The Party of Birth Certificate Conspiracies
Back in January, I reported that Oklahoma State Rep. Mike Ritze (R), whose party had just won control of the legislature, was pushing legislation that would demand proof of President Obama’s citizenship before he’s placed on the ballot in 2012. Today we learn that fifteen members of the Missouri legislature, all Republicans, have signed on to a constitutional amendment that says this:
“„For candidates who are required by the Constitution of the United States to be natural born citizens, the secretary of state shall request an official copy of the candidate’s birth certificate. Other certifications, such as a certificate of live birth, shall not be accepted. Should any candidate fail to provide an official birth certificate within thirty days of the request by the secretary of state, his or her name shall not be placed on the ballot.
For people who’ve followed the Obama conspiracies, that’s pretty specific and telling language. Last summer, Obama made available the Hawai’ian certificate of live birth that states he was born in Honolulu in 1961. But because it’s a new document, not a vintage certificate, it’s sprouted conspiracy theories about whether or not it was forged (it wasn’t) and whether it actually proves that Obama was born abroad (it really doesn’t).
Republicans hold a majority in the Missouri state assembly, but it’s not likely that this will pass.
