How Old do you Have to be to Become the President?

Do you know why age is given so much consideration while choosing the President? Because with age comes maturity and experience to handle situations. It might be difficult for an amateur to deal with state affairs if given a chance to govern the country. But if an experienced person is asked to do the same, he would be able to pull off his duty efficiently as he would have had the experience of dealing with difficult situations at his tender age. So, every rule in life is made by brain-storming and predicting consequences. What do you think?

To become a President of the United States, you must keep a few points in mind. There are three eligibility requirements which need to be fulfilled to attain the presidency. They are based on age, citizenship, and residency.  First, the president must have completed thirty-five years of his age.  The youngest president elected for the United States was forty- three years old. Do you have any idea who he was?

(Image Courtesy: Flowera Macolumbu)

As Justice Joseph Story has noted, the "character and talent" of a man in the middle age of life is "fully developed," and he has had the opportunity "for public service and experience in the public councils."

Second, the President should have resided in the United States for fourteen years at least. This way, the person also becomes aware of the problems people have been facing since years. Also, in contrary, a person must be an occupant of the state one wish to represent to become a part of the Member of Congress.  During the time of the constitutional convention, James Madison contended that "both [terms] were vague, but the latter [‘Occupant'] least so in common acceptation, and would not exclude persons absent occasionally for a considerable time on public or private business."

(Image Courtesy: Furthest City)

The framers wished for a person for the presidency who had been in the United States for the desired period and had developed an understanding of the country. They do not want an individual who is legally an inhabitant of the country and has spent half of his life in abroad.
As Justice Story later noted, "By ‘residence,' in the Constitution, is to be understood, not an absolute inhabitancy within the United States during the whole period; but such an inhabitancy, as includes a permanent domicil in the United States."

The third point to keep in mind to become the president of the United States is that one must be a natural born citizen or a citizen at the time of the adoption of the Constitution. Anybody can become a Member of Congress by fulfilling the required period but to become the president, it is necessary for the individual to be born in the respective country. Partial loyalty to the country was the premier concern.

(Image Courtesy: Misterg World)

But there's a movement to allow anybody old enough to vote, run for any office, including the presidency. France does this, and many consider it fair. Critics ponder that some wildly popular young entertainer such as Justin Bieber (19) or Taylor Swift (23) might get admission into office on the youth vote. Not to worry! Another sound provision of the Constitution would block Canadian-born singer Bieber from becoming president, and since older Americans vote far more reliably than younger ones, there's not much chance right now of a president change.

Are there more parameters which decide who is eligible to contest for the elections of the presidency in the country? Tell us about it. Comment on the box below to share your opinions and views!