America focuses on some stupid stuff

[DungeonmasterJim]

Watching the NBC Nightly News they had a report on people challenging Barrak Obama's U.S. citizenship. Ugh. Some people just can't let things go even when a birth certificate from Hawaii has been produced.

The same article had people challenging Barry Goldwater's citizenship at some point. Apparently he was born in Arizona when Arizona was still a territory and not a state. Hold the freck old was Goldwater at the time??? :confused:


DM Jim

[Eliseu Gouveia]

Isn´t cloaked bigotry fun?

[KevinTBrown]

Watching the NBC Nightly News they had a report on people challenging Barrak Obama's U.S. citizenship. Ugh. Some people just can't let things go even when a birth certificate from Hawaii has been produced.

The same article had people challenging Barry Goldwater's citizenship at some point. Apparently he was born in Arizona when Arizona was still a territory and not a state. Hold the freck old was Goldwater at the time??? :confused:


DM Jim

IMO, there was far more question about McCain's citizenship than Obama's. McCain was definitely born in another country, albeit supposedly on a US naval base which is indeed considered US soil. I say "supposedly" because in 2000 there were some questions raised about it, but it didn't go anywhere once Bush garnered the nomination.

[Infra-Man]

Ahhh, the "Birther" movement. They help make the Republican Party seem even more like the home of pee-brained wackos and half-literate nitwits.

[NickThompson]

IMO, there was far more question about McCain's citizenship than Obama's. McCain was definitely born in another country, albeit supposedly on a US naval base which is indeed considered US soil. I say "supposedly" because in 2000 there were some questions raised about it, but it didn't go anywhere once Bush garnered the nomination.
Apparently the first thing that people question about a candidate is "Hang on, is he actually American?" :smile:

[Michael P]

Watching the NBC Nightly News they had a report on people challenging Barrak Obama's U.S. citizenship. Ugh. Some people just can't let things go even when a birth certificate from Hawaii has been produced.

The same article had people challenging Barry Goldwater's citizenship at some point. Apparently he was born in Arizona when Arizona was still a territory and not a state. Hold the freck old was Goldwater at the time??? :confused:


DM Jim
Goldwater was born in 1909. Arizona became a state in 1912. And Goldwater ran for President in 1964.

As to the original subject of the thread, note how the net effect of NBC's reporting of these bogus allegations will be to spread them.

[the4thpip]

Goldwater was born in 1909. Arizona became a state in 1912. And Goldwater ran for President in 1964.

As to the original subject of the thread, note how the net effect of NBC's reporting of these bogus allegations will be to spread them.

Lou Dobbs is currently the worst offender in spreading this idiocy.

[the4thpip]

This is also the second time since the "Teabagging Parties" that we see right wing voters booing Republican candidates. I think we might see some erosion there towards even loonier political movements like the constitution party.

[Solaris]

Boy I'll bet Hawaiians get tired of being told "You're not part of the U.S."

But *Alaska*, on the other hand, clearly *is* a part of the U.S.---even though it doesn't share a border with the 48 states, at least it's on the same continent. With Alaska, you get oil, polar bears, and lots of backwoodsmen---all Hawaii has to offer is tropical paradise and millions in tourist revenue.

So, it wouldn't do us any good if Sarah Palin had been born in Alaska---she'd still be considered a U.S. Citizen. If, however, she too had been born in Hawaii...

[/sarcasm over]

[dupont2005]

This is also the second time since the "Teabagging Parties" that we see right wing voters booing Republican candidates. I think we might see some erosion there towards even loonier political movements like the constitution party.

i have thought this for a couple years now. centrists and moderates are becoming very rare in that party these days

[Infra-Man]

Lou Dobbs is currently the worst offender in spreading this idiocy.

Lou Dobbs is also currently the worst offender in spreading general idiocy.

[TCJohnson]

Lou Dobbs ratings are tanking and needs to start controversy to get his audience back.


