Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

July 17, 2008

In this year?s presidential campaign, one candidate may be disqualified because of the circumstances of his birth. One might expect that candidate to be Barack Obama, given his exotic background. In fact, it is Senator John McCain who may not qualify for the presidency.

McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, which was occupied by U.S. naval forces. He was thus thus not a ?natural-born citizen? of the United States, a presidential requirement specified by the Constitution.

Last April, the Senate approved a nonbinding resolution asserting Mr. McCain?s eligibility and claiming that the Founding Fathers didn?t intend to deny the presidency to the children of military personnel stationed abroad.

Of course, the Founders ? who opposed a standing army and foreign entanglements -- didn?t authorize the creation of an imperial military that would endlessly occupy foreign lands. The principles of our Founders are utterly foreign to our contemporary political class.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.