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How they voted, abstained, laid low, and hedged

January 14, 2007 | 10:18 am

Got a serious question that deals with governance, citizenship, high hopes, and what it means to be an American? Why not bring it to the world's greatest deliberative body and whatever it is the House of Representatives calls itself?

We did just that, polling the Golden State's entire Washington delegation (53 representatives and two senators) for an up-or-down vote on our proposed constitutional amendment allowing naturalized citizens to become president.

Rest easy, California! Fully 43.6 percent of your elected officials were willing to venture a yes or no answer. That's overwhelming! Or actually, maybe it's underwhelming. At any rate it's whelming. Here is the complete roll call, including non-responses and statements from pols who found it easier to make a speech than a decision.

Hey, Detroit Free Press! Have you forgotten the Amend for Arnold and Jen campaign? Your guvnor's got some foreign-born skin in this game too; let's see if the Wolverine State's senators and reps can do any better.


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Comments
1.

It is in the spirit of the constitution to face amendment whenever the in-equality outweighs what is decent. The document was never drafted with the idea to exclude and marginalize, but to encompass and protect. If the face of the nation changes dramatically enough over time, the constitution will be amended to embolden would-be runners like Schwarzenegger.

2.

I do not agree that the Constitution should be changed to allow immigrant citizens to run for the office of President of the USA. I resent the drive for the "Arnold" amendment. It is the law and Arnold will not change it no matter how Democratic-Republican he tries to be.



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