1. Richard – A question for you. Do you know if Kennedy, the VP candidate is naturally born? Since she meets the age requirement, in those states where Calero can’t be on the ballot, can they just switch places and have Kennedy be the Pres candidate and Calero the VP candidate? Or can’t he be listed for that either since he couldn’t take over the Presidency if he needed to?

2. There is general agreement that candidates for vice-president must also meet the constitutional requirements to be president. Governor Schwarzenegger himself explored this, and concluded he can’t run for vice-president, just as he can’t run for president.

3. This issue is one that I’ve never seen applied to any
   Cabinet appointee. Over the last 40 years we’ve had 2
   Secretary’s of State who were foreign born and as far
   as I know no-one brought it up at their confirmation
   hearings. Considering the fact that the Sec. of State
   is first in line among the Cabinet Officers it would
   only be consistent to only choose them if they are
   Constitutionally qualified. Them being all Cabinet
   Officers and their immediate Deputy who by law fills
   their Office on an interim basis when a Cabinet Office
   is vacant for any reason.

4. Well, it’s never been brought up for House members either, and the Speaker of the House is next in line after the VP. So that’s a good point. Maybe because the VP is the first in line it matters more. As an example, if the Preseident has surgery, as has happened a couple time already, he temporarily passes the powers of the Presidency to the VP. He couldn’t do that if the VP was foreign born. In Bush’s case, if Cheney was foreign born, he would have to pass it to Pelosi, and I don’t think Bush OR Cheney would want that. Why would the country want a VP who couldn’t take command? It wouldn’t make sense.

5. Thx, Deemer, Paul Snyder [PhD] has brought that [issue of POTUS seccession via Cabinet Members] up prior [in Sociology and or Poly Sci periodicals] and the ‘silence was deafening’! An issue festering in the shadows?

6. Was Calero the only person interested in this nomination? Why does the SWP keep making their ballot access problems even worse than they need to be by nominating people who don’t meet the constitutional requirements (their ’04 VP nominee was too young also, as I recall, and then there was the 31-year-old Linda Jenness in 1972, if I’m not mistaken)?

7. The presidential succession law, USC 3§19, says that it only applies to a House Speaker, Senator pro tem, and cabinet members who qualify for the office of President under the Constitution.

8. It wasn’t that long ago that 18 year olds could not vote. It was at least partially the anti-war movements taking on the issue of young men that were old enough to be conscripted to the Viet Nam war but not old enough to vote that led to the 26th Amendment.

   The issue of mixed loyalties to another sovereign power was dealt with the election of John F. Kennedy. It was claimed that his loyalties would lie with the Vatican. That was pure nonsense.

   The working class needs leadership that both Róger Calero and Alyson Kennedy are examples of, not the likes of who’s going to be on the ballot for the major capitalist parties.

   The SWP calls on workers to fight for a labor party based on fighting unions. As we, as workers, face the capitalist crisis before us we will build, rebuild and use our unions to defend our interests. We will also take the road to politics in our own name. As in all major struggles of the past the particular language of the constitution will not be our biggest obstacle.

   The constitution we live with today is the result of struggle, not just some static piece of paper.

   BTW, I am not a member of the SWP and this reply is solely of my own accord. I do agree with its campaign and support it.

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