The "Arnold for President" amendment change is already under way (and the ads mentioned are indeed showing here in the Bay Area). I think they should have waited until his 2nd term.
sacunion.com
Arnold for President Spots Hit the Airwaves
By Ryan Rose
Published: November 15, 2004
Article II of the U.S. Constitution is under fire by those who want to see a President Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Taking its fight to the airwaves, AmendUs.org began airing a television commercial to gain support for a constitutional amendment allowing foreign-born citizens a chance at the presidency. The spot hit television sets Monday across the state. The commercial is also available for download at the group’s Web sites, amendus.org and amendforarnold.org.
The Austrian-born Schwarzenegger (naturalized in 1983) returned Monday from his trade mission in Japan. The governor has not issued a response to the commercials.
Although representatives of Gov. Schwarzenegger report the Republican has no official link to the group, the three Californians behind the movement do have personal ties to the actor-turned-politician.
Lissa Morgenthaler-Jones, her husband David Jones and Mimi Chen are the co-founders of AmendUs.org, also known as Americans to Amend for Arnold and Amend for Arnold. Morgenthaler-Jones appears in the television commercials asking Californians to “help us amend the constitution.”
Morgenthaler-Jones has been a major contributor to many of Schwarzenegger’s past political crusades, supporting him in his campaign for Proposition 49 and the 2003 gubernatorial recall election. According to the Web site, Morgenthaler-Jones did everything from “calling donors and throwing fund-raisers to carrying signs and cheering at rallies.” A picture of Morgenthaler-Jones with her husband and Schwarzenegger is available at the Web site. Chen also worked for Schwarzenegger as a volunteer during the governor’s election campaign, serving as a spokeswoman.
Morgenthaler-Jones and Chen met as roommates while attending Princeton University. Politically active for years, both women want to see a President Schwarzenegger, but they need help from millions of American citizens.
Presently there are two bills before Congress to amend the Constitution to allow for foreign-born presidents. In an amendment sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, D-Calif., and Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., foreign-born citizens could become president after claiming U.S. residence for 20 years. An amendment proposed by Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., would stipulate 35 years.
For implementation in the Constitution, the amendment must receive two-thirds approval from the Senate and the House and ratification by 38 states.
Sponsors of the amendment bills must wait for the next legislative session to begin debates on amending the Constitution. The founders of AmendUs.org want to streamline the ratification of Hatch’s bill.
Stating on their Web site that “thousands of amendments are floated in Congress every year but virtually all of them sink out of sight,” the Schwarzenegger supporters ask citizens to “give 10 to amend.”
AmendUs.org founders want residents of every state to give $10, 10 days, 10 hours or 10 minutes to supporting a change to the Constitution. Hoping to spark a grassroots movement, the group’s founders encourage citizens to use emails to inspire action. They point to political action committee MoveOn.org as an example of successful Internet organization.
“MoveOn.org started with emails sent to maybe 100 friends and now claims to have 2.5 million members,” claims the Web site statement.
Crossing the aisle, the AmendUs.org founders are reaching to Democrats for support as well. Changing their banner to Amend for Arnold and Jen, the group’s founders charge the amendment will not only help Schwarzenegger but popular Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, a naturalized citizen born in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“You can’t choose where you are born, but you can choose where you live and where you swear your allegiance,” said Democrat Granholm, a supporter of the amendment.
Morgenthaler-Jones echoes Granholm’s statement in her group’s television commercial.
“You cannot choose the land of your birth. You can choose the land that you love,” she said.
Ultimately, AmendUs.org, wants to reach its founders’ goal in four years. According to its plan, the group wants a million members by the end of its first year. The organizers want to increase membership at an exponential rate for the next three years, culminating in a “million-human” march in their third year and an “Olympic-torch style relay around the United States” to inspire amendment ratification by the several states.
The new television commercials are the first step in reaching that goal.
“Help us Amend for Arnold and at least 12 million other Americans,” pleads Morgenthaler-Jones in the television commercials.
Citizens can purchase AmendUs.org hats and T-shirts at their Web site. All proceeds go to the amendment movement. AmendUs.org is the second California-based group to rally local support for a constitutional amendment. Southern California residents Marshall Miller and Joshua Mikael founded Operation Arnold operationarnold.com to meet those ends as well. |
