a1191: Changing the rules of the game (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Philippe Charles <pcharles@us.ibm.com>


Imagine a 12 year old kid taking his civic exam for the
Certificat d'Etude Primaire in June 2002 who encounters
the following multiple-choice question:

What are the requirements to be Prime Minister?

   a) Senou's laundry list from article 157 of the constitution (See post
#1165)

          1) Be a native-born Haitian, and never have renounced
               Haitian nationality;

          2) Have attained thirty (30) years of age;

          3) Enjoy civil and political rights and never have
               been sentenced to death, personal restraint or penal
               servitude or the loss of civil rights;

          4) Own real property in Haiti and practice a
               profession there;

          5) Have resided in the country for five (5)
               consecutive years;

          6) Have been relieved of his responsibilities if he
               has been handling public funds

   b) Whatever the president decides

   c) Be Bill Clinton

   d) None of the above

What is the correct answer?

A similar confusing situation occurred in 1971. For years,
kids had been learning in school that one of the requirements
to be president was that one had to be at least 40 years old.
In a flash, the then president changed it to 18 so that he could
name his 19 year old son to succeed him...

"...le pouvoir a la jeunesse..."

--philippe