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Birtherism: Worst. Trap. Ever.
Washington comPost ^ | February 19, 2011 | Adam Serwer

Posted on 02/19/2011 7:18:52 AM PST by Zakeet

For the past couple of weeks, I've been writing about Republican politicians' birther problem.

Whether or not the issue is one of mere symbolic belief or genuine agreement among large segments of the Republican base, GOP leaders feel obligated to mollify those among their base who believe the outlandish conspiracy theory that president wasn't born in the United States or that he's secretly a Muslim. But now former President George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove has come up with a new conspiracy theory that is less dumb than the original one, but not by much. According to Rove, the White House wants Republicans to continue raising doubts about Obama's citizenship in order to make the GOP look kooky:

[Snip]

The problem, of course, is that at least one recent poll showed that a majority of Republicans have doubts about the president's citizenship, which explains the rise of "post-birtherism." Republican leaders don't want to anger a large section of their base by flatly calling this stuff what it is, which is nuts. So the new approach is to joke about it or to carefully avoid denouncing the idea completely.

[Snip]

The idea that the issue is a "trap" is belied by the ease with which Republican leaders could shut the entire matter down. All they have to do is say it's silly.

(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: birthcertificate; birther; certifigate; jimmyqaeda2; naturalborncitizen; obama
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To: null and void
U.S. Senate ends McCain citizenship debate

Passing (or failing to pass) a sense of the Senate resolution is just a political stunt. It provides no controlling legal authority. In this case, it's as if they passed a sense of the Senate that two plus two is four.

The fact is, both McCain and Obama are eligible, since both are citizens by birth, which is what NBC means.

And even if Obama were shown not have been a citizen at birth, we'd still need 67 senators to do anything about it. But if we had 67 senators, bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia would be excuse enough to remove him. No need to sort out the circumstances of his birth or get into NBC esoterica.

61 posted on 02/19/2011 8:28:19 AM PST by cynwoody
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To: Zakeet; All

If the GOP does not get serious about Obama’s Eligibility....they will lose everything in 2012 that they gained in 2010. A small percentage of Birthers not voting in 2012, or voting independent/third party...and 2012 is over for the GOP

By attacking Birthers, the GOP and GOP Media just demonstrates that they are nothing more than Liberal RINOs who pander to what the Liberal Media and the Democrats think.

So many Americans have questions about Obama’s Eligibility....by dismissing those people as “nutcases” is not the way to get votes.

If you are not an Obama Birther....you will be an Obama Enabler


62 posted on 02/19/2011 8:31:16 AM PST by UCFRoadWarrior (Newt Gingrich and Chris Matthews: Seperated at Birth??)
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To: UCFRoadWarrior
If you are not an Obama Birther....you will be an Obama Enabler

I'll be neither, because I won't be voting for him.

63 posted on 02/19/2011 8:32:40 AM PST by Kleon
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To: Anti-Bubba182
"We need the leaders of our party to say, 'Look, stop falling into the trap of the White House and focus on the real issues,'" he said. Spending time and energy on -- and getting media attention for -- comments about where the president was born is a distraction that discredits the lawmakers and candidates making the remarks, he said.

 
 
Focus on the real issues, huh? We've been playing this game for over two years now. Nothings changed. And unless and untill we focus on the birther issue - nothing will change.
 
Except that Obama wins re-election in '12.


64 posted on 02/19/2011 8:32:51 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (Yes, as a matter of fact, what you do in your bedroom IS my business.)
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To: null and void
The article reads as if it were up to the Congress to determine if McCain is “natural born.” Well if they want to Amend the Constitution then it might be, but meanwhile, they do not get to determine his status.

The fact is....McCain is “natural born” and Obama is not.

65 posted on 02/19/2011 8:34:50 AM PST by Radix ("..Democrats are holding a meeting today to decide whether to overturn the results of the election.")
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To: y6162

The ComPost cannot explain why O’Kenyan has a Connecticut Social Security number....but can attack, at will.

Liberals want war, they could get it, very, very soon.


66 posted on 02/19/2011 8:35:34 AM PST by wac3rd (Somewhere in Hell, Ted Kennedy snickers....)
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To: Zakeet
I want any and all when asked by the state sanctioned MSM about obama's citizenship to turn it around on them and ask them what they know, have they learned something new and why are they asking about it.

Answer every question they ask with questions that make the MSM explain what a NBC is, what dual citizenship is, why anyone should care about obama's citizenship, lack of paperwork and history, etc.

Make them do their job by asking questions they don't have answers to. Make them do their research. Others, like Cashill, have done that research and what they have learned is coming out. Make the MSM explain how others have done the job that American MSM just won't do. Easy pickings.

67 posted on 02/19/2011 8:36:11 AM PST by GBA (Not on our watch!)
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To: Radix

McCain was not born on US soil.


