The World's Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Birther question

This has nothing to do with atheism, but I have a small question that came to mind after seeing it on CNN.

What are birthers going on about and why?

I understand that it is a rule that only naturalized citizens can become president and so Schwarztneger couldn't run without a change to our constitution.

However as I understand it, a child born to American parents in a foreign country is a citizen of both countries. So even if he were born in Kenya (which doesn't seem at all likely) then wouldn't be still a naturalized citizen.

I just wikied birthers, where I read that an alternative theory of theirs is that he lost his citizenship when his family moved to Indonesia. I am not as sure how the rules on that work, but I suspect our citizenship rules on that would also be just as inclusive where he being but a minor would not have lost his American citizenship in that case either.

Idk. And I figured as plenty of people here are Obama supporters yall would appreciate the opportunity to bash birthers.

Tags: Obama, birthers, politics

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on April 18, 2011 at 10:23am

Not just Senator but, State Senator. He was a Senator in the Illinois Senate.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Park Bierbower on April 18, 2011 at 11:40am

pardon my ignorance, but is there a difference?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on April 18, 2011 at 12:28pm

A state senator only works at a state capitol whereas as a nation Senator works in the nation's capitol (Washington D.C.). In Obama's case he dealt with issues only pertaining to Illinois in Illinois' capital (Springfield). We have local, state,and a national governments.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by KillerDiller on April 20, 2011 at 6:01am

I was living in Illinois at the time and Obama was elected as the senator from Illinois to serve in the national congress before he ran for president.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on April 20, 2011 at 8:13am

So was I. I obviously forgot that he made it to US Senator.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by paul babcock on April 18, 2011 at 2:10pm

Obama hadn't been working in Washington but for a couple or few years before becoming President. Previous to that he had been working in the state capital of Illinois, Springfield maybe. He came into the national spotlight when he gave the keynote address at a democratic convention for a previous Democratic presidential nominee, Kerry, I think.

Clinton was favored in the same way, during what I have to figure was Dukakis' convention. And whoever is tapped to give it in 2012 will probably be the heir apparent for the Dems in 2016.

For the Dems anyway, this has come to be a quite strong tendency. So much so,in fact, that when Obama gave it, the conventional wisdom, at the time, was that Obama surely wouldn't run as, at the time, he was only a state representative and it was figured that it would be too much of a leap for him to go thru in too short a time.

That has been shown to be wrong obviously. And I think this has occurred more than just those two times. It is just that those are the only two instances I can bring to mind.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by ETres on April 18, 2011 at 2:11pm

I've lived in the South my entire life (Texas) and live and work with conservatives and Christians. Not once have I heard a single complaint about Obama being black. If I hear of hate for Obama, it's policy-centered - not race. Are there racists who despise Obama because of his race? Sure! But they are not pervasive.

As for the birthers - lots of people I know don't think he was born in the USA, but no one gets very uptight about it. If it's discussed, most will add "not that it really matters anyway." As I said, more folks are perturbed over his policies than his race or birthplace. Just because someone believes Obama isn't a true citizen doesn't mean they are foaming-at-the-mouth birthers. Most realize it's merely a mysterious, interesting sideshow to an administration they disagree with.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Park Bierbower on April 19, 2011 at 1:40pm

If you are talking about the actual policies of obama, I can't imagine why people would get so upset as to yell slurs and compare him to hitler. Now, if you are talking about Fox News' version of Obama's agenda, then yeah, I guess death panels and communism would rile people up. Tea Baggers may indeed not be racist~ however, if that is the case, they are dumb as fuck for buying into the litany of bullshit they actually believe to be true. Gross ignorance is no excuse in the "grown up" world, and Tea Baggers have practically made political illiteracy their modus operandi.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by paul babcock on April 19, 2011 at 2:44pm

I have never been a big fan of Obama, so that is entirly understandable that people would be opposed to him and his positions politically. I find the timing of the tea party's anti big government stance at least a bit convenient, but it is fathomable anyway. I agree with plenty of their positions. Maybe it is just a coincidence that the spark finally lit the powderkeg just as a black man became president.

Birthers tho, seem to make absolutely no since at all. I have been hoping someone could provide some explanation for something, but no. There seems to be as much evidence as with any candidate that he was born in America, but birthers won't believe it. And, more along the actual directions of this thread, so far, I have come acrossed zero evidence that it would matter in the least anyway, as he still would have been eligible to run for president anyway, even if his birth certificate said he was born in Kenya, as his parents are American citizens. Yet birthers accuse Obama of somehow cheating on the eligibility requirements.

Sorry, but I am unable to see any of the birthers ideas as anything but a complete nonstarter.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Phil on April 28, 2011 at 8:23am

Racism, subconscious or not, and/or gross stupidity. Any blend you like. Policies? What do teabaggers know about policies? They "know" what a blowhard, taking his/her money from corporate interests, tells them to get them excited enough to vote against their own best interests.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cindy on April 28, 2011 at 6:30pm

We must live in different areas of the south, as I have heard many complain about his race. Just the other day a client was spouting racism and birther nonsense about Obama. He seemed to think he was being cute and clever.

My husband, unfortunately, has been receiving some emails from a group of them; if I can get him to forward some of them to me I may post some of the obvious racist remarks.