AmerLisa

Yes, I think you're right. So confusing.....

Jerseygirl

I know...but the UK isn't one of them.

chartreuse

Intentionally so, to make work for lawyers, politicians and bureaucrats.

Brit3964

There are but it doesn't necessarily mean you are automatically a USC if born there:

"Despite widespread popular belief, U.S. military installations abroad and U.S. diplomatic or consular facilities are not part of the United States within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. A child born on the premises of such a facility is not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural..._United_States

sallysimmons

Glad you asked

• Cut federal taxes for 95% of Americans
• Cut small business taxes by offering various credits – this year I paid the lowest percent of my business income in taxes since I started it 8 years ago.
• Extended unemployment benefits and provided COBRA assistance to millions of people during the recession.
• Withdrew all combat troops from Iraq (just last week)
• Signed the $787B stimulus bill that included State aid that has kept all my local firefighters, waste disposal guys and teachers employed when lay-offs were previously pending.
• Passed financial regulatory reform to address Wall St excesses, including the all-important consumer protection agency that the Republicans vehemently opposed.
• Saved millions of lives, quite literally, by reversing George W. Bush's funding cutoff to overseas family planning organizations.
• Authorized the California car-emissions standards that Bush had been blocking for six years
• Erased Bush's decision to restrict federal funding for stem-cell research – a key step for sufferers of all kinds of chronic illnesses
• Nominated two accomplished female Supreme Court justices both of whom are strong enough and smart enough to balance the excesses of the right-wing court.
• Spearheaded major educational reforms that are in progress and are supported by everyone from Newt Gingrich on the right to Al Sharpton on the left.
• Saved the US auto industry by forcing two of the companies in bankruptcy – all 3 US automakers are now making a profit.
• Stopped the financial collapse, revived the credit markets, and drove the stock market back up, thereby increasing everyone’s 401Ks
• Reformed our healthcare system for the first time in 40 years with immediate benefits such the removal of preexisting condition bans for children, an immediate end to the evil practices of recission and annual coverage limits, and longer term benefits such as the removal of the same bans for adults (in 2014).
• Signed the Lilly Leadbetter fair pay act that ensures women cannot be discriminated against when it comes to pay.
• Got BP to pay $20B to American victims of the oil spill.
• Reversed the Bush administration's decision to sell thousands of acres of public parkland.
• Currently in the process of repealing 'don't ask don't tell' to allow gays to serve openly in the military

That's just off the top of my head - I know I'm forgetting stuff.

With the exception of the financial bail-outs, none of those things would have happened under President John McCain, so I just think it's patently false for people to claim politicians are all the same and there's no point in voting.

If you agree with those things, he's your guy. If you don't, you can vote for someone else. But who you vote for does matter.

chartreuse

I see a list comprised of bullshit PR, money pissed away on cronies & special interests and gesture politics pandering to what the administration sees as populist notions.

No, I'm fairly confident that President John McCain would have put out bullshit PR, pissed money away on cronies & special interests and engaged in gesture politics pandering to what his administration saw as populist notions.

Here's where your naivety shows. Expressing contempt for a contemptible group is not the same as being apathetic. You're saying "let's pick the lesser of two evils", I'm saying "let's see what steps we can we take to stop consistently electing evil bastards".

Seriously, though, it troubles me to think that you believe all of that list and yet you're calling other people stupid. To pick just two of the sillier ones:

- "Got BP to pay $20B to American victims of the oil spill."? What do you think he had to do with that?
- "Stopped the financial collapse, revived the credit markets, and drove the stock market back up, thereby increasing everyone’s 401Ks"? Isn't that utter fantasy, like when Gordon Brown saved the world?

JAJ

US Embassies and military installations are NOT sovereign US territory.

And although "natural born" has never been defined by the Supreme Court, it is considered to mean someone who was a US citizen at birth, not by acquisition afterwards.

nettlebed

But Hawaii is!

Bob

So how does the US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico fit in etc?

chartreuse

You're a USC if you're born there. Though PR is going through an exercise of reissuing all birth certs, using new, supposedly secure and doubtlessly expensive, paper.

Turns out stolen birth certs from PR are one of the most traded forms of paper on the black market.

Gingerert

No. EVERYONE should vote if they have the legal means to do so. People died so we could have the freedom to vote and that deserves respect.

(Now, if I could just sort out the buggering postal vote system in the UK, I'd be all set! )

Exactly. Voting is one of the most important things you can do; even if you feel dissenchanted with the political system it's still important you exercise your basic human rights. Otherwise you have no-one to blame but yourself when change doesn't come your way.

Oh, and I quite like Obama. I think he's had a phenomenally tough term so far, and FOX news doesn't help. I watch The Daily Show now to get my news - as do something mad like 60% of other people under the age of 35. Jon Stewart for President!

Englishtart

Yep, both of our kids were born on "US Soil" but not in the US. They are both natural born citizens. (maybe!)

hobbes79

You didn't naturalize her. She was American the moment she entered this world.

When we were at the US Embassy with our son to register the birth, they went out their way to point out that they were not MAKING our son a US citzen... just acknowledging it.

It's why you get a "Consular Report of Birth Abroad" rather than a naturalization certificate.

hobbes79

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (commonly referred to as CROBA) is a document issued by the U.S. Consulate reflecting the facts of a birth abroad of a child who acquired U.S. citizenship at birth; it is acceptable as proof of U.S. citizenship for all legal purposes.

http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov/crba_main-e.html

I think we're ok. But obviously we'll deal with the potential hurdle nearer the time

chartreuse

So, if a USC is born in Liverpool, first thing the government does is give him a crowbar. Is that to help with the breaking & entering?