According to the Constitution, in order to be eligible to be the President of the United States, a candidate must be a natural born citizen. A natural born citizen refers to someone who was an American citizen at birth, without going through the naturalization process.
The biggest difficulty with interpreting the natural born clause is that it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what the forefathers meant. According to the Harvard Law Clause, Congress has made it clear that “someone who is born to a U.S. citizen parent generally becomes a U.S. citizen without regard to whether the birth takes place in Canada, the Canal Zone, or the continental U.S” (“Natural Born Citizen”).
Regardless of what the Constitution says or how it is interpreted, the natural born citizen clause is too constrictive.
In this century, the U.S. is flooded with diversity and different outlooks. The clause not only constricts the dreams of people who believe they are capable of running for President but also constricts the variety of candidates Americans can choose from.
The natural born clause, though it aims to create authenticity for the role of President, seems to create a barrier for people. I, like all Americans, want a President that will have a plan that allows the U.S. to grow as country. In a country populated with over 300 million people, we need a strong, energetic motivator as the President.
A strong leader is not easy to come by. All politicians have their flaws, and it’s not always easy to choose the right one. In a country where everyone seems to have varying worldviews, it seems silly to barricade able-bodied individuals from showing the public their differing ideas. There are many individuals who have the proper education, skills, and charisma it takes to be the POTUS but are not able to achieve their full potential.
The natural born clause not only constricts the dreams of possible candidates, it also keeps the American public from discovering talented individuals who may be able to lead their country effectively.
America has been dubbed the “Land of Opportunity” and has always advertised its “melting pot” culture, and the U.S. needs to commit to such promises.
Candidates should have the opportunity to run for president without worrying about their place of birth, which is not nearly as important as other political issues. Furthermore, a country with a “melting pot” of cultures cannot make such a claim without dedicating itself to it. By keeping this clause, the U.S. is ignoring the rising diversity in the U.S.
The natural born citizen clause expresses the importance of borders and birthright; but when choosing our country’s leader, we need to consider that the best candidate may not fit into the constrictive box the natural born citizen clause has created.