able to run. All of this mumbo jumbo, about all men are created equal is out of date. All people are created equal, and if they have a life ambition to become president, let them try. I for one don't vote on the premise that the president needs to be an old white man with useless ideals in the Democratic Party. I vote (with what little choices the government allows me) for the best candidate. Period.

This story, although it got a rouse out of me, has every news value associated with it minus proximity.

It has impact because all the people of this nation will be affected in one way or another if and when the decision on this issue comes to pass.

It most certainly has timeliness and currency because elections are quickly approaching.

It has prominence because it is regarding a presidential candidate.

It has bizarreness in the sense that how can you say a baby born from someone protecting this country is not a natural born citizen? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

Everything about this story screams conflict.

Link found here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23415028/