68 posted on 02/19/2011 8:37:21 AM PST by null and void (We are now in day 760 of our national holiday from reality. - It's almost 3 AM)
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To: null and void
McCain was not born on US soil.

He was born a U.S. citizen. that's all that matters.

69 posted on 02/19/2011 8:38:56 AM PST by Kleon
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To: All; Zakeet
I've been saying for some time the 'Birther' movement is kept alive by Obama himself to political advantage. It's his version of Hilary's Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy and used for political cover and to stifle debate.

Everyone concerned should stop being Obama's patsy, think smartly, and focus on requiring candidates to provide specific documentation at the state level to prove constitutional eligibility.

Republican politicians should steer well clear of this trap and focus on the jobs they were elected to do.

70 posted on 02/19/2011 8:38:56 AM PST by newzjunkey
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To: Zakeet
Per the usual crap the writer didn't even do enough research to even know what the real issues are.
71 posted on 02/19/2011 8:40:31 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ ( "Hokahey, today is a good day to die!" Crazy Horse, Lakota Sioux)
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To: Dutch Boy
I do not care what they write as long as it keeps the story in the forefront of daily news.
72 posted on 02/19/2011 8:42:11 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ ( "Hokahey, today is a good day to die!" Crazy Horse, Lakota Sioux)
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To: Christian Engineer Mass

“I will stand with the muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction”

HOLY CRAP - did he really say that?


73 posted on 02/19/2011 8:42:59 AM PST by Mr. K (Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got Electrolytes.)
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To: philman_36
Here is the pointer to McCaskill’s bill, with Obama as co-sponsor, trying to assert that foreign born children of military citizens are eligible for the presidency. Had it passed it would have violated the Constitution.

Had it passed, it would have been silly and irrelevant. That's because military brats, like other children born to Americans abroad, are natural born citizens. Although Bitch Napolitano, of Homeland Security, might prefer to exclude at least the military ones.

74 posted on 02/19/2011 8:45:56 AM PST by cynwoody
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To: eCSMaster

If anyone believes it is possible that Obambi likes this issue because it makes us look like kooks... Then all they have to do is prove he is a citizen and we are done for-

Why havent they?


75 posted on 02/19/2011 8:46:09 AM PST by Mr. K (Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got Electrolytes.)
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To: altura
You go ahead and do that. I want him out before then. We cannot take two more years of the jackass.
76 posted on 02/19/2011 8:46:33 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ ( "Hokahey, today is a good day to die!" Crazy Horse, Lakota Sioux)
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To: libertarian27
A resolution hasn't the force of law.

E.G., "Be it resolved that Monday, March 31 shall be recognized as National Dill Pickle Day"

That's a congressional resolution. Obama VOTED FOR the McCain Resolution and I have a hunch that the inept old jet jockey* would return the favor, if the opportunity arose.

One of the worst naval pilots ever seen. Ever. Guy got lost over the Chesapeake. Destroyed enough US planes to become an ace .

77 posted on 02/19/2011 8:48:52 AM PST by Kenny Bunk (With a friend like Obama, a country needs no enemies.)
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To: Kleon

Nope. To be a President, to hold that one singular office, the Founding Fathers had a higher standard than merely being a citizen.

To be the President one has to have no ties to another country, either by blood or by birth place.

Imagine, if you will, that McCain was elected. What would be his appropriate action if like Honduras, the local president tried to suspend the Panamanian constitution and become dictator for life?

Anything he does or doesn’t do would be seen as being influenced by his Panamanian birth.

This is why the Founding Fathers used that singular term ‘Natural Born Citizen’ for that office and nowhere else. They followed Vattel and Blackstone’s definitions: A child born of citizen parents, on the country’s soil.


78 posted on 02/19/2011 8:49:31 AM PST by null and void (We are now in day 760 of our national holiday from reality. - It's almost 3 AM)
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To: newzjunkey

Everyone concerned should stop being Obama’s patsy, think smartly, and focus on requiring candidates to provide specific documentation at the state level to prove constitutional eligibility.

Republican politicians should steer well clear of this trap and focus on the jobs they were elected to do.


This is the MSNBC-Liberal Media spin. Obama’s Eligibility is an issue....and if the GOP kowtows to the Liberal Media on this....the GOP can kiss 2012 good bye.

Why should I waste my conservative vote on someone who lowtows to the Liberal Media...by refusing to make Obama’s Eligibility an issue?


79 posted on 02/19/2011 8:51:03 AM PST by UCFRoadWarrior (Newt Gingrich and Chris Matthews: Seperated at Birth??)
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To: T-Bird45

Could Grandma’s DNA shed any light on this?


80 posted on 02/19/2011 8:52:27 AM PST by sanjuanbob
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