General Discussion

KamaAina

(78,249 posts) Thu Nov 21, 2013, 07:21 PM Nov 2013

Are You Smart Enough to Be a Citizen? Take Our Quiz [View all]

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/07/what-if-you-had-to-earn-american-citizenship/309398/

To become a citizen of the United States, naturalizing immigrants must take a test. Many native-born Americans would fail this test. Indeed, most of us have never really thought about what it means to be a citizen. One radical idea from the immigration debate is the repeal of birthright citizenship—guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment—to prevent so-called anchor babies. Odious and constitutionally dubious as this proposal may be, it does prompt a thought experiment: What if citizenship were not, in fact, guaranteed by birth? What if everyone had to earn it upon turning 18, and renew it every 10 years, by taking an exam? What might that exam look like?

51 replies

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Highlight:

Are You Smart Enough to Be a Citizen? Take Our Quiz [View all] KamaAina Nov 2013 OP

interesting proposition, doubt it would ever come into being though. loli phabay Nov 2013 #1

Let's hope not. KamaAina Nov 2013 #3

This message was self-deleted by its author KamaAina Nov 2013 #2

Hey, I got citizernship with distinction! CTyankee Nov 2013 #4

Yes! I am! 59! ScreamingMeemie Nov 2013 #5

I took a couple of educated guess' on the Supreme court Justices K.O. Stradivarius Nov 2013 #6

Citizenship attained, with distinction! Warpy Nov 2013 #7

I only guessed on two. Ms. Toad Nov 2013 #16

I am afraid to take it. RebelOne Nov 2013 #8

Citizenship attained In_The_Wind Nov 2013 #9

Barely, I got a 48 madokie Nov 2013 #10

lol - I was there too - TBF Nov 2013 #13

65 Scuba Nov 2013 #11

58 Th1onein Nov 2013 #12

56. nyquil_man Nov 2013 #14

Ha! Me too. 2naSalit Nov 2013 #23

70 points. Ms. Toad Nov 2013 #15

Your Citizenship Score:58 Citizenship attained, with distinction. nt oldhippie Nov 2013 #17

59 LiberalElite Nov 2013 #18

Woo! Yes, I am. Raffi Ella Nov 2013 #19

There are some bugs in the software Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #20

Bugs in the software?? KamaAina Nov 2013 #32

??? Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #33

The repukes are in a worse-than-usual tizzy because of bugs in healthcare.gov KamaAina Nov 2013 #34

My reply had nothing at all to do with Obamacare Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #38

The poster was making a joke with you.... MADem Nov 2013 #43

OK Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #44

And my reply was a shot at the repukes KamaAina Nov 2013 #51

63 -- "Citizenship attained, with distinction." n/t devils chaplain Nov 2013 #21

59 Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #22

Attained citizenship by the skin of my teeth..36 angstlessk Nov 2013 #24

Scored a 54. Mixed up 4 of the Supreme Court Justices. Kaleva Nov 2013 #25

Whee! 59! Citizenship attained, with distinction Luminous Animal Nov 2013 #26

77 hrmjustin Nov 2013 #27

Hmm. How did you get 77? I got 66. Aristus Nov 2013 #37

I thought it was a glitch. I answered all the questions right. hrmjustin Nov 2013 #39

Citizenship with distinction!! Lifelong Protester Nov 2013 #28

60 NuclearDem Nov 2013 #29

Citizenship attained, with distinction !!! WillyT Nov 2013 #30

Yes. stage left Nov 2013 #31

My simulation of GWB got 31! Pholus Nov 2013 #35

Thread win!!! KamaAina Nov 2013 #36

Fun. 58 ancianita Nov 2013 #40

Citizenship with distinction....n/t prairierose Nov 2013 #41

54 Citizenship with distinction. But then my passion is US history and politics. n/t DebJ Nov 2013 #42

64 ProdigalJunkMail Nov 2013 #45

what would be the consequence of failing said "every two year" citizenship exam? Liberal_in_LA Nov 2013 #46

52 sakabatou Nov 2013 #47

I thought 60 was perfect. I must have messed up Breyer-Kennedy Egalitarian Thug Nov 2013 #48

Look through it again. There's a "see the answers" button. n/t A HERETIC I AM Nov 2013 #49

Thanks. It was Breyer-Kennedy and military service. Egalitarian Thug Nov 2013 #50