Originally Posted by
papadave
Makes no difference whether Joe is correct or reliable. The real point is whether the accusation that Obama is not legally eligible to be POTUS can be proven(as laid out in Art. II of the Constitution). So far the evidence isn't adequate enough for the opposing party to make a case of it. I don't need to have faith in the word of the President or the Democratic Party, it's enough to have faith that the Republican Party would make a case of it IF there was a case to be made(unless for some reason they really don't want a Republican president in office at this time). I do have that faith, just as I have faith that the Blue team would dig just as hard if the shoe were on the other foot. My faith in the nastiness of politics comes from paying attention for the past 40 years.
I personally believe that if neither the Hillary camp or the McCain camp could find enough to make a legitimate case of it then there isn't enough evidence to make a legal argument at all. IF the opposing factors in the last election missed something that could be brought before the legal system, rest assured that there will be enough resources brought to bare in the coming election to reveal it. I'm not arguing about whether he really is "a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States", just about whether it can be proven that he isn't. So far the answer is no it can't. A lot of people have spent the last 4+ years and $$$$$$$ trying to do so with very little to show for it. To date the "birther" issue is in the same category as the accusations that GW Bush was AWOL from the NG or that his daddy helped him out of cocaine charges. Either (or both) of the latter may be true, and many who despised GW believe they are true, but without proof that can stand the legal test it is no more than rumor or slander.
As to the accusations that Obama is really a Muslim, legally it is irrelevant. Art. VI of our Constitution states He can be a Catholic, a Mormon, a Satanist or even an atheist and is eligible for office. It does effect whether people vote for a candidate, but not whether he or she can be legally voted for or whether they have a Constitutional right to hold office.
It is ironic that so many people use a Constitutional argument to say Obama is not eligible for office very closely followed by such an anti-Constitutional argument of his religion. If it were truly a concern for constitutional legality then the argument of religion would not be made. If it were simply a matter of religion then it would be out of character to include constitutional arguments(since the Constitution so explicitly prohibits religious tests).
The really puzzling thing is why, with so much going on in the country, with the hordes of controversial policies that have been put in place over the past 3 1/2 years, with the economy in such bad shape, unemployment rates so high, energy costs going up, average salaries stagnant or going down, why is this unprovable argument so danged important? Seems to me that there is plenty enough PROVEN OBVIOUS fact to attack the Obama administration on without going off tilting windmills.(Don Quixote was an entertaining character, but he isn't well respected for his wisdom)
Addressing the topic of the thread - "America's been duped!" - you betcha! Couldn't agree more. If we vote for ANY politician because we believe that they will put the interests of their constituents, community & this country ahead of their own personal interests we're being duped!