No Actors or Dogs Allowed

The Los Angeles Times seems to have fallen in love anew with The Gropenfuhrer. They went so far as to ask California's Representatives and Congresspeople what they would think of changing the rules and allowing the foreign-born to run for the highest office in the land.

Don't take my word for it: here is the article, preserved as a PDF.(131Kb)

Here is my humble, considered opinion on the subject.

Sure, let a naturalized foreign-born individual run for the Presidency. I would not object. However, you would have to add one proviso to that amendment to our Constitution: no person who has ever been a member of the Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists or Actor's Equity can hold the Presidency.

That's right.

No more former actors as President.

I'm serious here.

Who is our only President who started out his adult life as an actor? Ronald Wilson Reagan. And I'm sorry to all those who still have fond memories of the Great Obfuscator...whoops, I meant The Great Pretender...whoops again, I mean the Great Communicator. Reagan frankly SUCKED as a President. He did. He almost bankrupted the nation, the Soviet Union was teetering at that point anyway and didn't need Reagan's push to go down in a smouldering heap. And he allowed a whole bunch of evil theocrats to get a toe-hold in the GOP who never should have been there and got way too much power than they deserved.

I know this would also mean some really good fantasy candidates for the Highest Office In The Land would also be disqualified. Disqualify Ah-nuld, and you also block off the possibility of a President Martin Sheen, a President Robert Redford, a President Paul Newman, a President Warren Beatty, a President Ed Begley, Jr., or my personal dream actor-President, President Samuel L. "B.M.F." Jackson. But seriously folks. Do we REALLY want another actor in the Highest Office In The Land? Do we? Do we feel lucky?

PS: lest I be accused of anti-Actor prejudice, the title of this post is a reference to the signs that would hang up in boarding houses near the Great White Way in New York City.