thrown their hats into the ring. As usual, a number of political analysts have already

started to question the candidates’ constitutional qualifications, namely that of Ted Cruz, who

was born in Canada. So we wanted to know, who is allowed to run for president?

Well, according to the Constitution, there are only three major qualifications to run

for President. You must be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and have been

a permanent resident of the United States for no less than 14 years.

There are also a few situations that could limit your eligibility. If you’ve been impeached

and convicted, the Senate can prevent you from serving as President. Additionally, part

of the 14th amendment says that if you take part in a rebellion or insurrection against

the United States, after swearing an oath to the Constitution, you are disqualified

from holding the Presidential office. However, that one can be overturned by a two-thirds

vote from Congress.

Now, many people assume that in order to be a natural born citizen, you must be born within

the physical borders of the United States. But the constitution does not actually define

what a natural born citizen is. In 2011 a Congressional Research Service report clarified

the distinction. A person born outside the country can qualify as long as one of their

parents is a US citizen. This is known as “jus sanguinis” or, “the law of descent”,

as defined by British common law at the time of the Constitution’s creation. This is

in addition to the concept of “jus soli”, or being born on US territory. Essentially,

if you are automatically granted US citizenship at birth, then you fulfill the requirement.

It is important to note that the United States Supreme Court has never addressed this question

directly.

As is stands, most legal experts say that Ted Cruz’s Canadian birth by his American

citizen mother seems to qualify the candidate as having fulfilled the natural born citizen

requirement. Had Barack Obama actually been born outside of the country, this interpretation

would have also qualified him, as his mother was an American citizen at the time of his

birth. In any case, without a constitutional amendment or Supreme Court ruling, there is

no 100% clear answer as to what defines a natural born citizen, and who is allowed to

run for president. But in legal circles, there is little debate. So, if you meet the requirements,

then by all means, register as a candidate with the FEC and run for president. Make sure

to mention Test Tube Daily in your Inaugural Address.

The Supreme Court plays an important role in american politics, but they’re actually

becoming more and more divided by party lines. To learn about how the bias of the supreme

court is increasing, check out our video here. Thanks for watching TestTube! Please subscribe

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