Are you for or against birthright citizenship in this country?

[CreekDog]

16 votes, 2 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	I am for birthright citizenship as it's currently understood
	15 (94%)
	I oppose birthright citizenship and it should be eliminated for future and past generations even if I lose my own citizenship as a result
	1 (6%)
	2 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[upaloopa]

1. Do you support the Constitution of the United States.

Nobody is going to do away with birth right citizenship

[CreekDog]

3. well the 14th amendment wasn't in the original constitution

secondly, multiple candidates and many DUers in fact, want to get rid of birthright citizenship.

you can pretend they don't exist, but that won't mean they don't exist.

[upaloopa]

16. An amendment is part of the Constitution as amended

It doesn't matter what a bunch of DUers want. It would take an act of Congress and ratification by 3/4s of the States.


DUers are people with an opinion like everybody else, there is nothing magic about being a DUer.

[CreekDog]

17. would you like us to stop talking about the people who oppose birthright citizenship?

[upaloopa]

21. Talk about what ever you want

I am pointing out that talking isn't going to change anything.

[CreekDog]

23. And all your posts at DU change things?

Do tell.

[Snobblevitch]

18. Thank you for suppoeting the constitution and

all of the amendments.

[upaloopa]

22. They were doing fine without me and they will do

fine when I am gone.

[pinboy3niner]

2. That's a no-brainer at DU

The number here who would question it is very, very small.

[CreekDog]

4. we had 17 people in my last poll on the subject

Last edited Wed Oct 14, 2015, 08:42 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027092058

[joshcryer]

6. Interesting, do you have a link?

Especially if there was discussion by those voting against it.

[CreekDog]

7. yes, though what I was getting at in this poll is a little different

the people in that poll who voted against birthright citizenship did so knowing their own status in the USA would not be changed.

in other words, they oppose it when it applies to other people.

[struggle4progress]

5. Y'know, we once fought a bloody civil war over this, and I think the proper side won.

I see no reason to give it up lightly

[handmade34]

8. I believe that

the original value of the concept was to guarantee freed slaves citizenship… we've come a long way from that

[trackfan]

9. It's been the law for my entire life, and hasn't hurt me yet.

Don't see any reason to change things now.

On immigration in general: people get all "het up" about it, and I think I know why. I'll get to that. A few years ago, my mother-in-law, who is usually on the more liberal side of most political issues, was going on about "illegal immigration". (We surmised this was under the influence of friends in her building). Anyway, I talked to her, and kept asking her how any influx of illegal immigrants affected her negatively in any way. After going over it for a while, she decided that it didn't, and ceased to care about the issue.

Now people have their various reasons, mostly economic, that they say makes them against "illegals". But when you dig deep, who they really don't like are people who speak a different language than they do. This usually translates to "Mexicans". The real reason, I truly believe, that most people are against "illegal immigration", is that they don't like people speaking a language they don't understand, and they think they might be being talked about. It's as simple, totally personal, stupid, and down-to-earth as that. I'm sure I'm right.

[longship]

10. I don't want anybody diddling with the XIV Amendment!!!!

Especially with the vast number of state legislatures in the hands of lunatics, as well as a US House of Representative majority who all belong in straight-jackets and locked in rubber rooms.

So, FUCK NO! I do not support any change to birth right citizenship.

[Downwinder]

11. You have an alternative?

Citizenship test at high school graduation? Pass or deport?

Property ownership?

[CreekDog]

13. look at my vote

[davidn3600]

12. Just an FYI...very few countries have birthright citizenship

We seem more accepting of it because our past and that we are a nation formed by immigration and by people escaping persecution and tyranny. And we value independence. We are also a very large country.

However, most of the world finds this to be a very scary prospect. The central government loses control over who gets citizen status. This is especially problematic in countries in Europe where citizens get free healthcare and free higher education and other social services. You see that fear over there right now with the migrant crisis where many of these countries are already afraid they are going to be overrun and force a change to their culture and way of life.

[davidpdx]

14. Yes, but what I am against is people opening businesses for tourists to come have their child

on US soil. Many Chinese women are doing this and their children as well they themselves get US visas. I believe this could be handled on a state level by merely making such businesses illegal.

[Bucky]

15. I've met a few "anchor babies" in the past few years, from Mexico, Venezuela, & Lebanon

They were all upstanding citizens and patriotic Americans. Sure, their parents diddled with the rules a bit. What's more American than using the rules to your best advantage? Nine out of ten people who end up in that situation pick living in the US over living as a citizen of any other country. By any measure it's a net plus for our country to encourage talented, ambitious people who yearn to build better lives to come here. More importantly, it's who we are as a people to allow windows of opportunity to citizenship like this. It makes us stronger and more diverse.

The idea that you could outlaw tourism to pregnant women is crazy and obnoxious.

[davidpdx]

24. It is a loophole that could be closed

And I did not use the term you used in your post. There are plenty of people who are waiting to come to the US legally. When their intent is to come here at 9 months pregnant, hide it from immigration, and then have the child I find that crazy and obnoxious.

Again, outlawing those types of businesses on a state level would solve the problem without making any changes to the constitution.

[Bucky]

28. That loophole is in the Constitution (14th Am). "Closing it" would be... complicated.

It's not crazy nor obnoxious to want to immigrate to America, nor is it delusional (or unusual) to use the anchor baby method to secure American residency. In many cases the people don't move to the US immediately anyway, but rather save their child's legal status paperwork so that their kids can have the option of moving here later in life (as is the case with two of my personal friends who happen to be both anchor babies and hardworking, decent Americans).

Again, I don't see how you can outlaw a business that offers tourism packages to visit the US just because some of their clients are pregnant. You're talking about outlawing a business that exists in an entirely different country than the US. Our laws don't regulate them. Or were you simply talking about screening all tourists who come into the country for pregnancy? I mean, that kind of policy sounds pretty obnoxious to me.

[davidpdx]

30. If the tourist packages are specifically to have children

then yes, I believe you can outlaw them. My opinion is close the businesses down and stop the people who are profiting from it. If you don't, you might as well just save the pregnant woman the trip and sell her the passports. That is essentially what they are doing.

As for a pregnancy test, I never suggested such a thing. Certainly if you look at a woman who is 9 months pregnant you can pretty much tell.

[Throd]

19. Eliminated for past generations?

How would that work?

[pintobean]

20. Exhume and deport!

[CreekDog]

25. in other words, if you oppose birthright citizenship, would you be willing to give up your own

and reap yourself, the consequences of whatever you propose for others.

so if you're opposing the idea that a child of two parents, one or both immigrants, be denied citizenship.

if in your ancestry, there are immigrants, would you give up your citizenship and live by the rules that you're supporting?

unless you're just saying that you're supporting a change in policy that won't affect you, just other people.

[Throd]

29. So the choice is birthright citizenship or some bizarre proposal you created?

[Angleae]

26. I'd prefer it to be like most european countries.

Very few of them (if any) give citizenship based on place of birth. Generally you need to have at least one parent who is a citizen or long-term resident of that country.

[Yo_Mama]

27. I think it should be adjusted to align with international norms.

If a US citizen gives birth while visiting the UK, the child is not a UK citizen. That makes more sense than our system.

Legal residents should have birthright citizenship, just as children of of US citizens residing abroad get US citizenship.
Children of people here for short term, whether legally or illegally, shouldn't have birthright citizenship.

Currently you can fly into the US from China, give birth that week, and the child is a US citizen. It doesn't make much sense.