Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    speakez66's Avatar
    speakez66 Posts: 11, Reputation: 2
    New Member
     
    #1

    Sep 20, 2007, 12:13 PM
    Female president constitutional?
    Article II

    Section 1. The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected,.

    Our forefathers wrote about holding senate office as the person or persons.

    Article II clearly states gender. There is only one meaning for he and his.

    Hillary Clinton as president is unconstitutional at present without amendment.

    Is there any legal case here?

    LII: Constitution
    ebaines's Avatar
    ebaines Posts: 12,131, Reputation: 1307
    Expert
     
    #2

    Sep 20, 2007, 12:29 PM
    I think it's pretty clear that terms like "he" and "his" are gender neutral - the use of male pronouns encompasses the female. Otherwise we couldn't have female representatives in the House, senators in the Senate, or VP. And females couldn't be extradited from one state to another if they commit a crime. Consider the following passages of the Constituton:

    Article 1, section 2, "The Legislative branch": No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

    Article 1, Section 3, "The Senate":
    No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

    The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

    Article 4, The States:
    A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
    Jobs & Parenting Expert
     
    #3

    Sep 20, 2007, 12:45 PM
    English evolved in a male-centered, patriarchal society. Therefore, "he" is used to refer not only to men, but also to women.
    Choux's Avatar
    Choux Posts: 3,047, Reputation: 376
    Ultra Member
     
    #4

    Sep 20, 2007, 07:08 PM
    We already had a President who was *NOT A MAN*...

    He's sitting in the White House right now with his head up his butt. :)
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
    Computer Expert and Renaissance Man
     
    #5

    Sep 20, 2007, 07:12 PM
    Oh geez that's stretching it. Women couldn't vote when the Constitution was written either. I can't imagine any court finding a women president unconstitutional.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
    Expert
     
    #6

    Sep 20, 2007, 07:16 PM
    If it is, I am sure John Edwards or Obama will make sure to bring it up over the next year
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
    Ultra Member
     
    #7

    Sep 21, 2007, 07:00 AM
    Yikes!!

    Are we really that desperate this early in the game?
    JohnSnownw's Avatar
    JohnSnownw Posts: 322, Reputation: 51
    Full Member
     
    #8

    Sep 21, 2007, 11:57 PM
    No one would actually try to enforce that idea, even if it were a possibility, lest they incur the wrath of approx. 50% of the potential voting public. Obviously, not the only reason.
    rpg219's Avatar
    rpg219 Posts: 504, Reputation: 81
    Senior Member
     
    #9

    Sep 22, 2007, 12:03 AM
    OK, well then what about pediatricians' literature that states "he" (as in a baby) should have this shot at this time... because you have a girl that means she doesn't have to have it as well? "He", when talking people in general, would mean any person... not just a man or boy
    s_cianci's Avatar
    s_cianci Posts: 5,472, Reputation: 760
    Uber Member
     
    #10

    Sep 30, 2007, 02:47 PM
    The standard rules of English at the time of the writing of the U.S. Constitution was to use the masculine form for gender-neutral pronouns. Unlike certain other languages, such as German for example, English lacks a gender-neutral pronoun form. So you'll never make a legal argument that a woman can't be president. The constitution specifies age, citizenship and residency requirements but nothing concerning gender.

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Constitutional amendment to ban all divorces [ 76 Answers ]

How many of you would endorse a constitutional amendment to ban all divorces:D Boy would that change the social decay in America.

Female president [ 32 Answers ]

How come we never have a girl for a president?

Useless Constitutional Law? [ 4 Answers ]

I'm talking about the president's not being allowed to declare war without Congressional consent and his getting around that by simply not declaring war and going to war anyway. If it's that easy to get around it why not trash the law altogether since it certainly isn't saving lives or hindering...


View more questions Search