Okay, members, help me out here. My cousin asked me a question and (I want to sound brilliant for a change)I told her that I'd find this out.
Given that the President of the U.S. needs to be born in the U.S.(or until Arnold changes that), what about any possible presidential successors --- Vice President, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of War, etc? Do they all need to be U.S. citizens as well? Anyone know? +++++++++++++ 07-17-04, 12:52 AM CincyOnTheRoad Right offhand, wasn't Henry Kissinger once Sec. of State? I don't think he's a native son.
07-17-04, 12:57 AM DorianGreyed US Constitution
Article 1, Sec. 2 No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen. Sec. 3 No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen.
Article II, Sec. 1 No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States.
Amendment XII.
But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.
I see nothing in any of the Amendments that nullifies the above portion of Article II, Section, nor anything that nullifies the above portion of Amendment XII. In other words, under the Constitution, both the President and the Vice President must be a "natural born citizen." The Constitution make no distinction how they would come to attain the office in this regard; they must be a "natural born citizen." Thus, Henry Kissinger, Sec. of State under Nixon, and Madeleine Albright, Sec, of STate under Clinton, were not in the line of succession. Foreign born citizens can be elected to the Senate and the House and have been, but they are not eligible for the Vice Presidency or the Presidency. I realize that this does not answer the question of whether or not they (Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of War, etc) need to be citizens. I am still looking for that. However, I cannot imagine that a non-citizen would ever be confirmed even if eligible.
(By the way, the US no longer has a Sec. of War. That position is now the Sec. of Defense.)
07-17-04, 12:59 AM methos The Vice President must have been born in the US because the 12th amendment requires that he be constitutionally elligible to be president. Others in the line of succession do not need to have been born in the US, nor do they need to be 35, etc. The line of succession simply skips anyone who is inelligible.
I don't think the cabinet members need to be citizens. The only constitutional requirements for cabinet members are that the president appoint them and that he get the "advice and consent" of the Senate. Of course, if they aren't citizens they are skipped in the line of succession. There may be something in the US Code about this, however.
All Senators and members of the House must be citizens. I.2.2 says Representatives must be 25 and have been a citizen for 7 years. I.3.3 says Senators must be 30 and have been a citizen for 9 years. Of course, if they weren't born a citizen, they are skipped in the line of succession.
07-17-04, 06:14 AM Fritzzs A person born of American citizens living abroad (any country) on a temporary basic (such as parent serving in the miltary ) is eligable to become President... Case in hand: John McCain, (Senator) ran for President and also was born in the Panama Canal Zone of American parents in the military... Also, they are eligable to have dual citizenship, if that country is accepted by the US Government.. Since a VP may become President, he also falls in that catagory... Any other political office holder does not have those restrictions..
07-17-04, 09:04 AM methos Whoops, my second sentence should read: Others in the line of succession do not need to have been born a US citizen, nor do they need to be 35, etc.
07-17-04, 09:09 AM Kelleygirl Thanks, everyone -- I knew that I could depend on you. You're right, DG, Secretary of Defense is correct, duh.
Thanks, Fritzz, for the site that you quoted which gave more interesting facts like how you could lose your citizenship:
Becoming naturalized in another country Swearing an oath of allegiance to another country Serving in the armed forces of a nation at war with the U.S., or if you are an officer in that force Working for the government of another nation if doing so requires that you become naturalized or that you swear an oath of allegiance Formally renouncing citizenship at a U.S. consular office Formally renouncing citizenship to the U.S. Attorney General By being convicted of committing treason
07-18-04, 05:00 AM FredPuli "Swearing an oath of allegiance to another country"
Now is this why US citizens who are knighted by the Queen never style themselves Sir? There does not appear to be any taking of an oath involved in the ceremony. However the person is expected to kneel and be dubbed by the Queen (tapped lightly on the shoulder with a sword; incidentally she never says 'arise Sir Knight'! ). So it could be seen as offering alegiance to the Queen. They list the honour in their entries in reference works such as Who's Who. Some of them were born British; at one time all were, but the practice has changed; so Sir Bob Hope and Sir Alistair Cook could feel comfortable about it, as could Dame Elizabeth Taylor (a Dame is a female Knight). Plainly, Sir Rudi Giulani might feel it was pretentious and odd to style himself so, as might Sir Henry Kissinger Smile.
An interesting case is Sir Charles Chaplin. He lived in Switzerland for much of his life and died there. He was born in London. Did he not ever become an American citizen or did he renounce that citizenship before he became a Knight? He was living in Switzerland by then
07-18-04, 11:28 AM methos Fred - US Constitution, Article I, Section 9.8: No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States; and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept any present, emolument, office, or title of any kind whatever from any king, prince, or foreign state.
This explains why anyone with a public office "of profit or trust" would not accept the title "Sir" if it were offered, but it's really irrelevant. No foreigner, American or otherwise, is allowed the title "Sir" unless they later become a British subject. By foreigner, I mean anyone outside of the Commonwealth, not just the United Kingdom.
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