Obama versus Schwarzenegger

This was a law laid down over 200 years ago in our constitution. We don't like to fool with the constitution too much and for good reason. However President was the only position that carries that requirement,every other federal position is more lax in it's requirements. As for state position's such as governor, the federal governemnt has no say in those matters as they are state issues and the authority is seperate from the federal government, those requirements are set by the states themselves.

Immigrants do get to vote in our elections. You don't necessarily have to be a British citizen to vote. Republic of Ireland citizens can too, although it doesn't work the other way. The Queen is our Head of State and she got there by birthright. That's a position that isn't universally welcomed these days.

All Acts and Bills require Royal Assent and it is "Her Majesty's Government". For all practical purposes though she is a figurehead. She does technically have the right of veto, but I can't think of an occasion when it has been used - ever - in 300 years! Our upper chamber, the House of Lords was previously a non-elected group of peers (aristocrats) but Tony Blair did away with it and installed his own cronies instead. The Queen is just about the only non-elected Lord entitled to sit there in her own right. She does so just once a year at the State Opening of Parliament when she presents "her" Government's agenda for the coming session

Thank you for that heads up, it was one of the probably many subtleties of your system that I missed. Lash

Your very welcome. I think that is a very important point that many people miss. The ONLY position in the US you must be a natural born citizen is the Presidency. Article II Section 1 [Qualifications for the office of president.7—4.] No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.

Really? We would mind our own business if America kept out of other countries affairs which it does not. Everything your country does affects other countries in the world so they are entitled to know what is going on and why. Our media is certainly not government run but I bet they wish they did and could shut it up.

I have to agree with Sharra on this one. We do stick our nose where it doesn't belong. We don't want other countries doing it though.

I see, your comment must mean that Arnie is a MODERATE. Not one of the loony Republican Right. Makes all the difference, I suppose. Funny thing is, just like us in Australia, you're all foreigners except the Red Indians. Sharra1 makes a good point: you pric*s have been sticking your greedy noses in everyone else's business for at least 60 years, we have every right to comment on your national and political deficiencies (with apologies to all those fair-minded Americans). Lash

Not picking on you specifically, adinkle, but you're the last of a number of you who have pointed this out, and if any of you had read past the opening post they would know that I acknowledged my ignorance on this matter in the first response to the first response. Lash

Correction: We are all descended from immigrants. I was born in this country. I did not immigrate here. If you are going to use such logic than you'll have to consider whether those native Americans were immigrants. There are some that think they were actually from Russia, migrated east into Alaska, and subsequently south into what is now the US and Mexico. Aside from areas considered to be the first civilizations, everyone everywhere would be considered immigrants under your incorrect definition. Here's the REAL definition. : one that immigrates: as a: a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence b: a plant or animal that becomes established in an area where it was previously unknown http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immigrants