Dem Congressman Offering Resolution Recognizing Hawaii's History -- As Obama's Birthplace
Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) is set to give the House Republicans a chance to put up or shut up on the Birtherism that is circulating among their grassroots base, Greg Sargent reports: A House resolution recognizing Hawaii as President Obama's birthplace.
Technically, the resolution's main purpose will be to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood. And while commemorating that grand history, the resolution will of course mention how the state is Obama's birthplace.
This gives Republicans a choice: Vote yes on the resolution, which would repudiate the Birthers; vote no, to endorse them; or skip the vote, which would basically be the same as voting no.
Abercrombie spokesman Dave Helfert seemed to be humorously denying that this was an effort to put the GOP on the spot. "Far be it from us to try to stir things up," said Helfert. "The president was born there, so what are you gonna do? Not mention it?"
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
I love it!!
July 27, 2009 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent! I was hoping somebody would do this. Break out the popcorn.
July 27, 2009 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh this is brilliant! Pelosi better let this one through. I fear she will come up with a lame excuse not to, which will only give the birthers more to foam at the mouth about.
July 27, 2009 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
And you think this is likely because...?
July 27, 2009 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very clever.
There's certainly precedent for recognizing the 50th anniversary of statehood. Why in June 2008, the House did just that, for Alaska:
H.RES.127
Title: Recognizing and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the entry of Alaska in the Union as the 49th State.
Sponsor: Rep Young, Don [AK] (introduced 2/5/2007) Cosponsors (52)
Related Bills: S.RES.49
Latest Major Action: 6/9/2008 Passed/agreed to in House. Status: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 375 - 0 (Roll no. 390).
Please not final tally: 375 - 0.
July 27, 2009 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh. I see what you did there.
Ha!
July 27, 2009 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Our first Hawaiian President, we should all be proud.
July 27, 2009 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
BRILLIANT! They can either fall on their sword, or look like fools when they refuse to use it. Gives new meaning to the old biblical saw, "Live by the sword..."
Apparently, you can CHOKE on it, as well.
July 27, 2009 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I give Abercrombie points for cleverness, but this resolution will only feed the birther beast:
"Hey, look, the Democrats are trying to legislate Hawaii as Obama's birthplace -- they know they can't prove Obama was born in America, so they're trying to get around the Constitution by legislating it retroactively!"
July 27, 2009 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with you on this--you can't force logic on the unreasonable.
July 27, 2009 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
The point isn't to change the minds of the Birthers. The point is to force Congress critters to take a stance on the issue and stop winking and nudging at the Birthers in a cynical ploy to foment rebellion against the President.
July 27, 2009 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
As someone points out downthread, the "winkers and nudgers" can just skip the vote, as members of Congress so often do when they don't want to be pinned down. So the resolution won't force the Winker-Nudgers to take a stand, but it surely will provide the Birthers more fuel for their wingnut fire (thus forcing the Winker-Nudgers to wink and nudge some more).
July 27, 2009 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Once you enter their bizarre labrynth fantasy world, it really is a house of mirrors.
July 27, 2009 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Alaska vote was 375-0, not 435-0. Plenty of room for the birther-appeasers to skip the vote.
July 27, 2009 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll bet many played hookie so they could still play up the birther angle later and not be seen as fools. If they had shown up they would have been forced to vote with the majority or be exposed.
July 27, 2009 9:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Heh, heh, heh. Juicy.
July 27, 2009 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Omg, this is just awesome.
Hahahaha..
July 27, 2009 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please tell me the big deal? When you go to get a drivers license you show your birth certificate they take you picture and that is it.
What is the question?
I an Hawaiian know what kind of prejustice Berry felt from the mostly Asian kids her in school. Blacks are just below whites in the pecking order.
Rep. Abercombie is a real peach and if you see this guy you will get a real laugh. He is a little guy with real big hair.
July 27, 2009 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
you know what? when most people show their certificate to the dmv, anonymous losers from the interwebs don't arrive en masse, call it a fake and demand to see it.
