Misery Index

OBAMAS ONLINE BIRTH CERTIFICATE

So lets take a look at Obama's digital copy of his birth certificate.   On Obamas "Fight The Smears" website, they have posted a low resolution image of Obama's "Birth Certificate" back on June 13, 2008.   Here and here is an extremely high resolution image of the "birth certificate".  The image to the left states "Certificate of Live Birth", not a "Birth Certificate".  A live birth certificate is a secondary source of identification for the purpose of establishing Hawaiian ancestry.  Such certification of a "Certificate of Live Birth" is ONLY issued when a birth certificate cannot be located in the vital records.

Now another issue that has been raised is that this document is not the "original" birth certificate, in relation to the same font used throughout the document.  Well, if the original birth certificate is missing, then information is pulled from a data base.  Additionally, if you look in the lower right hand corner of the document, you will see it states laser, thus yes it is NOT an original scan of a birth certificate however, it is information pulled from a database and put into a modern format. 

Additionally looking around the "Internez" a name kept popping up as a comparison of a birth certificate to Obama's.  That name was Patricia Decosta who was born in 1930.  The two are virtually identical.  Thus the format is correct, the font is correct but a stamp is shown on that document, however reversed, implying that the reverse does have a reverse stamp.

There was also a claim that the digital image of Obama's "Live Birth" was infact his sisters since there were three digital images of Obama's Certification floating around.  It's pretty complicated if you are not in the IT world however, he does raise some good points. But if you are interested, you can read about it over at The Obambi.com Blog.  It's written by someone who claims to be a digital forensic investigator who has shown his credential to blog owner as a 20 years in the computer field, performing computer forensic investigations since 1993, board certified as a forensic computer examiner (meaning he can testify as an expert witness at trials) but states that he does not give out his personal information on the net because "if I end up at the bottom of a construction site somewhere in NJ the world will still have all the information I was going to provide."  He has determined that the name on the original Certificate of Live Birth is Maya Kassandra Soetoro.

As for all the other issues of no raised seal of certification, other than a bleed through of a date stamp on the rear, or pixelation issues around the text on the page, indicating that the text was added on a blank document, the issue of the certificate number being blacked out, and the issue of looking at the actual hex code of the image showing modifications via Photoshop CS3 on 06/12/2008, well, FactCheck.org did some research.

They state "we can attest to the fact that it [the birth certificate] is real and three-dimensional and resides at the Obama headquarters in Chicago.  We can assure readers that the certificate does bear a raised seal, and that it's stamped on the back by Hawaii state registrar Alvin T. Onaka (who uses a signature stamp rather than signing individual birth certificates).  We even brought home a few photographs. [...]

The document is a "certification of birth," also known as a short-form birth certificate.  The long form is drawn up by the hospital and includes additional information such as birth weight and parents' hometowns.  The short form is printed by the state and draws from a databse with fewer details.  The Hawaii Department of Health's birth record request form does not give the option to request a photocopy of your long-form birth certificate, but their short from has enough information to be acceptable to the State Department.  We tried to ask the Hawaii DOH why the only offer the short form, among other questions, but they have not given a response.

Here are the photographs, which SHOW the Certificate number as 151 1961 -010641.  Click each picture for a high resolution of each.

Comparing the High Resolution Picture versus an Actual picture of the document, they are the same.  If you compare the upper fold line on the actual picture of the document versus the scanned document, the upper fold line does line up perfectly.  So they are the same document. 

But that myth of Obama not being born in Hawaii, at least at this point, has been really debunked via a newspaper article showing a birth announcement to a "Mr. and Mrs. Barack H. Obama although it has been stated by Michelle Obama that Barack's mother was "very single" when she had him.  A Time magazine article states that the couple married on February 2, 1961 in Maui, Hawaii after discovering she was pregnant.

From 'Obama:  From Promise to Power," pg. 27:  "Obama later confessed that he never searched for the government documents on the marriage [of his parents], although Madelyn (Obama's maternal grandmother) insisted they were legally married.'  Also, note that Obama's father apparently was not legally divorced from his first wife back in Kenya at the time, a point of contention that ultimately led to their separation.

The only thing I can think of is that his parents lied for the simple reason that back in the 60s, it wasn't a very good thing for an unwed woman to have a child.  The newspaper acquired the information from Hawaii Vital Records.  At the end of each week, Vital Records would post a sheet for the newspaper to pick up that contained births, deaths, marriages and divorces.  At that time, birth announcement were not paid for release in the newspaper, as they are done today.

At the time in the early 1960s, if a child was born outside a hospital, the family would have 30 days to apply for a birth certificate and Vital Records would expect to see prenatal care records, or pediatrician records of the first check up.  They'd also want the notarized statement from the mid-wife. 

DUAL CITIZENSHIP?

