Arizona Legislature passes "Birther" bill
By Alex HeiglApril 15th, 2011, 5:06 pmComments (35)
A bill requiring presidential candidates to prove their U.S. citizenship to make it on to the state's ballot passed both the Arizona House and Senate today, in what might be the first Donald Trump-inspired piece of legislation the state's ever seen.
The Arizona Republic reported that various versions of this bill have been floated in the past two years, meaning that while Arizona was passing its landmark immigration bill last year, it was also drafting this gem. Republican state Rep. Judy Burges told the Republic, "It's essential that we bring back the integrity to the office," though the rest of the United States is reportedly unaware that this duty had been assigned to Arizona in particular.
Arizona's Daily Star reports that thirteen other states are considering such legislation, which sadly speaks to the amount of people that still think our nation's highest office is something you can talk your way into without proper ID, not unlike the dive bar down the street where you first discovered Jager.
Things get really hilarious when you read the fine print of the law, outlining the accepted forms of ID: a long-form birth certificate or at least two other forms of accepted proof, such as an early baptismal certificate, hospital birth record, or circumcision certificate. Democratic state Rep. Ruben Gallego wins the sound-bite contest for the issue, declaring that, "You might as well change Arizona to Alabama," and going on to say that the bill makes Arizona appear "backward."
Comments ( 35 )
Alabama should be insulted.
at least the people i know from Alabama just hate him because he's black, and they admit that.
I know how all of this could be easily cleared up. Barack Obama can simply show us some form of a legitimate birth record that proves he was born in the USA.
He is supposed to be a citizen of the USA, so this shouldn’t be a problem. And if he doesn’t have a record of his birth, he can surely provide us with a reasonable explanation.
If Barack Obama was enlisting in the military, he would be required to demonstrate his citizenship. Don’t you think the position of “Commander and Chief” of the military should be able to do the same?
Uh, yeah you can pretty much google his birth certificate...and pictures of him in elementary school from Hawaii (if you were needing further proof). Its fucking ridiculous this is STILL in the news. And he probably feels the same way, hence why he doesn't feel the need to make a speech to the public about it. Not to mention, dont you think higher authorities have already asked and received proof of his citizenship since there was such a hype about it early on in his presidency and since he is STILL president of the united states?
@MC, Thanks for the reply. I actually haven't found the info you referenced. I'm sad to say that have heard that the matter is still being investigated. Anyway, I'll look again to see what's being complained about now. As for assuming that all is well because Obama is still the President. I can't help but wonder if everything is going so well when I drive by my nearest US Post Office and see crowds of people collecting signatures to impeach him. To be honest, I'm disgusted with the whole thing. Thanks again, and have a good evening.
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/jun/27/obamas-birth...
That link took me seconds to find. Sadly I didn't even finish typing Obama and Google had already filled in birth certificate for me. And how does collecting signatures outside of a post office get a president impeached? And crowds of people were collecting the signatures?
All I see there is a Certificate of Live Birth. I'm ok with that but why isn't it signed and embossed?
This is a non-issue. BO produces a valid birth record and he's on the ballot. Case closed.
Already did. Already was. Already won. Case Closed.
Now about that missing signature and embossed seal...
What about it? Seems that he satisfied the requirements for whomever actually NEEDED to know, in order for him to be 'on the ballot', of which race he subsequently won. Why this public clamor? Frankly, no matter how much you THINK you deserve to see 'proof' of his citizenship, the fact of the matter is, he's already proven it satisfactorily to the people that matter in this issue. Your opinion doesn't matter, Trump's opinion doesn't matter, the Tea Partiers collective opinion doesn't matter. He's satisfied who he needed to satisfy, *before the election even happened* but the 'birthers' keep dredging this non-issue up. It's getting tired. Come up with something new, would you please?
What makes the Arizona legislature believe that Obama's citizenship is in doubt? How do they think he got elected in the first place? Do they truly believe that he wasn't fully investigated during the lengthy campaign? What evidence do they need to see to persuade them to drop this nonsense once and for all? What evidence, if any, would they believe? Why is this still even an issue? Don't they have anything else to worry about?
Why do you assume the Arizona Legislature is interested in BO's citizenship? Is it because BO is black? You racists make me sick.
Why assume the AZ legislature is interested in Obama's citizenship? Because they're telling him that he has to prove it if he wants to be on the ballot, that's why. Wouldn't it be the height of delicious irony if one or more leading Republican candidates couldn't find their paperwork?
I'm not a "birther" and I wish this whole thing would just go away... however, I see no problem with any state requiring proof of citizenship to allow a candidate to appear on the ballot. There's nothing wrong with this legislation at all, in fact every state should be requiring ironclad proof of a candidate's eligibility to appear on their ballot. In fact, why this isn't already a requirement is beyond me, since it is a prerequisite to hold the office.
Seems perfectly reasonable to me, MRAGH. And I further agree that every state should require the same thing. What I'd like to know is what form of proof BO produced when he applied for and received a passport. While I'm on a roll, I think it's funny that Hawaii will only produce the actual certificate - they swear they have it even though Governor Abercrombie apparently couldn't find it - to anyone who has a "tangible interest." The American people don't have a tangible interest to know if the president is Constitutionally qualified?
