Arizona House Passes Initial Provision For Obama Birther Bill

PHOENIX (AP) - 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 re-election.

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 says the bill is one of several measures that are making Arizona "the laughing stock of the nation."

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

The Arizona Republic reports that certain state officials appear resistant to such legislation, however:

Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett also expressed concern about Burges' amendment, saying that creating state-level eligibility requirements to run for federal office could violate the U.S. Constitution.

"While everyone has an interest in ensuring that only eligible citizens run for president, there are obvious issues with states implementing what could become a patchwork of different tests for a presidential candidate to prove his/her citizenship," said Bennett's spokesman, Matthew Benson, in an e-mail.

And Michael Sheridan of the NY Daily News points out:

This latest effort by the "birther" movement to challenge Obama's eligibility as President comes on the heels of an Army doctor who faces a court martial for refusing to deploy to Afghanistan because the order is "illegal."

"I believe all servicemen and women, and the American people, deserve the truth about President Obama's constitutional eligibility to the office of the presidency and the commander in chief," Lt. Col. Terry Lakin said in a video statement posted on YouTube last month.

Comments

[DarkStarAz]

12:01 AM on 05/17/2010

I guess your right the birhter bill makes Az a laughingstock.
And our founding fathers were also a laughingstock, as well as the US constitution -- which is what the bill is based on....

[Shirlene Cox]

01:30 PM on 05/02/2010

We have to pick up the rug of racism and sweep out all the old crap that has been collecting underneath, unfortunately we all have to witness the death of racism trying to stay alive.

[Humanrights11]

02:54 AM on 05/01/2010

What is Arizona trying to prove? What is the motive behind this? Why are they filled of hate? Is it because they are bored, have no jobs and need something to do? If that's the case, perhaps a bit of education might be good AZ; what do you say, revert your hate towards something productive and beneficial to you and the youth?

[joliepoppy]

01:24 PM on 04/28/2010

Wow-what is up in Arizona lately?

[wmramlal]

08:00 PM on 04/26/2010

LetsGoSteve

Lets go to school. Please don't get mad at me because I had to point out to you that the National Debt is in the Trillions and Millions.

It's ignorant and ill-informed people like yourself that took their eyes off the ball while Bush/Cheney got us into this mess. You are not the only one that pays taxes and is worried about the next generation which will invariably be burdened with something. It is likewise unfair and inhumane to allow the present generation to suffer when there is something that can be done to rectify the situation.

You cannot put a dollar figure on the life of another human-being.

Take your argument to the bedside of a parent who's child in this generation is suffering because of the greed of insurance companies and people like you.

Now you fight President Obama every step of the way as he tries to pull us out of this situation.

[Carolyn LeBeauf]

11:25 PM on 04/25/2010

The state of Arizona has become the hate state of the country. It has moved passed Miss. and South Carolina. The people of Arizona should be ashamed. It's no wonder they have people like John McCain, Hayworth and the likes of the those republicans in congress representing them. he state of Arizona has opened up a can of worms that they will have no way of over coming.I call for everyone with a brain to boycott this racist place. Let's see if the few tea baggers and racists can keep this state going.The sane people of Arizona, I feel for you.

[wmramlal]

04:03 PM on 04/25/2010

It is said that a house divided can not stand. In my opinion the Tea Party Members, Birthers, Militia and other White Supremacists groups pose as a great a threat against America as any other outside Terrorist, i.e., Bin Laden.

Arizona has turned into the hate capital of America and is paving the way for destruction of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

People that disagree with racism need to speak out before it is to late.

The last time I recall people having to show papers to prove their identity involved Slavery, Japanese
Internment Camps and Jewish Concentration Camps.

[LetsGoSteve]

04:13 PM on 04/25/2010

Do you think our government should be allowed to accumulate $12,000,000,000,000 in debt and pass it down to the next generation and not be challenged?

[wmramlal]

11:26 PM on 04/25/2010

Stay on point this is about Birthers challenging the legitimate election of a legitimate citizen.

As for the passing on of debt to the next generation, there is no guarantee that that will be the case but more importantly every generation is challenged with something. We survived the incompetent leadership or so called leadership of the Bush/Cheney years. That in itself is proof that we can survive anything.

The whining about debt now by the concerned hordes is nothing more than a smoke screen for those people like you who do not want to be identified for what you really are.

[Giveadamn]

09:20 AM on 04/25/2010

I'm not surprised that a bunch of birthers are behind this immigration crisis in Arizona! Pushing another issue to the front burner, to delay progress on others! I never signed on to an America where I have to show my papers because of my color, or how I dress! This legislation will cause Arizona to be a welcome platform for hate, and discrimination!

[mskdman23]

10:01 PM on 04/23/2010

If I have to show proof to get a job in this country is it to much to ask Obama? or is he to important or is he to ashamed.

[care4mypeeps]

06:27 PM on 04/23/2010

Arizona is grand zero for the Tea Bagging uprising. What we are witnessing is an unraveling of racial tension and pent up racism bursting at the seems. This ignorant rhetoric that we keep getting pushed down our throats will neither stop but intensify because of the ir-responsiblity of the Media and Congress to come out hard on this non sense.

My people have been through this mess and we know it inside and out. The extreem Right Wing fringe are now big ballers in the madness that seems to be sweeping the Nation.

It is a disgace before God that this law has made the light of day. These modern day racist are foaming at the mouth and they are breaking bad because they now feel bold that their idiocy has been signed into law.

Arizona has just identified itself as Racist Central because 70% of the people have caved in.

[norkas]

09:31 AM on 04/25/2010

I was rasied in Arizonia care4mypeeps and you have said the words of truth.

Well done and thank you very much.

[12many]

05:53 PM on 04/23/2010

This is funny coming from a state that depends on somebody else's water.

[ShinjiIkari]

05:28 PM on 04/23/2010

First there was AZ's refusal to recognize the MLKing holiday. Then, just to show it wasn't a fluke, the state shows its love for blacks and Latinos with the so-called birther bill and the travel-papers bill.

You Nazis have so much penance to do...

[Mike169]

11:24 AM on 04/23/2010

Arizona has officially become stupider than South Carolina.

[R8RBOB]

06:53 PM on 04/22/2010

As a constitutional law professor, President Obama is LOL

This birther bill will be thrown out by the first federal judge who gets it if it passes the Arizona legislature and signed by the governor. Federal law trumps state law all day long. Perhaps these yahoos should research the Civil Rights Act which kills all Jim Crow laws in Southern states.

[tom90069]

04:18 PM on 04/22/2010

so this guy's job is not to set the record straight but to pander to the birthers