AHC: Ayn Rand elected president of the U.S.
- Thread starter LNSS
- Start date
Not likely. There's a lot that could be argued for, but opening the US to a foreign born President through a constitutional amendment just isn't in the cards.
Lateknight
Banned
Being a women as well as not natural born citizen this not possible. I don't she ever had the popularity or appeal to win any sort of national election at all.
Nazi Space Spy
Banned
Even if the constitution can be handwaved, a Russian woman would never be elected during the Cold War, regardless if her views were "sane" or "insane."
Having read a very detailed biography of her written by Anne Heller, it is clear that Rand had a lot of emotional baggage that was eating away at her, and the stress of a campaign could kill her, if she ever ran for anything.
(I happen to like Rand, though I find a lot of her views insane as well, so I'll withold judgement on the political aspect of her career.)
Having read a very detailed biography of her written by Anne Heller, it is clear that Rand had a lot of emotional baggage that was eating away at her, and the stress of a campaign could kill her, if she ever ran for anything.
(I happen to like Rand, though I find a lot of her views insane as well, so I'll withold judgement on the political aspect of her career.)
No. It is section 1 of Article Two of the Constitution (not an amendment). It would require an amendment to change it.
Flocculencio
Donor
She was a Russian woman with absolutely zero social skills and a total unwillingness to compromise. Those are four strikes against being a successful 20th C American politician.
Assuming for the sake of argument that the native-born provision could be repealed, Rand's views on religion would still be electoral poison in an American context.
Basically, the only people who would tolerate militant atheism in a candidate would be a small section of liberal Democrats(who are gonna hate Rand's economic platform), and the more secular libertarians(who are not a major force in politics, even when they embrace religion). And there's no way that a woman like Rand is going to "evolve" her views on such matters.
Basically, the only people who would tolerate militant atheism in a candidate would be a small section of liberal Democrats(who are gonna hate Rand's economic platform), and the more secular libertarians(who are not a major force in politics, even when they embrace religion). And there's no way that a woman like Rand is going to "evolve" her views on such matters.
Guys, we're being too limited here. There is no AHC that can't be solved by sufficient use of nukes.
Nuclear war breaks out, Ayn Rand and a few of her most sycophantic followers survive, declare themselves the new United States government (with her as president, of course). Said government isn't recognized by anyone outside of her inner circle, but in her own mind she is "president of the US".
Actually getting her elected to the real US presidency is ASB to the highest degree, of course, for a host of reasons.
Nuclear war breaks out, Ayn Rand and a few of her most sycophantic followers survive, declare themselves the new United States government (with her as president, of course). Said government isn't recognized by anyone outside of her inner circle, but in her own mind she is "president of the US".
Actually getting her elected to the real US presidency is ASB to the highest degree, of course, for a host of reasons.
To be honest, I'd see "Make Ayn Rand into a presidential assassin" a more credible scenario.
Ayn Rand was born Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum in St. Petersburg in the Russian Empire. As such, she would not be eligible to serve in the highest office of the land.
In all probability, such an amendment would be proposed with a specific individual in mind (recent example: Arnold Schwarzenegger) and thus would become a partisan issue--a big problem considering that the amendment requires a 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress and ratification by 3/4 of the states.
Imagine Schwarzenegger being president....
*press conference opens*
" hello ladies and gentlemen, I am here to inform you that in light of recent attacks by Central American terrorist groups, President Schwarzenegger has personally been deployed into the Honduran jungle to deal with the threat. When questioned, Mr. President only stated "I'll be back". Any questions?"
Damm you rube. I spewed my drink over my keyboard laughing when I read that.
May I quote with that?