Arizona Legislature Passes Birther Bill - Gov. Jan Brewer Vetos That Shit On The Spot
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[url]http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/04/18/arizona.president.bill.veto/index.html?hpt=T1[/url]
[quote]Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said the bill would have made the secretary of state the "gatekeeper" to the ballot process.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Gov. Jan Brewer says the bill is "a bridge too far"
It would have required presidential hopefuls to prove they were born in the U.S.
President Barack Obama has fought allegations that he wasn't born in America
(CNN) -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill late Monday that would have required President Barack Obama and other presidential candidates to prove they were American citizens, born in the United States, before their names could have been placed on the state ballot.
The so-called "birther bill" got final approval in the state House last week. Now that Brewer, a Republican, has vetoed it, the bill will not become law unless legislators vote to override her veto.
"As a former Secretary of State, I do not support designating one person as a gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate, which could lead to arbitrary or politically-motivated decisions," the governor wrote in a letter addressed to the Arizona House speaker.
Under the measure, if there were any dispute about whether a candidate had proved he or she had been born in the United States, Arizona's secretary of state would have the final say.
"This measure creates significant new problems while failing to do anything constructive for Arizona," she added.
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Jan Brewer
Arizona
Barack Obama
Obama has been hounded by allegations since he began running for president in 2008 that he was not born in America. Critics contend, among other things, that he was born in his father's home country of Kenya. The U.S. Constitution stipulates that only "natural born" citizens are eligible to be president.
Obama has insisted that he was born in Hawaii, and the allegations against him have been repeatedly discredited in investigations by CNN and other organizations. Nevertheless, the issue remains politically potent among segments of the electorate and has served as a rallying cry for many of the president's opponents, most recently potential GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.
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The author of the so-called "birther bill," Arizona State Rep. Carl Seel, has said the bill was not targeted at Obama, but at "maintaining the integrity of the Constitution."
Among other things, a candidate would have to show a copy of his or her birth certificate. If a birth certificate couldn't be produced, a candidate would have to show a combination of baptismal or circumcision records, hospital birth files, postpartum medical records or other documents. Candidates also would have to submit affidavits declaring their citizenship as well as sworn statements regarding their residency for the previous 14 years.
"I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for President of the greatest and most powerful nation on earth to submit their 'early baptismal or circumcision certificates' among other records to the Arizona Secretary of State. This is a bridge too far," wrote Brewer.
Fourteen other states are considering similar legislation this year, according to Jennie Bowser, a senior fellow with the National Conference of State Legislatures. Measures have failed in three states -- Connecticut, Maine and Montana.
Obama's sister criticizes 'birthers'
In an effort to counter the charges of the birthers, Obama's 2008 campaign produced a "certification of live birth," a document traditionally accepted legally as confirmation of a birth.
Both the current Hawaii governor, Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat, and the previous governor, Linda Lingle, a Republican, have insisted that Obama was born in their home state.
Nearly 75% of Americans believe Obama was definitely or probably born in the United States, according to a March 11-13 CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll. More than four in 10 Republicans, however, believe the president probably or definitely was not born in America.[/quote]
Good. I don't support the idea that politicians of a country have to be born IN that country. Especially if they've spent a long time living in that country.
[QUOTE=archangel125;29294579]Good. I don't support the idea that politicians of a country have to be born IN that country. Especially if they've spent a long time living in that country.[/QUOTE]
:|
It's embedded in the Constitution, this won't change anything.
If it's in the Constitution then why did they feel the need to write the bill? And why did the governor veto it?
[QUOTE=Capitulazyguy;29294644]If it's in the Constitution then why did they feel the need to write the bill? And why did the governor veto it?[/QUOTE]
Because with this bill any retard can just go "I don't believe he was born here", and then it would be up to the Arizona Secretary of State to decide whether the person could even run for president.
That's the fear anyway, and if you just look at how many people still don't believe that Obama is an American citizen, the idea that someone claiming that the birth certificate produced by the candidate isn't valid, and then calling upon this bill, could actually halt the campaign of a candidate isn't that far-fetched.
Who cares if someone isnt pure American, George Washington was not technically born within the "United States of America".
[QUOTE=doonbugie2;29294870]Who cares if someone isnt pure American, George Washington was not technically born within the "United States of America".[/QUOTE]
Actually he was born within the United States as Virginia was in the 13 colonies that formed the United States
Wow, my governor did something...
severely unexpected!
[QUOTE=DogGunn;29294627]:|
It's embedded in the Constitution, this won't change anything.[/QUOTE]
Incorrect. Senators must be a US citizen for at least 9 years. A Congressman/Representative must be a citizen of 7 years. The President must be a citizen upon birth, but does not have to be born in the United States, if at least one of his parents has a US citizenship at the time of birth.
[QUOTE=Broseph_;29295313]Actually he was born within the United States as Virginia was in the 13 colonies that formed the United States[/QUOTE]
Yes, but he was not born in the current United States. He was born in a colony of Britain.
Yea but the fucking US didn't exist yet.
That's the stupidest technicality I've ever heard. "Hurr durr none of our nation's founders could be presidents because they weren't born in the US"
They fucking made the country, they do what the please.
The USA was a successor state to the British colonies, so he technically was born in the USA.
Is it that outrageous to ask a president to prove his citizenship? I don't doubt Obama is a citizen, but this bill would have significance in more than just his case.
[QUOTE=dogmachines;29306631]Is it that outrageous to ask a president to prove his citizenship? I don't doubt Obama is a citizen, but this bill would have significance in more than just his case.[/QUOTE]
He's already proved it about three different times and his birth certificate has been published. The GOP are just being a bunch of fuckwits and this bill would basically give the Republicans in Arizona the ability to decide whether or not to even include him on the ballot.
