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The Spectacle Blog
Over at NRO, Mark Krikorian is decidedly not neutral about Michele Bachmann’s decision to take out Swiss citizenship along with her family:
People obviously have multiple connections — church memberships, community groups, fraternities, ethnic associations, professional societies, etc. But one’s chief political allegiance is expressed through citizenship, through being a member of We the People — and claiming membership in two national communities is like belonging to two different religions, which means neither is accorded the respect due it.
Nonsense. Krikorian readily acknowledges that Bachmann is a patriot - twice. The fact that she has taken out Swiss citizenship makes her no less a patriot than she was yesterday.
Bachmann also finds herself in pretty good company. Albert Einstein was also a dual U.S. and Swiss citizen.
Krikorian goes on to write:
And there is no justification for such a thing when we demand that foreigners seeking to become Americans take an oath that reads, in part: “I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen.”
But this represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the oath of allegiance. A person who is sworn in as a U.S. citizen does not lose the citizenship of their land of birth. While the United States does not encourage Americans to become dual nationals it does not prohibit it either.
On a personal note, those familiar with my writing will know that I was born in Canada to a mother from Alberta and a father from the Bronx - an unorthodox combination to say the least. But unorthodox or not, me and my siblings had a claim to U.S. citizenship which all of us have exercised. I must confess though that I exercised my claim later than everyone else. During my NDP days I was guilty of harboring anti-American sentiment and initially declined to take out U.S. citizenship. But by 1999, the realities of the Canadian labor market had hit me like a blinding flash and that my stubborness was both counterproductive and closed minded. I reconsidered and took the oath at the U.S. Consular Office in Ottawa. In March 2000, I moved to Boston and have been here ever since. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.
UPDATE: I guess taking out Swiss citizenship wasn’t the best decision Michele Bachmann made. She has requested the Swiss withdraw her status as a citizen.
Kingofthenet| 5.9.12 @ 4:59PM
Michelle Backmann is NOW a traitor with divided allegiances, first impeach her, than deport her.
Rhoetus| 5.10.12 @ 12:30PM
Well King of the net, have you kissed Obama's ring yet?
BruceT| 5.9.12 @ 5:01PM
Funny, Jews are famous for dual citizenship and that is something many Americans dislike about Jews - they tend to be trans-nationals and snobbishly derisive of us mere rubes in flyover country with our guns, our religion and our heritage of generations of Americans.
Funny, Jews often support so called "social justice" and so called "gay rights". Funny.....
Aaron Goldstein| 5.9.12 @ 5:03PM
I wasn't aware Bachmann had converted to Judaism.
BruceT| 5.9.12 @ 5:14PM
The exception doesn't make the rule, i.e., Bachmann's nonsense does nto deny the fact that most Jews are far left, loud, strident, opinionated, trans-nationals. Gee and they wonder why there has always been a persistent dislike for them. Hmm, wonder why.....
Aaron Goldstein| 5.9.12 @ 5:54PM
Well, I guess I'm 4 for 5.
Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 6:55PM
Right wing Jews tend to move to Israel to kick the ass of people like you, Bruce. Or do you not support child rape and mutilation of little girls going to school?
Micah Haber| 5.9.12 @ 5:52PM
Apropos: http://sicsa.huji.ac.il/
Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 6:54PM
Bachmann is an evangelical Christian who went to law school at Oral Roberts, Bruce you flaming idiot.
She WORKED on a Kibbutz as a teenager.
Funny, I live in flyover country (rural Northwestern Minnesota---I've also lived in rural Alabama and rural Kentucky). Funny, I was VEEP of YAF in college (Texas Christian). Funny, I am strongly in favor of gun ownership, and the Israelis make some of the best weapons in the world. Funny, I just wrote a comment coming out against gay marriage.
Generalize much, "Bruce?" Or should I call you "Sheila."
Al Adab| 5.9.12 @ 7:57PM
Seems to me perhaps that Bachman is hedging her bets. How many of us have considered where we might turn (or run) if the impending collapse of free government in the United States were to eventuate? Individual preferences come into play there. Where might be the best place to avoid the collapse of western civilization? Tasmania perhaps?
TYR| 5.10.12 @ 3:58AM
There may be now issues of safety for the Bachmanns that we don't know about nor ever will. Being a Christian, a woman, a faith-based lawyer from ORU, standing up for the family, attacking Planned Parenthood funding, being clearly and thoroughly anti-gay agenda, rattling at the GOP RINOs, and getting leaned on by RINOs who probably would love for her to step down.
I think we all have to think about this. What do we do when it becomes impossible to freely practice Christianity in America, to homeschool, to hear a preacher openly and clearly speak from God's Bible on Sundays. To just have the freedoms to speak, assemble, write, and print.
How many here have been truly harassed and hounded and known that the authorities cannot or will not (or both) do anything to aid you?
People say we could never lose basic Bill of Rights stuff. But we do and have. In just twenty years this could be a wasteland of tyranny, no jobs, violent gangs, less than 1% super-elites who are immune from it all, no freedoms other than wanton hedonism, lots of booze and drugs available to make people not think about it. But this would then be no place to raise a family.