You want to go see it? Then take the time off work, get on a plane, fly to Hawaii, make an appointment for the tour of the archives, and go see it. Just like everyone else would need to do. It's available for those who have such a burning desire that they can't accept the Vetting Committee's word for it. But it's not available for release. Just like the certs for everybody else born in Hawaii. It's nothing special, it's State Law. No cert is available for release. It matters not a bit whose cert is requested.
The funny thing is that nobody ever had a problem with John McCain being born at the Panama Canal. Does that count because it was on an American Military base? idk. Just curious how that works.
McCain isn't black. That's the difference.
Pretty much a given that children born to US military personnel serving overseas are US citizens by default. Whether born on a military base or not.
The fact is that McCain would not be granted citizenship of any country, other than the US and Canada, just for being born within that country's borders.
Silly, silly, Kolor Line. If anyone questions BO in any way it's due to racism, right? What an idiot.
In addition, meh, the Panana Canal Zone was American Territory at the time, not unlike Hawaii prior to 1960 or Guam today.
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. Hawaii is part of the United States. Fucking get over it you racist assholes. You can question Barack Obama on whatever you like but when you question whether or not he is American, your racism is so thinly veiled it's practically shining through.
The Arizona republicans who voted for this are racist.
Donald Trump is racist.
All "birthers" are racist.
Goddamit let's call this what it is. Practically pure, unadulterated racism.
Oh yeah, and fuck Arizona.
It is the ultimate irony that I'm being accused of racism in this matter.
Oh yeah, fuck Kristin.
I've never thought the Birther nonsense was as simple as vanilla "racism." It's really more a symptom of extreme cognitive dissonance with a racist cherry on top: "This can't be happening. A black man simply cannot be President. There must be a reason he is ineligible." Donald Trump knows full well that the likelihood of removing Obama from office or preventing a second term based on Obama's place of birth is nil (since he was, you know, born in Hawaii and everything, and has clearly proven that based on all existing requirements), he's just pandering to the faction he believes gives him a chance at election. Unfortunately for Trump, he's miscalculated the net benefit to aligning himself with Birthers, and he will fail miserably at the polls.
Jimmy Carter agrees with you but that doesn't really change anything. I'd like to see legitimate proof of birth. Please don't send a link to the unsigned, unembossed COLB again. Also, please explain Gov Ambercrombie's promise to prove the place of Obama's birth and subsequent abandonment of that promise.
Then get on a plane and fo see it. Do some legwork yourself instead of making a ridiculous demand of our sitting president. The proof is available for those who want to go see it firsthand. Quit being lazy and expecting our President to re-re-re-re-re-affirm his eligibility. Been there, done that, to all who matter. If that doesn't satisfy YOU, Stupid - by all means, go check it out yourself. Do some legwork of your own if it's that important to you. He's done what's required.
Soooo, if the Kenyan Keynesian is REALLY American, Kristin, why are you hippie-commie faggots bent all out of shape?
Why EVERYTHING about Barry Soetoro(his REAL name) is a state secret?
Truth is, Barry Soetoro is the biggest fraud in human history and it will make the Ku Klux Klan demon-rat party history just like the Whig party...THE HELL WITH THE HIPPIE DEGENERATES!!!
Not sure where racism even fits in here. Why do Obama supporters cry "racism!" at every critique of their political savior?
MRAGH, what other critiques of Obama do his supporters cry "racism" at? I'm curious.
Google it, Kristin. Opposition to PPACA. Opposition to his proposed tax hikes. Opposition to buying the auto companies for the unions. Wanting to see his birth certificate and not being persuaded by an unsigned, unembossed COLB.
To be fair, the GOP's policies, and their opposition to BO's initiatives are designed to screw poor people, of whatever race they happen to be. So racism is probably used as shorthand for "Fuck th Poor".
And Obama's programs are designed to make us all poor so we'll end up in the same place, won't we?
How about you give me some specific links, MRAGH? Because when I google "Obama" and "racism", all I'm getting right now are stories about a Republican party official who sent out an email with Obama's head pasted on a monkey's body that says "Now we know why no birth certificate."
Case closed.
https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20054984-503544.html
September 2009, regarding anti-tax rallies:
Those charging racism cite examples like the harsh signs and sayings against Obama at events like last weekend's anti-tax rallies in Washington.
"They now see that this might be the same old racism that has steered the policies in this country for years," said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas."
March 2011 (USN&WR):
"But Obama, in his most candid moments, acknowledged that race was still a problem. In May 2010, he told guests at a private White House dinner that race was probably a key component in the rising opposition to his presidency from conservatives, especially right-wing activists in the anti-incumbent “Tea Party” movement that was then surging across the country. Many middle-class and working-class whites felt aggrieved and resentful that the federal government was helping other groups, including bankers, automakers, irresponsible people who had defaulted on their mortgages, and the poor, but wasn’t helping them nearly enough, he said."
Jimmy Carter, 2009:
"I think it's based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."
That's about 60 seconds of googling. There's way, way more.
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