Speaking of idiocy (but in a good way) check out the Daily Show segment "Born Identity"

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

[Redem]

Well the first Canadian Prime Minister was born in Scotland (a couple other were also foreign born) and we turn out ok

but I'm not sure the U.S want to turn like us :biggrin:

[KevinTBrown]

Boy I'll bet Hawaiians get tired of being told "You're not part of the U.S."

But *Alaska*, on the other hand, clearly *is* a part of the U.S.---even though it doesn't share a border with the 48 states, at least it's on the same continent. With Alaska, you get oil, polar bears, and lots of backwoodsmen---all Hawaii has to offer is tropical paradise and millions in tourist revenue.

So, it wouldn't do us any good if Sarah Palin had been born in Alaska---she'd still be considered a U.S. Citizen. If, however, she too had been born in Hawaii...

[/sarcasm over]

If she had been born prior to July 7, 1958, she would not be considered a natural born citizen. (She was born in 1964)

Ditto for Obama had he been born before August 21, 1959 in Hawaii. (He was born in 1961.)




Off topic trivia: My wife and Obama share the same birth date, but not the same year. :smile:

[TCJohnson]

Well the first Canadian Prime Minister was born in Scotland (a couple other were also foreign born) and we turn out ok

but I'm not sure the U.S want to turn like us :biggrin:

Except it is actually against the law for somebody not born an American citizen to be president. So if it turns out he was not born in America to parents older than 21 (22?) then he could be kicked out of office.

[Redem]

Except it is actually against the law for somebody not born an American citizen to be president. So if it turns out he was not born in America to parents older than 21 (22?) then he could be kicked out of office.

That is law that I know, but I just don't think its something that is needed

[Michael P]

Lou Dobbs is currently the worst offender in spreading this idiocy.

That's no coincidence.

[Michael P]

This is also the second time since the "Teabagging Parties" that we see right wing voters booing Republican candidates. I think we might see some erosion there towards even loonier political movements like the constitution party.
Good. Maybe all the loonies will leave the Republican party, and it can become a party you can stomach listening to again.

But *Alaska*, on the other hand, clearly *is* a part of the U.S.---even though it doesn't share a border with the 48 states, at least it's on the same continent. With Alaska, you get oil, polar bears, and lots of backwoodsmen---all Hawaii has to offer is tropical paradise and millions in tourist revenue.

Hey, don't knock polar bears. They're the most awesome kind of bear.

[FeminineMystique]

Ahhh, the "Birther" movement. They help make the Republican Party seem even more like the home of pee-brained wackos and half-literate nitwits.

Exactly. What, are they afraid that if a man wasn't born on top of an American Flag while the doctors and nurses sung "The Star Spangled Banner" he'll sell the country out to "Those dirty commies".

I just want to grab these idiots and say: He was born in America people! But the fact you think that matters is really, REALLY sad

[THEDOC]

Except it is actually against the law for somebody not born an American citizen to be president. So if it turns out he was not born in America to parents older than 21 (22?) then he could be kicked out of office.

Oh man there goes Arnold's chances. :wink:

[NickThompson]

Oh man there goes Arnold's chances. :wink:
Actually, there's a point. If the idea of the rules changing so a man like Arnie could become the President, some people will now assume it's some Obama-led conspiracy :smile:

[CutterMike]

I seem to remember that some folks on the right floated the idea of getting rid of the "native-born" law back in the late-'60s/early-'70s so that the "silent majority" could elect another man who was tough on Communism to follow Richard Nixon.

I challenge anyone to read the words "President Kissinger" without shuddering for our narrow escape.

As a way of limiting the number of nutbars that could be nominated for the position of "Person With A Finger On The Big Button", "native-born" is as good as any.

[the4thpip]

Boy I'll bet Hawaiians get tired of being told "You're not part of the U.S."

But *Alaska*, on the other hand, clearly *is* a part of the U.S.---even though it doesn't share a border with the 48 states, at least it's on the same continent. With Alaska, you get oil, polar bears, and lots of backwoodsmen---all Hawaii has to offer is tropical paradise and millions in tourist revenue.

So, it wouldn't do us any good if Sarah Palin had been born in Alaska---she'd still be considered a U.S. Citizen. If, however, she too had been born in Hawaii...

