Dick Cheney born in Panama?

[Hailtothechimp]

Just heard a caller on C-SPAN say this. The female host seemed pretty quick to say that "but both of his parents were Americans" The caller pointed out this didn't matter, the Constitution would not allow him to be president (or vice president, either) if he was born outside the U.S.

Let's hope she has something here! But then again, the Constitution clearly means nothing to that crowd anyway.

[whistle]

1. It's a little late to be bringing this up isn't it, unless Cheney lied...

<snip>
Dick Cheney, Politician

Born: 30 January 1941
Birthplace: Lincoln, Nebraska
Best Known As: Vice president of the United States under George W. Bush
Name at birth: Richard Bruce Cheney

http://www.answers.com/topic/dick-cheney

[flyingfysh]

2. a similar question was raised about George Romney years ago

He was born outside the US, but was an American citizen when he was born. I believe the courts held that he was qualified to run for President, because he was born an American citizen.

If the same is true of Cheney, then he would also be qualified.

[LinuxInsurgent]

6. no...I know about htis

I'm a U.S. citizen born outside the States of the United States. You can only run for President or Vice President if you are born in one of the VOTING territories of the United States, that is, the STATES. If you were born in Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, or in a foreign country, despite parental citizenship transfer, YOU CANNOT BE VP or P.

If Cheney WAS born in Panama...he is illegally (against the Constitution) holding the Vice President spot, and he has been for 4 years.

[DistantWind88]

9. You need to look up Title 8 US Code

you're completely wrong. For example, my daughter was born in an English hospital while her mother and I served in the US Air Force in England--she's eligible to be President (and will be)!

[July]

11. I think you're right.

I'm pretty sure that it's not birth in the U.S. that's required, but that one is a "natural-born" American, as someone born to an American citizen is. People like Schwarzenegger don't fit into that category.

[DistantWind88]

13. I think it was a 1986 amendment to the code

that allowed children of US service personnel, state department, etc to be considered "natural-born" if their parents were serving overseas on behalf of the US Govt. A former GF of mine who was born to a military Father while he served in Japan in 1960 was NOT eligible to be President until that change.

[tsuki]

25. My son has a report of an American Citizen Abroad. He derives his

American Citizen Status from his parents. Conversely, because an illegal has a child here, they are no longer considered American citizens.

[LinuxInsurgent]

12. look, I know this...

Governor Pedro Rossello, of Puerto Rico, a natural born citizen of the United States (born in Puerto Rico, after the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was established), who had lived more than 14 years in the United States AND in Puerto Rico (a U.S. territory) COULD NOT run for VP (there were rumors he was being thought for VP by Gore) because he was born in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, and not one of the VOTING STATES. There was a court case on this...to decide if U.S. territories counted...and I think it was resolved with the so-called "Insular Cases", which dictated that Puerto RIco "belonged to the United States, but was not a PART of the United States". In other words, we have equal citizenship...except for not paying taxes and not voting to the Presidency and Congress.

These voting restrictions formed the basis for not allowing any of our U.S. citizens to be able to run for VP or P. If that is the case...then surely anyone born in the Canal is LESS qualified to be a VP or P, under those rules, then someone born in Guam, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands. Regardless of being born in a U.S. jurisdiction, of U.S. parents, or in a zone dictated to be "natural-born".

[DistantWind88]

14. Look it up.

I gave you the relevent link. McCain IS eligible to be the president of the US.

Rossello IS eligible to be President as well.

[izzie]

22. McCain was born on a Navy base in the Zone.

He ran so it must be OK. I do not know where Cheney was born but the Vice and Pres. can not be from the same state so if you recall he went back and became a Cit. of Wy. Once more.

[mattclearing]

31. This is not true.

If both of your parents are natural born citizens, you are too, regardless of where you are born.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. John McCain was born in Panama. n/t

[DistantWind88]

5. McCain was born IN the

Panama Canal Zone which was, at the time, under US jurisdiction.

[LinuxInsurgent]

7. than McCain CANNOT be President of VP

and his runs for the Presidency were illegal...I'll try to look for the Constitution clauses.

