True, the long form certificate is not required but according to the bill, the candidate must prove that he or she is a natural born citizen. The short form certificate, which Obama has, clearly proves he is a US citizen. However, the term natural born is not defined in the constitution. This gives the state the option of refusing to put him on the ballot because the certificate of live birth does not prove his parents are US citizens which means the state interprets natural born as requiring that both parents be citizens. The state Democratic Party would challenge that ruling which would throw it into court. All it would take is a lower court to side with the state and Republican advertising would claim the court has ruled that Obama is not qualified to be president.True.
If the president does submit a long form birth certificate, then the state can challenge his qualifications by asserting that he is not a natural born citizen because one of his parents was not a US citizen. That would have to be decided in courts which would drag on forever and would give the opposition plenty of talking points. The better choice for Obama would be to submit his birth certificate and let the state which is controls by Republicans disqualify a sitting Democrat president . He isn't going to win the state anyway and it will give him some great material for campaigning.
No, they can't, because:
1. the long form Birth Certificate is not a needed qualification to be president.
And
2. Having foreign-born parents does not disqualify someone from being a "Natural Born" citizen, they only need to have been born here themselves and to have lived here for at least 14 years.
Unless they were born in another country before the constitution was ratified, in which case they're 250 years old, and they're still a "Natural Born" citizen.
The better option for Obama is to submit his birth certificate, which proves he is a US citizen, and let the state decide if he is qualified. If they do not qualify him, then the Obama campaign can claim the state, which is controlled by Republicans are keeping him off the ballot for purely politically reasons. That would be an easy sell since most people, 77% reject the birther theory.
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/adopted/h.1024-f1-burges.pdf
True, the long form certificate is not required but according to the bill, the candidate must prove that he or she is a natural born citizen.
1. A certified copy of the presidential candidate's long form birth certificate that includes at least the date and place of birth, the names of the hospital and the attending physician, if applicable, and signatures of any witnesses in attendance. If the candidate does not possess a long form birth certificate as required by this paragraph, the candidate may attach two or more of the following documents that shall take the place of the long form birth certificate if the candidate swears to their authenticity and validity and the documents contain enough information for the secretary of state to determine if the candidate meets the requirements prescribed in article II, section 1, constitution of the United States:
(a) Early baptismal or circumcision certificate.
(b) Hospital birth record.
(c) Postpartum medical record for the mother or child signed by the doctor or midwife or the person who delivered or examined the child after birth.
(d) Early census record.
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