[/sarcasm over]

The birthers don't claim that Hawaii is not a state. they claim that there is a huge conspiracy covering up that Obama was actually born in Kenya.

[Cam63]

Isn´t cloaked bigotry fun?

It is somewhat...and fuck them quibbling arseholes to Hell.

[sk716]

Isn´t cloaked bigotry fun?

Poorly cloaked.

What's sad to me is that it just seems to have gotten worse since Obama was sworn in. Amazing to me how much bigotry there still is in this country. At least it's getting easier to tell who's who.

[Michael P]

Poorly cloaked.

What's sad to me is that it just seems to have gotten worse since Obama was sworn in. Amazing to me how much bigotry there still is in this country. At least it's getting easier to tell who's who.

I wouldn't say it's gotten worse; I'd say it's gotten scratched so bad the skin's come off, so it's raw.

Turns out my parents are more racist than I thought, for example.

[Cam63]

'Shame, that.

[the4thpip]

Lou Dobbs is currently the worst offender in spreading this idiocy.

Dobbs goes back to Birtherism
Former CNN host claims about "toxicity" from "extreme Left" on the issue
By Alex Koppelman

Last summer, then-CNN host Lou Dobbs embraced the Birthers, an event that may have hastened his eventual departure from the network. Even now, he's having trouble letting go.

In an interview with Esquire, Dobbs commented:

I ask a question, and I am attacked from the extreme Left as a quote-unquote birther. I mean, what the hell is that? When you can create a controversy by asking what seems to me still a perfectly commonsense question? It has been used in the extreme Left to create a toxicity that is just unbelievable.

That's a pretty ballsy thing for Dobbs to say. It's the "extreme Left" that's created the "toxicity" on this, and not the people asserting that President Obama is a liar and a fraud -- even a possible traitor -- based on no evidence save the color of his skin and the foreignness of his last name? OK, Lou.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/01/11/dobbs/index.html

[AgPhoenix]

When you get through all the nonsense and hyperbole of this whole entire mess, only a few facts remain.

One of these nuggets of truth is that the Republicans for all their ridiculous double talking, STILL don't have a real agenda for the Mid-Term Elections, and still haven't learned their lesson about letting these wingnuts hijacking their national agenda. Hell, their chairman a few weeks back released a statement highlighting their mistakes, and he got bashed for it.

The Democrats are not a shining example of Government either, but god damn, they don't look like a bunch of fricken lunatics at almost every turn.

[spidervenom]

not america. PEOPLE focus on stupid stuff.

[Zero Hunter]

Things like this are just more racist bullshit. These are the same kind of jerkoffs that wanted to changed the constitution so Swazneger could run for president.

[the4thpip]

not america. PEOPLE focus on stupid stuff.

It's worse in the US, though.

I mean, in European governments, you have people going all the way to the top with multiple divorces etc. Private lives just aren't as much of an issue. Sarkozy is the child of immigrants and nobody doubted whether he was a real French citizen!

[Alex L]

Oh man there goes Arnold's chances. :wink:

Actually, there's a point. If the idea of the rules changing so a man like Arnie could become the President, some people will now assume it's some Obama-led conspiracy :smile:

And Demolition Man comes one step closer to reality...

[M. Bushbug]

Except it is actually against the law for somebody not born an American citizen to be president. So if it turns out he was not born in America to parents older than 21 (22?) then he could be kicked out of office.The law you are refering to is if both parents were not themselves born in America. His mother was born in America so her age wouldn't be a factor in determining his eligibility for Presidency.

Besides the fact that the law you are refering to is not currently on the books.

[M. Bushbug]

The birthers don't claim that Hawaii is not a state. they claim that there is a huge conspiracy covering up that Obama was actually born in Kenya.
Yes. Sometimes you will see them bring up that Obama's mother was in Seattle at the time of his birth as proof that he was born in Kenya.

Serious.

[FeminineMystique]

Yes. Sometimes you will see them bring up that Obama's mother was in Seattle at the time of his birth as proof that he was born in Kenya.

Serious.

That is whole new levels of nightmarish dis-logic.