"Birther" bill passes in Arizona legislature

Both the Arizona House and Senate yesterday passed a bill requiring U.S. presidential candidates to prove their citizenship in order to get on the state ballot, making the Arizona legislature the first in the nation to approve "birther" legislation.

Republican Gov. Jan Brewer has five days to either sign the bill, veto it, or do nothing and allow it to become law.

Versions of this legislation have gone before the state legislature several times in the past two years, the Arizona Republic reports, and stem from questions about President Obama's origins. Yet supporters of the measure said it is not about Mr. Obama specifically.

"It's essential that we bring back the integrity to the office," Republican state Rep. Judy Burges reportedly said during debate over the bill.

Democratic state Rep. Ruben Gallego complained the legislation makes Arizona look "backward," the Republic reports. "You might as well change Arizona to Alabama," he said.

If the bill becomes law, presidential and vice presidential candidates would have to show the Arizona secretary of state proof that they are natural-born citizens. This could be either a long-form birth certificate or at least two other forms of accepted proof, such as an early baptismal certificate, circumcision certificate or hospital birth record.

If the Arizona secretary of state doesn't think a candidate has provided sufficient proof, they can keep the candidate off the state's ballot or set up a committee to determine whether the documents of proof provided meet the requirements, the Arizona Daily Star reports.

Thirteen other states have considered similar bills this year, according to the Daily Star.

The "birther movement," which questions whether Mr. Obama was born in the United States and is thus qualified to be president, has persisted through Mr. Obama's presidency, in spite of the overwhelming evidence that exists to prove he was born in Hawaii. It's gained new steam in recent weeks since Donald Trump, a potential 2012 Republican presidential contender, has pushed the issue.

In an interview yesterday, Mr. Obama said the birther issue might be "politically expedient in the short-term" for Republicans but it creates "a problem for them when they want to actually run in a general election."

[Smokey75]

I am not on the birther kick but I see no problem with a state passing a law that enforces our constitution. The only way this law is about Obama is if he tries running in that state and can't show proof he is a natural born citizen. Other than that this has nothing to do with Obama.

You would think the liberals and Obama supporters would be all for this law because as soon as Obama is cleared to run in AZ all the birthers a made to look like the fools they are.

[rationall7]

Obama is the 44th President in around 244 years but this isn't about the birth records of Obama as if the GOP & RNC didn't think it was necessary to look at the birth records before elections but to raise after Obama is elected, the GOP & RNC are displaying their stupidy all over again.

[FreshxWater]

To stay out of AZ all I needed were the reports of Speed Ticketing cameras on EVERY highway in AZ. I turn over EVERY product/service I purchase, if it's from TX or AZ I don't purchase it.

[guest173]

arizona has polygamists running around there, what are they doing about that? Arizona keeps doing these controversial symbolic laws but sweeping under the rug lots of other illegal activities that have long taken root there, but polygamists there also seem pretty rich so I guess money talks?

[Levy412]

Voting straight GOP, means I must be the following;
(a) Intelligent and educated, according to talk radio.
(b) Well informed, courtesy of Fox and friends..news you like!
(c) Skeptical..I believe science is a conspiracy!
(d) Devoted Christian..Love my pastor..Gods gift..155,000 of them...!
(e) Family value practitioner..God forgives me only..!
(f) Apologist1..little kids squashed in Haiti..Devils work!
(g) Apologist2..little Haitian kid saved..lost limbs and fam..Blessed!
(h) Realist..Obama lied..unemployment to be < x%..its x+1 and 100k died!!
(i) Amnesia..what bush years..deficit, waste, unfunded wars.lies, pff!
(K) A BIRTHER!!!
of course there is more to be proud off!

[atomant59]

Well said and good point...

[Levy412]

Forgive me God..I may soon be a proud Birther as well..Could you show me your birth certificate..long form..your doctors name, name of your hospital, dentist, banker and stockbroker, etc! Please do, so we can be fair and balanced and also put and end to the speculation that you do not exist!

[JV1970]

I can just hear all of the crying and whining you liberals are going to do when Obama is finally forced to produce his real birth certificate instead of that thing he uploaded two years ago and we finally see what he's spent many thousands of dollars in attorney fees to hide! You liberals are going to be crying all over these websites like a bunch of babies! You are also going to call Obama a wimp and coward for caving in to our demands! After all the hateful things you've said about us "birthers" it will be sweet to see you have to admit that he's not the saint you think he is and that he deceived you!

[1VNVet]

Lindag10 - Why is it when someone chooses not to believe one person just because he or she is an "official" that some resort to NAME CALLING. That is truly the mark of an intelligent person to call others names just because they don't see things your way. In this particular case the "official" is simply a man who for whatever reason may be telling the truth or may not be telling the truth. He may even have been ordered to say what he has said by our own government for whatever reason. Having been in our military as an officer, I am here to tell you that our government is capable of and participates in things the average person would simply not believe on a daily basis. They of course call it among other names "for the good of the country".....and then there are cover-ups to keep the truth quiet. Some of the things under the cover of Top Secret and above would alienate virtually ALL of our allies and most of our citizens if they only knew......I just don't understand though the need for democrats to tear down Republicans and vice versa with name calling or for any race or religion to name call others or for northerners and southerners or for easterners and westerners to name call each other.....We are all in this together and until we start acting like it and having constructive dialogue without the name calling, we will never ever learn from one another.....IGNORANCE BEGETS IGNORANCE....

[Rodeo_Joe]

uh, ... so where is Arizona gonna get it's water in 10 years?

Oh, yeah, ... they don't believe in Global Warming! Karma, dudes.

[davefromdayton]

Neither do scientists...its called "Climate Change" now

[ruauper21]

The utter stupidity of the AZ Legislature and crass commentary of some of the posters here only confirms the fact this state is populated by a bunch of fools.

[1VNVet]

I hate to clue you in, but every state has its share of fools.

[Lindag10]

Birther mania at its best. They're all like dogs chasing their tail. At this point in time it would be best if the Constitution was amended to say that the requirement for president simply be that he/she were a US citizen. The only reason it was EVER worded the way is was is due to the fear that someone loyal to the British would become president and sell the country out. Times HAVE changed.

[catmomtx]

by 1VNVet April 16, 2011 12:02 PM EDT
Then why is it that Obama has spent over 2 million dollars to keep his birth certificate and his college grades from being seen????


??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Because that isn't true. Birthers have perpetuated that MYTTH because it fits their narrow minded, racist agenda.

[1VNVet]

Sorry but it IS true...there are court documents to prove it.....

[1VNVet]

Those of you that love this man obviously cannot see the Forrest for the trees.... you also don't understand how the legal system works! First of all to even get a judge to look at things that are prudent enough to bring to trial you have to have SOME evidence and if that evidence is hidden carefully enough, there simply is no grounds to proceed. I have a family member that edits transcripts for a court reporter that works with Perkins Coie in Chicago and although I cannot say what I have read for legal reasons, I can tell you that Obama HAS indeed spent over 2 million fighting lawsuits and fighting to keep his various records sealed and private. You can believe it or not...I really don't care but I for one know the truth and that speaks volumes about this so-called honest president.