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RandySF

(83,055 posts) Mon May 27, 2013, 05:24 PM May 2013

Ted Cruz backers say he's 'natural born' [View all]

It seems like an obscure court case from a dusty old law book, but if Canadian-born Texas Sen. Ted Cruz decides to run for president, you're likely to hear a lot about United States vs. Wong Kim Ark.

In the 1898 case, the Supreme Court voted 6-2 to repudiate the exclusive language of the infamous Dred Scott case and create an expansive definition of the Constitution's "natural-born citizen" clause.

That's important because the Constitution requires that the president be a natural-born citizen - and Cruz was born in Calgary, Alberta, in 1970.

Cruz, who is being urged to run for president in 2016 by some conservative activists, argues that he is a natural-born citizen because his mother was an American citizen. His father, now a naturalized American, was born in Cuba.

http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Ted-Cruz-backers-say-he-s-natural-born-4550395.php#ixzz2UXCSc07T

63 replies

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Ted Cruz backers say he's 'natural born' [View all] RandySF May 2013 OP

Yet these same people think Obama is a Kenyan national. LonePirate May 2013 #1

My first thought too treestar May 2013 #44

Yep. But Cruz has the right skin color so of course he's a natural born American! BlueCaliDem May 2013 #53

The fact remains that Cruz was 'born' in CANADA :) Tx4obama May 2013 #2

Show us the birth certificate, Ted. arcane1 May 2013 #3

Don't you mean, "Show us the birf cerfiticat!" TheDebbieDee May 2013 #13

it has to be the "wet Ink" one sad-cafe May 2013 #26

BIRF CERTIFICAT WHERE TED WHERE Arkana May 2013 #58

I'm already making my birther protest signs. NCLefty May 2013 #4

It'll take more than that Cirque du So-What May 2013 #5

Make sure that sign has misspelled words too. SummerSnow May 2013 #59

Where is Orly Taitz when you need her? TexasTowelie May 2013 #6

He's a natural born loony tune Bluzmann57 May 2013 #7

I was born in a foreign country to an American citizen mother after 1960: I am "natural born" alcibiades_mystery May 2013 #8

He and you both maybe American citizens born abroad, but you are NOT natural-born. TheDebbieDee May 2013 #14

False alcibiades_mystery May 2013 #22

You are wrong. former9thward May 2013 #23

It's just rich because the idiot birthers insisted that being born in Kenya to a US citizen... arcane1 May 2013 #15

Prove that you were born, please. IdaBriggs May 2013 #38

lol treestar May 2013 #49

You aren't running for President. It's absurd to say someone born on foreign soil is a "natural-born WinkyDink May 2013 #45

You're wrong alcibiades_mystery May 2013 #56

he is right, unfortunately arely staircase May 2013 #9

I was born of two Americans in Indonesia... cascadiance May 2013 #19

you can be my daughter's running mate arely staircase May 2013 #21

I still don't get why anybody cares. Let them run this asshole. He's going to LOSE BIG! kysrsoze May 2013 #52

he won't make it through the primary arely staircase May 2013 #63

Well, his mother is a citizen. RedCappedBandit May 2013 #10

Where's his mother's birth certificate?..... The long form IggleDoer May 2013 #16

Bigger question... Javaman May 2013 #62

Sure it wasn't c-section? Downwinder May 2013 #11

Another MacDuff? nt msanthrope May 2013 #28

It is going to be interesting to see the reaction of the right. hrmjustin May 2013 #12

Can we do a DNA check... Buzz Clik May 2013 #17

Maybe if he runs, then Jennifer Granholm could run against him! cascadiance May 2013 #18

It seems to me natural-born might mean not adopted. Shrike47 May 2013 #20

No, that isn't at all what the Constitution means. WinkyDink May 2013 #46

Hatched. Loudly May 2013 #24

He's a natural born idiot? Initech May 2013 #25

Isn't the question mainstreetonce May 2013 #27

He was born to an American parent alcibiades_mystery May 2013 #30

So therefore he is eligible mainstreetonce May 2013 #31

End of story Aerows May 2013 #34

Right though right wingers have claimed treestar May 2013 #51

If an American woman gives birth while on vacation abroad, should her baby be ineligible Nye Bevan May 2013 #29

I know you argued Aerows May 2013 #33

Huh? Nye Bevan May 2013 #36

I was busy agreeing with you Aerows May 2013 #37

Not upset. I just don't remember posting on that issue (nt) Nye Bevan May 2013 #39

Fair enough n/t Aerows May 2013 #40

No. "US citizen" is insufficient, else the Constitution authors would not have INCLUDED "natural- WinkyDink May 2013 #48

The current interpretation of "natural born" is "US citizen at birth" Nye Bevan May 2013 #50

He's a Fundamentalist Aerows May 2013 #32

I want to see his birth certificate! backscatter712 May 2013 #35

Of course they would.. They know that dems won't waste time doing what THEY did SoCalDem May 2013 #41

You are wrong LostOne4Ever May 2013 #42

No. He is a Canadian-born person of dual citizenship. Does NOT fit the Constitution. WinkyDink May 2013 #43

This message was self-deleted by its author TygrBright May 2013 #47

Hypocrites. AndyA May 2013 #54

I would not at all be suprised to see him run...they will just change the rules.Tea/ Publicans Tippy May 2013 #55

McCain already settled this. Orsino May 2013 #57

natural born killers---oh please please run --this would be SO much fun dembotoz May 2013 #60

Ted Cruz is one person that has brought bipartisanship to the Senate. Beacool May 2013 #61