QUESTIONING JOHN McCAIN'S ELIGIBILITY TO BE PRESIDENT

Sooner or later it was bound to happen. Some of his enemies are questioning John McCain's eligibility to become President because he was born outside the continental United States. McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone. According to Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, only a "natural born citizen" can hold the nation's highest office.

Constitutional scholars and legal experts have long held that anyone born in a U.S. territory qualifies as a natuaral born citizen. At the time of McCain's birth, the Panama Canal Zone was a territory of the United States. Some constitutional interpreters even hold that a child born to parents who are U.S. citizens meets the "natural born" requirement, no matter the place of birth.

When the Constitution was drawn up, many of those living in the thirteen colonies considered themselves "loyalists" who favored remaining under the yolk of the British monarchy. Being a small new nation, our founding fathers wanted to ensure that the Presidency would remain in the hands of someone dedicated to our independence - hence the "natural born citizen" provision. But that was then and this is now. It is absurd to imagine that a foreign born president might threaten our hard-won independence.

If you've been reading my blogs, you already know that I have long favored amending the Constitution to remove the natrual born citizen requirement (LET'S AMEND ARTICLE II, SECTION 1 OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, December 24,2006). The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, many having made outstanding contributions in the arts, science, medicine, education, industry, military service and public service. Many naturalized citizens are highly qualified to serve as our President.

Like him or not, Henry Kissinger dedicated many years of his life to serving in our government. But, because he was not born in this country, he was not eligible to become our President. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a movie star with mediocre acting talent, has been highly regarded in his elected position as Governor of California. Yet, having been born outside the U.S., he is also not eligible to become our President. That just doesn't make any sense.

John McCain served his country as a naval aviator. He was seriously injured when he was shot down over North Vietnam while on his 23rd combat mission. He received little medical attention for his injuries. Instead, his North Vietnamese captors kept him in solitary confinement and tortured him on and off during the six years he was a POW. He is a genuine American hero. He has long served our country with distinction as a member of Congress. And now, some of his enemies question McCain's eligibility to be President because he was born in the Panama Canal Zone while his father was stationed there by the U.S. Navy.

It's high time we put a stop to this nonsense once and for all. The Constituiton should be amended so that a foreign born citizen who has lived in this country for at least 14 years can become President of the United States of America. There is no reason whatsoever to deny Kissinger, Schwarzenegger, and other outstanding foreign born U.S. citizens the opportunity to hold our land's highest office.