DutchLlama wrote:I thought amendments can only add new rules to the constitution, not change rules which are in the main text of the constitution.
The US constitution is a bit strange as it hasn't been changed since it was passed, only amended.
Belatedly, a few quick corrections to this:
1. Amendments can and do override and supercede portions of the constitution itself (and also other amendments). The obvious examples being amendments 13 though 15, which among other things completely overrode the formula for determining congressional representation laid down in the original constitution.
2. The text of the constitution itself
can be changed, but that requires a full Constitutional Convention. (Which has never happened in the entire history of the country, and nobody is entirely sure what the proceedure would be if it did.)
Under current law, Arnold cannot run for President of the U.S., nor could he serve as Vice President. I'm not sure what the rules are for cabinet-level positions (Secretary of State, etc), but I suspect that anyone in the immediate line of succession to the presidency would also have to be a born citizen, or to disqualify themselves in advance.
In order for Arnold to become eligible, an amendment to the constitution allowing naturalized citizens to serve as President would have to, in order, pass both houses of congress with a two-to-one majority, and then be approved by a majority vote in 3/4 of the States in some reasonable time period. Given that Arnold is already in his late 50s and is only beginning his political career, I don't think this is terribly likely.
"Senator Schwartzenegger" is about the worst we have to fear here. Not that that isn't plenty bad.
It goes over and over and over and over the air.
Having Bush at Federal level is bad enough, now we'll have Arnie at the State level.
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