Big news on the conspiracy theory front: On Wednesday, an Oklahoma House committee approved a bill requiring presidential candidates to present a valid, long-form birth certificate before their names can appear on the ballot in the Sooner State. More than a dozen states have considered “birther” bills since the beginning of 2009, but yesterday’s vote puts Oklahoma on track to become the first state to actually enact such a law. The vote means the bill, which has already passed the state Senate, just needs to be approved by the full House before it can go to Republican Governor Mary Fallin’s desk.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican state Sen. Ralph Shortey, explained to The Oklahoman that under the proposed legislation, President Obama’s certificate of live birth would be insufficient—even though not all states provide long-form birth certificates. He also took pains to note that this isn’t a birther bill:
“A lot of people are classifying this as a birther bill which I don’t think it is,” Shortey said. “The concern has stemmed from the questions that have arisen from President Obama.”
It’s a bill that arises out of concerns that the President of the United States is ineligible for office because he was born in a different country, and therefore requires him to present a valid birth certificate, which he has already done. But it’s not a birther bill; where would anyone get that idea?