[DistantWind88]

8. Yes, he can

The Canal Zone was considered part of the US.

http://www.answers.com/topic/natural-born-citizen

[DistantWind88]

4. If he was born in the Canal Zone

He's considered a natural born US citizen.

[Vickers]

10. They already circumvented Constitutional restrictions for Dick...remember?

Remember back in 2000 and Dick had to run around and get his fat ass a Wyoming driver's license?

Remember he used to be so proud of being a Texan until that pesky 12th Amendment was brought up?

Oh, but now he's a proud Wyomingite. :eyes: That *almost* sounds as cool as being a Texan (no offense to true Wyomingites, or true Texans for that matter).

These guys are scum, and scum is not dictated to by US law.

[LinuxInsurgent]

16. here's a discussion on the issue

http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2003/vol7n38/Poll0738-en.shtml

It seems the Panama canal issue is resolved...a Congressional legislation made the Panama zone a "natural-born" section...which seems to me to be pretty unfair, considering that the Panama Canal is not even an unincorporated territory (like Puerto Rico). But...because it's WHITE AMERICAN SOLDIERS that were stationed there...their rights to natural born citizenship MUST BE PROTECTED. Screw the Puerto Ricans...they get "statutory citizenship"...despite Puerto Rico STILL being a territory of the United STates (Panama Canal is now Panama's), and despite Puerto RIco having set up a form of self-government (the Panama Canal was a military outpost...no civilian government).

What is not resolved is the issue of eligibility to the Presidency from Puerto Rico...and I guess whatever applies to Puerto Rico, applies to Guam, Virgin Islands, and other places where people are born outside of "natural-born regions" (as of now, the 50 States, and the Panama Canal, by legislation).

Another website.

http://www.answers.com/topic/natural-born-citizen

The answer: it's inconclusive...interpretations vary...and there has not been a conclusive Supreme Court case on it. Maybe Cheney and McCain CAN run for VP...and maybe they can't. Someone would have to challenge them in court

[DistantWind88]

17. Read the link I provided

THEN Title 8. It seems clear that a person born in PR can become president.

[tsuki]

24. They aren't going to read it.

[DistantWind88]

26. Porque no?

[LinuxInsurgent]

27. i read them...

but I think that it still needs to be decided by the Supreme Court...there is confusion...the Constitution has many various references to citizenship, naturalization, and natural-born issues...and there is a question if "natural born" means born to American parents, or born in a particular territory of the United States, or ALL jurisdiction of the United States.

That needs to be defined by the SC.

[Gman]

15. Cheney has illegally been VP since Bush v. Gore

and the right wing revolution.

[AzDar]

18. Crashcart was born of a jackyl in the land of Jezreel.... LOL n/t

[gademocrat7]

19. So what happens now?

Will this be mentioned on any msm????

[DistantWind88]

20. Two issues: before the MSM will care:

1. Is it true?
2. If he was born in Panama, was it in the Canal Zone?

[Leilani]

21. John McCain was born in Panama

His father was a Naval Officer stationed there.

When he ran in the primaries in 2000, this subject was discussed, & he was found legal to run.

[DistantWind88]

23. More importantly he was born IN a US possession

the PCZ.

[LinuxInsurgent]

29. but the PCZ

is not a possession anymore...what happens to those born there before the change? Remain citizens? and why is a foreign military outpost, illegally taken from another country, a jurisdiction benefiting of "natural born" status?

THat goes to the question of whether the United States has the legal right to be an Empire...it goes to the heart of the various "citizenships" (U.S citizenship in the U.S., U.S. citizenship in the colonies (terroritories), etc.)

This needs to be defined by the SC.

[mattclearing]

28. Not true. I've looked into this.

If both of your parents are natural-born American citizens, you are too, regardless of where you are born.

Fact.

[Freddie Stubbs]

30. The Panama Canal Zone was a US possession

So he would be considered an natural-born citizen, just as someone from Puerto Rico is.

[napi21]

32. Don't know about Cheney, but McCain's Father was in the Navy,

and if military personnel are living outside the US, any children born while there will have dual citizenship.

I have several neices & nephews who were born in Japan while their father was stationed in Japan for almost 10 years.