The Foreign Service Journal, January 2004

The Arnie Amendment Where will Arnold Schwarzenegger take the U.S? A Washington Post edi- torial and Senator Orrin Hatch, R- Utah, show the way: Repeal the consti- tutional ban on a foreign-born presi- dent. Shouldn’t we also drop the citi- zenship requirement? Let’s go all the way with the globalization of presiden- tial politics. Why not? Americans wear gar- ments made in foreign sweatshops and cheer imported baseball stars who never saw a neighborhood sandlot. Why shouldn’t we also seek the best candidates the world has to offer and draw from farm teams overseas? Why be satisfied with an uninspiring, poli- tics-as-usual bunch like the Democratic Nine? To celebrate our modern political values and add excite- ment to campaigns both parties should consider drafting some of the follow- ing … Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi: Italy’s richest man and a former cruise ship crooner with a shady past. Can’t speak English? Niente problema. Most opera divas canmemorize lyrics in Italian, German or French and still be unable to handle the language. Not so different from our current crew with sound bites imbedded in their brains. British PM Tony Blair: He’s reli- gious with a tendency toward untruth- fulness and a wife with a questionable real estate deal. But do we want a “lap dog” who readily follows orders? Karl Rove would love that — except that Blair might be too intelligent to stay on a message of simple slogans. David Beckham: British soccer superstar now playing for Madrid, married to the pop singer Posh Spice, rich and living in a castle. Certain to bring in the soccer mom, plutocrat and Hispanic votes. The Pope: Sorry, Americans aren’t ready for a man wearing a dress. At least, not yet. For the same reason Iran’s Prime Minister Khatami is out. Still, both men sport funny headgear that might appeal to voters who go for cowboy hats. Israeli PMAriel Sharon: Tough and adept at making war on smaller, weak- er and demonized people — exactly the American style of warfare since World War II. Finally, Cuban President Fidel Castro: A man who has stood down every American president since Eisenhower. Expert on running a country with a declining economy and restricted civil liberties, Castro’s only liability might be his beard. But then there’s the nostalgia vote. Think of Rutherford B. Hayes and spittoons returned to the White House. So, editorial writers and senators, push on fast with the Arnie Amendment. Make politics as playful as making movies. Henry Precht FSO, retired Bridgton, Maine 8 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 4 L E T T E R S Web access to major advertisers. Go to www.afsa.org Click on Marketplace tab on the marquee Bukkehave www.bukkehave.com Charles Smith Corp. Living www.SmithLiving.com Clements International www.clements.com Diplomatic Auto. Sales www.diplosales.com Executive Club Suites www.execlubdc.com Georgetown Suites www.georgetownsuites.com Intelsat www.intelsat.com Harry Jannette International www.jannetteintl.com Hawthorn Suites www.hawthorn.com Hirshorn Company, The www.hirshorn.com J. Kirby Simon Trust www.kirbysimontrust.org Laughlin Management www.century21laughlin.com Long & Foster www.simunek.com Marriott www.marriott.com Oakwood www.oakwood.com Pennsylvania House www. dcsuites.com Prudential Carruthers www.prudentialcarruthers.com Remington www.remington-dc.com SDFCU www.sdfcu.org State Plaza www.stateplaza.com University of North Carolina wwwhttp://www.uncpress.unc Vulcan Power Company www.vulcanpower.com WJDManagement www. wjdpm.com For more information about advertisers in the Journal go to: www.afsa.org/marketplace MARKETPLACE AN INVITATION FOR SUMMER FICTION O nce again the FSJ is seeking works of fiction of up to 3,000 words for its annual summer fiction issue. Story lines or characters involving the Foreign Service are preferred, but not required. The top stories, selected by the Journal ’s Editorial Board, will be published in the July/August issue; some of them will also be simultaneously posted on the Journal ’s Web site. The writer of each story will receive an honorarium of $250, payable upon publication. All stories must be previously unpublished. Submissions should be unsigned and accompa- nied by a cover sheet with author’s name, address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address. Deadline is April 1. No fooling. Please also note the following: • Authors are limited to two entries. • Entries will only be accepted by e-mail (prefer- ably in the form of Word or Word Perfect attachments and with the text copied into the body of the message). Please send submissions (or questions) to Mikkela Thompson, Journal Business Manager, at Thompsonm@afsa.org.