Dual Citizenship and the Presidency

©2010 drkate

The Usurpathon actions include finding new ways to talk about Obama’s ineligibility for the Presidency.  One such tactic is to use the concept of ‘dual nationality’ or ‘dual citizenship’ to underscore that Obama has divided allegiance.  This theme was emphasized in the letter delivered to Congressman Issa’s office.

A review of past Presidents’  status regarding dual citizenship indicates that all of the Presidents before Obama, with the exception of Chester Arthur, met the criteria of natural born citizen, that is born in the United States of two U.S. citizen parents.  James Buchanan’s father came to America in the early 1780’s, becoming a ‘citizen of the United States at the Adoption of the Constitution’.  James was born in the United States in 1791.

With the exception of Chester Arthur, all Vice Presidents have also met the natural born citizen criterion, including Spiro Agnew, who was born in the United States to a naturalized U.S. Citizen father and an American mother.

However, Chester Arthur successfully hid his father’s non-Citizen status from the American electorate during that time period by lying about his exact year of birth and burning all his family records.  The true facts were only confirmed recently upon historical research of the naturalization records from that time period which revealed that Arthur’s father was not yet a Citizen when Chester Arthur was born.  And there were no legal court challenges to him at the time, just rumors as to which side of the Canadian border he was actually born on. (H/T CDR Kerchner)

In an astute historical analysis, Commander Charles Kerchner further identifies why being a “born Citizen” is not sufficient to be President of the United States.

U.S. “Tolerates” Dual Citizenship

According to the State Department, the concept of dual nationality means that a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time.   While the U.S Government recognizes that dual citizenship exists, it does not encourage it as a matter of policy because of the problems it can cause, such as claims of other countries on dual nationals that conflict with U.S. law.   Because dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country, they are required to obey the laws of both countries.

The Constitution  and its Amendments use five citizenship terms, including ‘citizen of the U.S.’, ‘born citizen’, ‘citizen of the US at the time of adoption of this Constitution’, ‘naturalized citizen’, and ‘natural born citizen’.    A ‘citizen of the U.S.’ is born to at least one U.S. Citizen Parent, or born in the U.S., or naturalized under the Fourteenth Amendment.  A ‘born citizen’ is born in the U.S. and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, and is referenced and established in the Fourteenth Amendment.   A ‘naturalized citizen’ is one who was born outside the country or to non-citizen parents and has lawfully become a citizen of the United States under the constitution and laws.

Article II of the Constitution, using three of these citizenship terms, contains specific guidance as to the citizenship requirements for the President.  The President must be a ‘citizen of the U.S. at the time of adoption of this Constitution’—i.e., the Founders, or a ‘natural born citizen’.  Referencing the ‘law of nations’ in both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, a ‘natural born citizen’ is ‘born in the country of parents who are citizens’.

When you think about this requirement, it envisioned a future President being born in America, and growing up in America from two Citizen parents that could pass on the history and values that make our Country what it is.  This ensured that a potential president would have at least two generations of American experience as a foundation for the allegiance required, and would understand enough of the values and  history of our country as guidance for governance.

Mindful that there would always be foreign powers interested in taking over the United States, the specification of ‘natural born citizen’ as used in Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 is a national security safeguard to ensure the President’s allegiance only to the United States.  As the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces there must be no question of allegiance or divided loyalties.

State Department Confirms Obama is Dual Citizen

Recently, the State Department confirmed that President Obama is a dual citizen of Britain/Kenya and the United States.  While this site is widely viewed as a disinformation program, even the best and brightest can make mistakes.

Referencing the British Nationality Act of 1948, the State Department confirms that the Act governed Obama’s citizenship at birth is a result of his father’s citizenship, and that subsequent to Kenyan independence,  Obama also became a Kenyan citizen. While retaining Kenyan citizenship requires an affirmation and can be lost if not declared by the age of 21, British citizenship does not expire unless renounced.

By law and custom,  Obama’s allegiance is divided.  The POTUS must have only one allegiance.

The United States has a dual citizen now holding the office of the President for the first time in its history, without clear constitutional authority or a statutory framework.  The Constitutional requirements for the Presidency have been overridden by fiat,  setting dangerous precedent, which we must not allow to stand.

This adds yet another reason to see the Prima Facie evidence of his birth certificate:  to determine if any part of that dual citizenship is American, since he has not proven conclusively that he was born in Hawaii.

Members of Congress who take an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution have an obligation to investigate and remedy this egregious constitutional violation before our economy, national security, our future, the future of our children,  and American values are lost in the tyranny of multiple allegiances.    Who has the courage to stand for the Constitution above his or her party affiliation and political career?