The bill was explicitly made because the Republicans are a bunch of racist retards.
[QUOTE=dogmachines;29306631]Is it that outrageous to ask a president to prove his citizenship? I don't doubt Obama is a citizen, but this bill would have significance in more than just his case.[/QUOTE]
Why is it people think he hasn't? He's shown it many times now, you have to be vetted by people who are better at doing this than you are at checking anyone background. Anyone who believes, even for a second, you could so much as get your foot in the metaphorical door of the presidency without a thousand white fucking flags going up without a background check is a 100% idiot.
[QUOTE=Capitulazyguy;29306424]The USA was a successor state to the British colonies, so he technically was born in the USA.[/QUOTE]
Uh , no, he was born in a colony of England. Served in the Queen's army and then became independent.
If England was annexed by Scotland, would this automatically make all Brits Scottish?
People do all the can to fudge all over Obama's presidency.
[QUOTE=SgtCr4zyAlt;29307004]The bill was explicitly made because the Republicans are a bunch of racist retards.[/QUOTE]
This should be obvious to everyone.
yes all republicans are bad!!!
sigh
Wait what's so bad with this bill? It requires you to prove you were born in the US. It's not some horrible terrible bill to keep people from being president. It's not gonna be used to fuck you over big time. You just have to prove you were born here. Everyone that was born here, can prove it. It's even in the constitution.
[QUOTE=Mr.Dounut;29307960]yes all republicans are bad!!!
sigh[/QUOTE]
Find me some that aren't
Find me a republican who supports gay rights, accessible healthcare, welfare and quality education, isn't a war-mongerer, isn't racist, doesn't think America is a Christian nation, believes in evolution, believes in climate change, supports life-saving stem cell research, and opposes capital punishment
Because missing even a single one of those is bad
[QUOTE=Zeke129;29308196]Find me some that aren't
Find me a republican who supports gay rights, accessible healthcare, welfare and quality education, isn't a war-mongerer, isn't racist, doesn't think America is a Christian nation, believes in evolution, believes in climate change, supports life-saving stem cell research, and opposes capital punishment
Because missing even a single one of those is bad[/QUOTE]
um well generally the republican party is the conservative party. so why the fuck would someone who supports all those things join the republicans rather than the democrats.
you sound really pompous
[QUOTE=Pace.;29308341]um well generally the republican party is the conservative party. so why the fuck would someone who supports all those things join the republicans rather than the democrats.
you sound really pompous[/QUOTE]
My point is that the conservative ideology is inherently damaging to society and therefore bad
[QUOTE=Pace.;29308341]um well generally the republican party is the conservative party. so why the fuck would someone who supports all those things join the republicans rather than the democrats.
you sound really pompous[/QUOTE]
The point
your head
[QUOTE=Pace.;29308341]um well generally the republican party is the conservative party. so why the fuck would someone who supports all those things join the republicans rather than the democrats.
you sound really pompous[/QUOTE]
Notice he didn't add "is fiscally conservative"
[QUOTE=Lizard Of Guilt;29308755]Notice he didn't add "is fiscally conservative"[/QUOTE]
"fiscally conservative" is a buzzphrase that means absolutely nothing
I can interpret it however I want and make liberals more "fiscally conservative" than conservatives if I like
conservatives like big military budgets, liberals don't so much, therefore liberals are the fiscally conservative ones hurr
[QUOTE=FunnyBunny;29308043]Wait what's so bad with this bill? It requires you to prove you were born in the US. It's not some horrible terrible bill to keep people from being president. It's not gonna be used to fuck you over big time. You just have to prove you were born here. Everyone that was born here, can prove it. It's even in the constitution.[/QUOTE]
The problem is how it's implemented. A single person could halt the entire election and it would be up to them whether someone could run or not.
[QUOTE=FunnyBunny;29308043]Wait what's so bad with this bill? It requires you to prove you were born in the US. It's not some horrible terrible bill to keep people from being president. It's not gonna be used to fuck you over big time. You just have to prove you were born here. Everyone that was born here, can prove it. It's even in the constitution.[/QUOTE]
That's already required by the Constitution, so why pass any bill?
Also,
[quote]Under the measure, if there were any dispute about whether a candidate had proved he or she had been born in the United States, Arizona's secretary of state would have the final say.[/quote]
This part right here is the problem. They might as well have written "Abuse the shit out of this" in the margins. Anyone can use this as an excuse to keep a political opponent out of the running, if they wanted to. There's just too much of a risk of this being abused.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;29308196]Find me some that aren't
Find me a republican who supports gay rights, accessible healthcare, welfare and quality education, isn't a war-mongerer, isn't racist, doesn't think America is a Christian nation, believes in evolution, believes in climate change, supports life-saving stem cell research, and opposes capital punishment
Because missing even a single one of those is bad[/QUOTE]
Left-Leaning Republican.
Sup'
[editline]19th April 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Dalndox;29310813]That's already required by the Constitution, so why pass any bill?
Also,
This part right here is the problem. They might as well have written "Abuse the shit out of this" in the margins. Anyone can use this as an excuse to keep a political opponent out of the running, if they wanted to. There's just too much of a risk of this being abused.[/QUOTE]
Agree'd, and Arizona already has enough issues with the Gila Troubles. In the North? Republican paradise. In the South? Democrat Paradise. Either way you get a shit-ton of issues with both parties trying to fight it out, and trying to spread thier political ideals across the Gila River.
[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;29310955]Left-Leaning Republican.
Sup'[/QUOTE]
So what appeals to you about the republicans then
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