July 27, 2009 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I an Hawaiian know what kind of prejustice Berry felt from the mostly Asian kids her in school. Blacks are just below whites in the pecking order.
You poor, oppressed white person. I guess since "Barry" is a half-breed, he was one step (half-step?) up from "real" blacks, no?
July 27, 2009 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is clever. It boxes the Repubs in, doesn't it? The only problem I forsee are MJ fans becoming angry cause the resolution to honor him was passed on. Or somebody playing the race card
July 27, 2009 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
And here I was just thinking that "David Farrar" had finally proven a point. Solidly, conclusively, even. And in a most entertaining and highly illustrative way. Something that I'd rarely if ever considered, it being far removed from my own experiences in life. And serving as the principal example of that very point.
I'm only curious, really, about whether it was in fact the point he was trying to make.
And that point was?
(wait for it...)
First cousins should never marry!
July 27, 2009 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously? I stopped reading the thread about halfway through. The constant misstating of facts, the denial of said statements, the repetition of B.S....you read through it all to find that David Farrar married his first cousin?
July 27, 2009 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, he's clearly the product of several generations of such unions.
Recessives, you know...
July 27, 2009 6:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
With the evidence I've seen it's pretty obvious Obama was plotting to be illegally elected president since before he was born. And yet wingnuts mocked me when I called him shrewd.
July 27, 2009 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
illegally elected president since before he was born
So the Clinton campaign pointing out that he's wanted to be president since kindergarten isn't so crazy after all. From there, it's a natural progression to believe that he was plotting in utero, and exercised mind control over his mother, so that she knew to fly back to Hawaii and obtain a fake birth certificate.
Given the degree of foresight and planning necessary for such an endeavor, we should probably consider ourselves lucky that such a disciplined and organized person got elected.
July 27, 2009 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
We know he wanted to be president and at one point an astronaut. Put 2 and 2 together and you know he's planning his election victory over God as president of heaven when he dies right now. Think about it.
July 27, 2009 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
More and more I'm beginning to think Obama is a reptilian alien from the Draco galaxy. Prove he isn't, libs!
July 27, 2009 6:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, I see... so you're just gonna give all the credit to Obama for the plot, eh? No mention of the MULTIPLE Hawaiian newspapers that announced his birth IN PRINT?!
July 27, 2009 8:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, I'm trying to fabricate a plausible conspiracy theory for people who are clinically insane. Don't ruin it.
July 27, 2009 9:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
:-)
July 27, 2009 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
All your votes are belong to us.
July 27, 2009 6:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
LMAO I love it!
July 27, 2009 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
BACHMANN BLOCKED UNANIMOUS CONSENT!
July 27, 2009 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep! She blocked it on the grounds that a quorum wasn't present. So, guys, go out and get a quorum! That is what we pay you for, no? To actually be on the job?
July 27, 2009 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
QUACK-QUACK Get your shot-guns ready!
July 27, 2009 7:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
UPDATE: The measure was just blocked by nonother than the whack job queen herself, Michelle Bachmann.
July 27, 2009 7:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
And in the words of Sarah Palin herself: "We eat, therefore we hunt." FROM AIRPLANES? SHOOTING WOLVES, SARAH? WHEN HAVE YOU EATEN A WOLFBURGER, AFTER YOU HAVE SHOT THE ANIMAL AGAINST A PERFECT CANVASS OF SNOW, SO IT HAD NO WHERE TO GO?
Well, I guess we could bring in the troops here. After all they are ready to die for us so that we can shoot animals from airplanes. Rah!
No, Sarah, you are a simple-minded twit! That is NOT why our troops serve. You are a loser who appeals to losers. Enjoy the 5 remaining minutes of your 15 minutes of fame.
July 27, 2009 8:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
"...or skip the vote, which would basically be the same as voting no."
No, it would be the same as voting no, PLUS branding yourself a coward.
July 27, 2009 9:12 PM | Reply | Permalink