Al Adab, you write the right question.
I have considered a few places. I think that a prudent man has to.
Rhoetus| 5.10.12 @ 12:29PM
Zimbabwe is out of the question. ;)
Kingofthenet| 5.9.12 @ 8:47PM
Funny, I just wrote a comment coming out against gay marriage. Well you are Consistent...Consistently wrong but it's something, I'll give you that!
P.S. You do know WHY Christian Fundies love you Jew's and Israel so much? here is a hint, they believe it won't 'end well' for you...
jppc| 5.9.12 @ 5:27PM
I dunno, Krikorian knows his stuff when it comes to immigration. I tend to agree with his views on immigraion as well. He is one of a few experts on the topic.
Micah Haber| 5.9.12 @ 5:43PM
As of the mid-2000s, dual citizenship was statutorily illegal, but probably contra SCOTUS. Has the law change? If not, should a Congressperson be subject to laws passed by their body, even if said laws are likely unconstitutional according to SCOTUS?
Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.9.12 @ 6:18PM
I have an idea. Though both of my parents and I were born in the US (and though I was born before Obama, I have my original hospital certificate to prove it), I am familiar with the rigors of the US immigration and citizenship process through personal experience. Let us open up the citizenship files of everyone who runs for public office at any level.
Certainly Obama, who drive his original opponent in the Illinois US Senate race out by releasing his sealed divorce records, would not object to such a requirement for transparency. After all, I had to show my original social security card and birth certificate in order to obtain my Real ID compliant driver's license when I renewed in 2010. Otherwise, how can he enter a federal building every day?
Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.9.12 @ 6:20PM
"who drive his original opponent "
of course, in the past imperfect we say "drove"...
Al Adab| 5.9.12 @ 7:58PM
"i" is next to "o"- easy typo. Easily forgiven
BSmith| 5.9.12 @ 7:48PM
Goldstein: "I...took the oath at the U.S. Consular Office in Ottawa. In March 2000, I moved to Boston and have been here ever since. It's the best decision I've ever made."
Bless you. (Except for the Red Sox fan part you left out.)
Greg| 5.9.12 @ 7:52PM
Krikorian is a one trick pony.
RJ| 5.9.12 @ 11:27PM
I don't know why someone in elected office would do this. It isn't going to go over well with voters, but at least, unlike Lugar, she maintains a residence in her home district.
J-Hawk| 5.10.12 @ 4:03AM
It would be interesting to hear her speak on this with those whom she is to be serving.
Occam T., can you get personally to the speaking engagement where Congressman Bachmann will go on record with her constituents o this issue?
Zbigniew Mazurak | 5.10.12 @ 2:03AM
There's one thing that neither Goldstein nor Krikorian mentions: for naturalized US citizens, renouncing the citizenship of their countries' of birth is not easy, because these countries make it very heard, and sometimes impossible, to renounce their citizenships.
Patrick Anderson| 5.10.12 @ 5:48AM
A passport is just a taxation, residency and travel document. If I had the opportunity to possess a Swiss passport, I'd do so, and I'd get them for my kids, too.
JimH| 5.10.12 @ 8:21AM
I think it is one thing to come to America from elsewhere and become a US citizen without renouncing your previous allegiance and another for an American to go and become a citizen of another nation. I wonder if there is any motivation here caused by financial regulations coming into force which deny Americans the opportunity to invest with foreign banks. The banks will refuse Americans because of the onerous reporting requirements imposed by the Feds.
PattyMor| 5.10.12 @ 8:25AM
Does this tell us something about her thoughts of the viability of the U.S. government? Is she hedging her bets in case the violence starts and the FEMA camps are fully stocked with U.S. people?
While dual citizenship is legal, I don't agree with it. No person can have loyalty to two different countries. Sorry, I don't buy it. I used to support Bachmann, but will no longer do so. I don't want dual citizen representatives my government. How do we know whose interests they are representing?
Dai Alanye | 5.10.12 @ 9:58AM
A politician who takes dual citizenship is giving her opponent a mighty big stick. Perhaps next Bachmann will anounce her intention to buy nothing but foreign cars.
9thID| 5.10.12 @ 11:07AM
The article I read stated that Michelle Bachmann was "considered" by the Swiss to be a citizen due to her husband's status -- not that she officially requested it. When my wife was naturalized, her oath specifically stated that she renounced all other claims, and we both take that oath at face value. Sorry to say most immigrants, politicians, and even some in the military do not take their oaths seriously.
Not surprised that Goldstein only came to America for labor reasons and I believe he still harbors a progressive dislike for America. If times get rough here, he will skip back across the border. Most of us natural-born citizens are here for the duration, and will act to live free or die.
Like many of TAS's writers, Goldstein's way of thinking about citizenship and marriage are very progressive and the citizenship issue is what helped bring about the putative Obama presidency. We reap what we sow...
Rhoetus| 5.10.12 @ 12:28PM
Well she is a tax lawyer isn't she?!