It has been stated that Obama when born or shortly after birth, acquired dual citizenship of the United States and of the British Crown - not Kenya (especially since Kenya did not exist at the time of his birth as a separate country, it was a colony) as Africa and Indonesia do not have dual citizenships yet British Crown citizens do have dual citizenship.

I also have some issues with Obama and possible Indonesian citizenship when his mother married Soetoro and being a registered "muslim" although he proclaims on his website that he's "always been Christian".

Obama seems to have only lived in Indonesia either four or five years (1967 - 1972), however in his own book The Audacity of Hope, p. 204, he states he lived in Indonesia for five years.

"During the five years that we would live with my stepfather in Indonesia.......'

A person would have to live in Indonesia for five years to have to relinquish citizenship, and in those days Indonesia was at war and only Indonesian citizens were allowed to enroll in public school.  If the senator's citizenship was switched to Indonesian, and later switched back, he would then be referenced as a natural citizen, and would not be eligible for president.

This one is pretty murky due to lack of documents......

THE LEGAL STATUS OF OBAMA'S MOTHER

 There has also been some rumors and scuttlebutt about Obama and his mother's legal status in the United States.  When Obama was born, his mother was 18.

According to FindLaw.com, cited by Jim Geraghty, the requirements that were inforce from Dec. 24, 1952 to Nov. 13, 1986, encompassing the time of Obama's birth, state, "If only one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth, that parent must have resided in the United States for at least 10 years, at least five of which had to be after the age of 16."  He then points out that Ann Dunham, Obama's mother, was 18 when Obama was born "so she wouldn't have met the requirement of five years after the age of 16."

So, is Barack a natural-born citizen based upon his mother's citizenship?  According to Ron Gotcher, a California immigration lawyer, the answer is yes.

Gotcher write, "...over the concepts of jus sanguinis and jus soli."  Under jus sanguinis, a person's citizenship is transmitted "by the blood" - by inheritance from his or her parents or grandparents.  In the United States, we recognize citizenship through parentage in a number of cases.

But it is not necessary to look to the statutes that deal with citizenship through just sanguinis, since Senator Obama's citizenship derives from jus soli - citizenship through place of birth.

According to Gotcher, "The Fourteenth Amendment commands that "[a]ll persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside."

"This was clarified by the Civil Rights Act of April 9, 1866, which provided that 'All persons born in the United States and not subject to any foreign power are declared to be citizens of the United States.'"

"Senator Obama was born in the State of Hawaii two years after it became a state on Aug. 21, 1959.  As such, he acquired United States citizenship automatically at birth."  "All that matters is that the child is born here," Gotcher says. 

ALSO ON THE RACE CARD ISSUE

Obama's camp uses the term "African-American" and not black because they know he is African Arab and not African black.  Barack Obama has only one black great-great-grandmother on his father's side while the other 7 were Arab.  That makes him 50% white, 43.75% Arab, and 6.25% black.  12.5% is the minimum required to legally claim any racial status in America.  PROVE ME WRONG.  So let's DROP this race card issue now.  AGAIN, I challenge you to prove me wrong.  Socialist is not a codeword for black as Obama's camp wants you to believe based on Hoover history.  Socialist is a word for a person's political beliefs.  How can socialist be a codeword for black, when the now defunct U.S.S.R was not black? Vietnam?  Cuba?  China?  Yea.. okay....... ignore me more Obamadamnnation, Obamanation.

REMAINING QUESTIONS AND EXEMPTION FROM PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP

But why allow a couple of individuals from a website access to this document, but not the press?  SERIOUSLY.  And why not show it in a court of law?   Philip Berg filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania on August 21, 2008, requesting the courts to force Obama to produce a birth certificate.  According to Bert, even if Obama was born in Hawaii, his stepfather later changed his citizenship to Indonesian.  Berg bases this on the years the senator was enrolled in the Indonesian public school system as Barry Soetoro (his stepfather's surname).

In those days Indonesia was at war and only Indonesian citizens were allowed to enroll in public school.  If the senator's citizenship was switched to Indonesian, and later switched back, he would then be referenced as a natural citizen, and would not be eligible for president.

Back on Sept 15, 2008 Berg files a Request for Admissions, meaning Obama had until Oct. 15 to answer or face the consequences of Rule 36.  During the entire months of Sept & Oct, 2008 Obama has not shown his birth certificate instead choosing to file several versions of a motions to dismiss. 

On October 15, after a federally mandated deadline requiring Obama's lawyers to produce a "vault" copy of his birth certificate expired, but yet there was still no response from Obama or his lawyers.  Berg stated that by failing to respond Obama has legally "admitted" to the lawsuit's accusations, including the charge that Obama was born in Mombosa, Kenya.  On Oct 21, Berg cited Rule 36 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which states that unless the accused party provides written answer or objection to charges within 30 days, the accused legally admits the matter.

