Boehner Refuses to Forcefully Repudiate Birther Elements in GOP **UPDATED**
David Streeter — February 15, 2011 – 1:16 pm | Republicans | Stop the Smears Comments (2) Add a commentAs further evidence of the Republican base’s growing extremism and incorporation of conspiracy theories, Politico reported on the growing number of GOP-backed birther bills that are taking hold at the state level throughout the country:
Lawmakers in at least 10 states have introduced bills requiring presidential candidates to provide some form of proof that they are natural-born citizens, a ballot qualification rule designed to address widespread rumors on the right that Obama was not born in the United States.
Politico‘s report comes as participants at the Conservative Political Action Conference, including Representative Raul Labrador (R-IA), made jokes and “dog whistled” about this long-debunked myth.
Think Progress also reported this weekend on the number of other Republican House members who continue to “doubt” Obama’s citizenship:
World Net Daily claims that the following members of [House Majority Leader Eric] Cantor’s caucus doubt the president’s citizenship: Reps. Bill Posey (R-FL), Dan Burton (R-IN), Ted Poe (R-TX), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Campbell (R-CA), John R. Carter (R-TX), John Culberson (R-TX), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Randy Neugebauer (R-TX), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), and Kenny Marchant (R-TX).
At a time when leaders of all political stripes are calling for civility in our political discourse, it is very telling that House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is content to let certain elements of his party and his caucus continue to assert conspiracy theories as fact instead of forcefully repudiating them and standing up for the basic fact that President Barack Obama was born in Hawaii.
Clearly, one of the most important Republicans in the country is more interested in undercutting Obama’s legitimacy instead of keeping his party focused on its campaign pledge of creating jobs and fixing the economy. Further, as Adam Serwer wrote in The Washington Post, Boehner’s refusal to denounce the birther elements in the Republican Party has a political calculation:
The fact of the GOP’s embrace of post-birtherism is less disturbing than its implication, which is that the Republican leadership fears alienating a not-insignificant portion of their base by dismissing birtherism or speculation about the president’s religion as outright nonsense.
** UPDATE February 15 **
Politico reported on a new poll from Public Policy Polling that that found that 51% of Republican primary voters do not believe that Obama was born in Hawaii. According to Politico:
Fifty-one percent of 400 Republican primary voters surveyed nationwide by Public Policy Polling said they ascribe to the controversial birther conspiracy theory - despite the fact that the state of Hawaii has posted Obama’s certificate of live birth.
Only 28 percent said they think the president was born in the United States - a constitutional requirement to be president. Twenty-one percent said they were ‘not sure.’
The new polling data confirms that birther conspiracy theories are indeed a critical characteristic of the GOP’s base. This new information also lends greater truth to the notion that Boehner’s refusal to repudiate the birther elements in his party is motivated by his need to keep the Republican base unified.
Click here to read more about the poll. Click here to view the poll’s specific findings, including the birthers’ preferred candidates.
Comments
despite the fact that the state of Hawaii has posted Obama’s certificate of live birth.
Obama has NOT posted his Certificate of Live Birth. He has put up a Certification of Live Birth. There is a difference. Certification anyone can get, even if not born in Hawaii. You really need to do some research. I know you do not want to misinform the Jews, but you are.
-
March 27
Jewish Dems Thank Senate Minority Leader Reid for Decades… -
March 26
A fifth, and essential, question -
March 24
2016 GOP Candidate Ted Cruz: Out of Step with Jewish… -
March 24
No More Delays: Hold Loretta Lynch’s Confirmation… -
March 23
Burns: Will Congress torpedo Obama’s Iran deal? -
March 20
Jewish Democrats Slam Rep. King for Questioning their… -
March 17
Rep. Wasserman Schultz to Remain in Congress -
March 16
Weekly Roundup: Cotton’s Letter Panned Nationally -
March 13
Sheffey: Can we trust Obama on Iran? -
March 11
Iranian nukes, Cotton’s letter and Boteach
- March, 2015
- February, 2015
- January, 2015
- December, 2014
- November, 2014
- October, 2014
- September, 2014
- August, 2014
- July, 2014
- June, 2014
- May, 2014
- April, 2014
- March, 2014
- February, 2014
- January, 2014
- December, 2013
- November, 2013
- October, 2013
- September, 2013
- July, 2013
- June, 2013
- May, 2013
- April, 2013
- March, 2013
- February, 2013
- January, 2013
- December, 2012
- November, 2012
- October, 2012
- September, 2012
- August, 2012
- July, 2012
- June, 2012
- May, 2012
- April, 2012
- March, 2012
All Mr. Boehner has to say in front of The Congress of The United States is something like this: “To all my fellow Republicans and those who support us throughout America: I can assure you all, beyond the slightest doubt, that Our President was not only born in Hawaii and is a Natural Full Citizen of These United States, but he is also a Christian and not a Muslim. Furthermore; supposing anyone else born in America, as President Obama was, were not a Christian, as Obama actually is, but were a Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Taoist, Sikh, Hindu, Agnostic, Spiritual and Scientific person…whatever…it would make no difference! Our Founders had the Wisdom to foresee the absolute need to Separate Religion from Public Government and thus there is no proper place in any Public Debate about the issues to call into question one’s Religion or lack of it! Obama not only has always stated the fact that he is a Christian, but he has shown great wisdom in preferring not to constantly exploit his Christian faith for political populist gain! We Republicans must also abide by the Constitution and what Our great nation’s Founders truly intended! After all; we all know what happened in Europe and how that was one of the main reasons Our Founders established The United States of America! E Pluribus Unum does not mean Forcing Oneness by denying Each Individual’s G-D-given Right to be Who They Are and Differently So. NO! What E Pluribus Unum really means is: Unity-in-Diversity, as in Out of Many Different Individuals We Forge One Nation That Respects Non-Violent Differences, no matter how much any one US may prefer not to be like another American is! So; to The Tea Party and others here I say STOP THE DIVISIVE LIES about Our President and let US agree to disagree on the Real Issues!”
And then, if Boehner wants, he can then continue with these following words with which I totally disagree: ” For we Republicans believe that it is Rich Individuals and their private companies or individuals and their religious organizations that can best provide for our fellow Americans in Poverty, and not Government Agencies and non-Religious NGOs! We Republicans believe that for those Americans who would not seek help from Religious groups and/or from Greedy Corporations; tough luck! The World does not need people who are mentally and physically weak or who simply have been the victims of Criminals…be those Criminals Main Street gangsters or Wall Street Exploitative Thugs! The poor, weak, sick and disenfranchised are not as tough and righteous as we are! They do not need to continue to be a burden on us all. We would rather use those pennies to line our fat pockets! And for those few among them who will still manage to survive; their years of incredible suffering will have taught them how to be tough and brutal like we are! Poverty builds character in those who manage to survive and learn to trample and feed off the suffering of others!”
THiNK ABOUT iT!