October 11, 2004
Washington is a city where bad ideas sometimes become law.
Here is one bad idea that deserves an early death.
Some members of Congress are seriously considering a constitutional amendment that would permit foreign-born American citizens to become president of the United States.
The leader of this misguided effort is republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.
Clearly, the chief short-term beneficiary of such an amendment would be California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a republican, who was born in Austria.
This is a bad idea, especially in an age of terror.
Suppose a foreign born sympathizer with Islamic fundamentalist ties became president because of a large Muslim voting block?
That could turn into a disaster for America and the world.
It is only one of several possible scenarios that could play out.
Too extreme, you say?
So was 9/11 and the blindness that made it possible.
The constitution should be left alone except in the rarest of circumstances.
This is not one of them.
I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C. Watch his television show, After Hours with Cal Thomas, on the Fox News Channel, Saturdays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