On Oct 24, 2008, U.S. Federal Judge Richard Barclay Surrick, dismissed (Ruling Attachment - PDF) the lawsuit brought by Berg.  Additionally a Memorandum and Order is available (PDF).  The judge said Berg's allegations of harm were "too vague and too attenuated" to confer standing on him or any other voters.  Surrick ruled that Berg's attempts to use certain laws to gain standing to pursue his claim that Obama was not a natural-born citizen were "frivolous and not worthy of discussion."  The judge also said the harm Berg alleged did "not constitute an injury in fact" and Berg's arguments to the contrary "ventured into the unreasonable."

On Oct 25, 2008, Berg announced that he was appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court stating:

"I am totally disappointed by Judge Surrick's decision and, for all citizens of the United States, I am immediately appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.

This is a question of who has standing to uphold our Constitution.  If I don't have standing, if you don't have standing, if your neighbor doesn't have standing to question the eligibility of an individual to be President of the United States - the Commander-in-Chief, the most powerful person in the world - then who does?

So, anyone can just claim to be eligible for congress or the presidency without having their legal status, age or citizenship questioned.

According to Judge Surrick, we the people have no right to police the eligibility requirements under the U.S. Constitution.

What happened to '... Government of the people, by the people, for the people..' 

Another interesting twist this week around Oct 27, 2008 is that Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle effectively barred anyone but Obama himself from obtaining a copy of his birth certificate.    His birth certificate has been sealed and Lingle instructed the state's Department of Health to make sure no one in the press obtains access tot he original document under any circumstances.

Also on Oct 27th, 2008, Judge Barclay Surrick  ordered (PDF) "having dismissed Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive RELIFE, it is ORDERD that all pending motions are DISMISSED as moot."

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

On the Fight the Smears website, there is an option to send a message to someone stating "Smears claiming Barack Obama doesn't have a birth certificate aren't really about a piece of paper, though -- they're about manipulating you into thinking Barack is different...  Together we can make sure these negative and divisive attacks don't affect this election."  Well HELL YEA he's different.  He thinks he exempt from showing that he's a Natural Born US Citizen unlike every other citizen of the United States, thus manipulating YOU into believe that we who question his words are the bad people when all we are trying to do is quell a rumor by asking for evidence that he is Natural Born, thus protecting the Constitution of the United States.   So yea, I am going to assume that Obama is NOT an American citizen, simply by Obama and his campaign's words and actions.  Trying to separate the us and them is NOT the American way.  Its about "We the people...."  how quickly people forget.......

And I thought to myself, why would Obama NOT have his birth certificate and his campaign need to apply for one back in 2007?  Well, my guess is that he has his own personal copy, and his campaign needed a copy also.  Obama, care to "share the wealth" of information?  Again, actions speak louder than words, or webpages on the Internet.  Oh wait, by me asking this question, Im anti-American and a racist.  Wait, how can it be racist if he's 50% white?  Again, thanks for playing.

And what is the big deal about showing your birth certificate?  If you have nothing to hide, then there's not a problem.  Obviously something is "amiss" with the original document by simple defiance of refusal to show evidence.  This whole fiasco would be over by Obama simply showing his birth certificate, but no, he refuses to answer to the United States in typical Obama style by "ignoring" the question and stating that those who question his word are unAmerican.  It is not very much to ask of a candidate for President.  After all, McCain's birth was raked over the coals thoroughly, is it not tit-for-tat to do the same Obama?  Why is Obama exempt?  And why are government officials covering for him, by not allowing access to information.

And there still leaves the question that Obama's Kenyan grandmother has reportedly alleged she witnessed Obama's birth at the Coast Provincial Hospital in Mombasa, Kenya.  World News Daily attempted to obtain any documents concerning Obama in Kenya however, they were told by the government authorities that all documents concerning Obama were under seal until after the U.S. presidential election on November 4.

One thought though, if Obama does become president, wouldn't his original birth certificate be included in the "Freedom of Information Act", or under National Security and Homeland Security laws for protection of terrorism?  How can you give a President "Top Secret" security clearance WITHOUT a valid birth certificate, oh wait the State Department accepts the above "Certification" as a legal document of citizenship.  So, here's the next question, is there even a background check before becoming President of the United States?  Or do we just take them for face value on their words?  I guess it's just too much to ask for a "stupid piece of paper" to increase votes......  Thoughts to ponder.

MOVING ON

Historically, politicians are notorious for saying one thing to get into office, and then forgetting what they promised in the past.  Lets see if Obama can really put all he says, as actions speak louder than words.  And then when he doesn't, let's see how things pan out from there.  Obama has put a lot on his plate, lets see if he can really dish it all out to the United States.  Time will answer all questions.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES:

• TD BLOG
• Los Angeles Times
• Obama Crimes
• Time Magazine