House of Eratosthenes

The Arizona House on Monday voted for a provision that would require President Barack Obama to show his birth certificate if he hopes to be on the state’s ballot when he runs for reelection.

The House voted 31-22 to add the provision to a separate bill. The measure still faces a formal vote.

It would require U.S. presidential candidates who want to appear on the ballot in Arizona to submit documents proving they meet the constitutional requirements to be president.

Phoenix Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema said the bill is one of several measures that are making Arizona “the laughing stock of the nation.”

Mesa Republican Rep. Cecil Ash said he has no reason to doubt Obama’s citizenship but supports the measure because it could help end doubt.

I approve because I’m with that last guy. I’d bet a l-a-r-g-e amount of money Obama was born in Honolulu. But the precedent we’ve set by leaving things as they are, is a terrible one.

This country is being overrun by ankle-biters. By which I mean, people who resolve disagreements by means of ridicule, avoiding things like evidence, inferences, conclusions, all that good stuff.

The way I see it, Obama has never had a reason for demurring on the issue of releasing the long form. I think He sees the ankle-biters the way I do; as an important constituency. And this is His nod to them. We’ll argue this thing your way. By making fun of anybody who doesn’t just decide it the way we want…like we’re little kids or something.

I’m not saying He was born in Kenya, but enough is enough. I present a personal check, I show my driver’s license. I apply for a job, I show my social security card or my passport. I get sworn in as President, and…clue?

If the little people have to do it, the big people have to do it. Period, end of story.

In total agreement here. My bet is that he was born in Hawaii.

I am a bit concerned about all of the secrecy behind hiding his dissertation and all of his college records, Hillary’s dissertation, and I’m not sure we’ve heard an official explanation of why the Hawaii certificate is not exactly a birth certificate and what circumstances led to it being issued instead of a birth certificate.

Bottom line was, at this point I don’t even care if he was born in Kenya or in Madagascar or Moscow.

I do agree that if I have to prove I am a citizen to get a drivers license (unless I’m a member of a protected minority — then I can scream “racism” in many states) … why not for the most powerful position in the land — perhaps the world? I mean, I certainly wouldn’t balk at it.

But the whole “birther” thing I think does him more good than it does our side. So I wish people would drop it and focus on direction and policy rather than whether or not the guy “we” elected was technically qualified. Apparently, a majority felt he was.
- philmon | 04/21/2010 @ 07:29
I’ve no doubt Obama was born in Hawaii, and no doubt either that the extraordinary measure of not permitting his original birth certificate to be made public is very significant. If it is not the real estate that is worth hiding, all that is left is the parentage; which precedent began the MO of never permitting the examination of anything to do with the progression of his life.
They are practiced at it.
- jamzw | 04/21/2010 @ 09:22
I’m not clear on this;what are the standards,as of 1960ish,in Hawaii and the US,as to what constitutes a “natural born citizen” ?His father was Kenyan and his mother was too young and resident for too short a time to pass on citizenship?Maybe?There might be something to the birthers point.
- kermitt | 04/21/2010 @ 09:45
The birthers do not know for a fact who his father or his mother is, and so they are speculating on his citizenship by way of what is not even established. If team Obama knows Obama is a natural born citizen, and he is, it is an excellent background of noise in which to hide the very odd circumstances of his birth, both natural and unnatural.

To have an opinion in who his parents are is like guessing whodonit in the first chapter of an Agatha Christie novel. Obama has hinted he himself does not know, and his small actions tend to confirm that. By this time, I would be shocked if an original certificate exists.

Great religious figures tend to have mysterious births and undocumented chilhoods. In the modern era, the figure becomes the religion, as Fidel is god to Cubans. The illigetimate son becomes Father to the people. Circles are closed, needs are met.
- jamzw | 04/21/2010 @ 10:42
Great religious figures tend to have mysterious births and undocumented childhoods. In the modern era, the figure becomes the religion, as Fidel is god to Cubans. The illegitimate son becomes Father to the people. Circles are closed, needs are met.

Great. I feel MUUUUUUCH better now :-/

Oh, yeah, there MIGHT be something to the birthers’ point. But even if it turned out he wasn’t born here, it’s too late to do anything about it if you ask me, especially given the historic aspect of his presidency. It’s best left as an “all ye outs in free” this time. We’re going to have to decide what to do about proving your very, very generously low qualifications to be president from now on. Arizona is basically saying that.
- philmon | 04/21/2010 @ 13:37
I’ve said before elsewhere, if Teh Awesome were ineligible, however defined, Team Clinton would have found out, had the come to Vito and Luca meeting with him, and Hillary would probably be the president right now. That said, I think the law’s a good idea for all concerned, including the candidates.
- Rich Fader | 04/21/2010 @ 18:27

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Obama Must Present Papers in ArizonaWednesday, April 21st, 2010

Obama Must Present Papers in Arizona
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010