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| | *must have resided in the United States for at least 14 years. | | *must have resided in the United States for at least 14 years. |
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| − | The age requirement is a safeguard against hereditary presidencies, the way that monarchies are hereditary. A child of a president younger than 35 years old cannot become president based on the popularity of his father (or mother) as president. | + | The age requirement is a safeguard against hereditary presidencies, the way that monarchies are hereditary. A relatively young son or daughter of a president, younger than 35 years old, cannot become president based on the popularity of his father (or mother) as president. |
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| | The controversial requirement is the "natural born Citizen," which limits presidents to those who were born as American citizens, rather than people who became American citizens through immigration. No other office or position is limited to people who are born American citizens. The United States is a land of immigrants, and every opportunity and position is equally available to immigrants who become citizens as to people who are born American citizens -- except the office of president. | | The controversial requirement is the "natural born Citizen," which limits presidents to those who were born as American citizens, rather than people who became American citizens through immigration. No other office or position is limited to people who are born American citizens. The United States is a land of immigrants, and every opportunity and position is equally available to immigrants who become citizens as to people who are born American citizens -- except the office of president. |
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| | == Faithfully Execute the Laws == | | == Faithfully Execute the Laws == |
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| − | Article II, §3, requires that the president “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”<ref>Often people use the symbol "§" to mean "Section", as in "Article II, §3."</ref> It is this provision that many conservatives feel Obama has repeatedly violated by refusing to enforce some laws (such as laws against illegal immigration) and by changing other laws to be different from what Congress passed (such as Obama's changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare). | + | Article II, §3, requires that the president “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”<ref>Often people use the symbol "§" to mean "Section", as in "Article II, §3."</ref> It is this provision that many conservatives feel President Barack Obama has repeatedly violated by refusing to enforce some laws (such as laws against illegal immigration) and by changing other laws to be different from what Congress passed (such as Obama's changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare). |
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| − | But it is difficult for anyone to successfully sue the president when he fails to "faithfully execute[]" the laws as required by Article II, Section 3. Instead, courts are likely to hold that a citizens lacks legal "standing" to complain about a failure to enforce the laws by the president, especially when the citizen is not directly harmed by the government inaction or action. | + | But it is difficult for anyone to successfully sue the president when he fails to "faithfully execute[]" the laws as required by Article II, Section 3. Instead, courts are likely to hold that a citizen lacks legal "standing" to complain about a failure to enforce the laws by the president, especially when the citizen is not directly harmed by the government inaction or action. No court is likely to order a president to "faithfully execute[]" the law as required by the Constitution. |
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| | == No Nobility == | | == No Nobility == |
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| − | The Constitution prohibits conferring any official nobility in the United States. This was a reaction to the ranks of nobility that were used in England, and still are. "Sir" Isaac Newton and "Sir" Paul McCartney are titles of official nobility given by the monarchy to individuals as part of a "knighthood". The Constitution bans that here. | + | The Constitution prohibits conferring any official nobility in the United States. This was a reaction to the ranks of nobility that were used in England, and still are. "Sir" Isaac Newton and "Sir" Paul McCartney are titles of official nobility given by the monarchy to individuals as part of "knighthood". The Constitution bans that here. |
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| | Do you agree with this ban? | | Do you agree with this ban? |