Autobiography - The Galindo Group

Ram Galindo THE MAKING OF AN AMERICAN Page 79
led Great Britain to make attempts to re-conquer the colonies first in 1803 and later in
1812. It appears that though he undoubtedly and clearly was a total patriot and a model
freedom fighter, his possible ascent to the presidency scared some delegates. Some of
them thought it was important that they find a way to avoid this possibility.
Hamilton, as opposed to the rest of the delegates, had been born outside the American
colonies. As a young man inspired by the American Revolution, he came to New York
from the British West Indies, where he had been born and was working as a
bookkeeper. He joined Washington’s army and quickly rose through the ranks, falling
under the General’s eyes, and getting important staff responsibilities. Knowing the
circumstances of his birth and time of residency in the former colonies, cautious
delegates pushed for a qualification of U.S. birth for the office of the presidency for
future candidates and at least fourteen years of residency for those present then but
born abroad.
They found the presidential requirement of native birth preferable to just a period of
residency, as they had stipulated for representatives and senators. In one sweeping
stroke the delegates disqualified Hamilton for quite sometime yet, and every other
person in the world not born in the U.S.A. forever. The true merit of this rule is still a
matter of conjecture. History shows us time and again how one of the strengths of
America is its population diversity and how immigration lifts our standards of living. One
cannot wonder if a period of assimilation of perhaps thirty years to qualify any candidate
for the presidency may not have been preferable in lieu of the birth requirement. (The
fourteen-year requirement spelled out in the Constitution was only for those foreign born
who at that time had already been naturalized Americans.) This requirement would have
opened the door for the job to the most qualified person among billions of people,
instead of just 280 million.
This discussion underscores the supreme importance of the requirement of total loyalty
that is implied in the qualifications set for presidential office holding. Given the potential
widespread use of planting long-term moles used by Germany and Japan during World
War II and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and now apparently resurrected by
the new faceless enemies we are confronting in the early 21 st century, the “born-in-
America” requirement may have been the most prudent course of action. Occasions
may arise when our Chief Freedom Fighter may not be the best of the best, but his
basic loyalty must be unimpeachable. Nobody else, whether elected or appointed, need
be American born. These jobs are open to the best candidates wherever they may have
been born. There is a pool of over six billion possible candidates.
As I settled down in my new home in Bryan, Texas, my disenchantment with our
national leadership came to a head with the performance of Jimmy Carter. After a
misguided Nixon presidency and a mediocre Ford performance, the world was full of
hope with the promises of Jimmy Carter. However, before long his limitations were
overrun by events and the country floundered. He soon admitted that America was in a
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