AP: New Hawaii law shuns Obama birth document requests

[JMS]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100513/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_birth_certificate_2

HONOLULU – It's now law in Hawaii that the state government can ignore repetitive requests for President Barack Obama's birth certificate.

Republican Gov. Linda Lingle signed into law Wednesday a bill allowing state government agencies not to respond to follow-up requests for information if they determine that the subsequent request is duplicative or substantially similar to a previous request.

The law is aimed at so-called "birthers," who claim Obama is ineligible to be president. They contend the Democratic president was born outside the United States, and therefore doesn't meet a constitutional requirement for being president.

Lingle didn't elaborate on her reasons for signing the bill, but state Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino previously issued statements saying that she's seen vital records that prove Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen.

Both Fukino and the state registrar of vital statistics have verified that the Health Department holds Obama's original birth certificate.

Health Department officials supported the law because the state still gets between 10 and 20 e-mails seeking verification of Obama's birth each week, most of them from outside Hawaii.

A few of those requesters file repeated inquiries seeking the same information, even after they're told state law bars release of a certified birth certificate to anyone who does not have a tangible interest.

Advocates for openness in government oppose the law because they fear it could be used to ignore legitimate requests for information.

[Kosher Ham]

At this point I don't care if he is from Russia. America voted him in as the President.

[AsburySkinsFan]

So basically the law is now in Hawaii that the Health Department can ignore requests for information that they are prohibited by law from releasing in the first place.

Sounds reasonable to me, but hey what do I know. :whoknows:

[Zguy28]

So basically the law is now in Hawaii that the Health Department can ignore requests for information that they are prohibited by law from releasing in the first place.

Sounds reasonable to me, but hey what do I know. :whoknows:

Previously they had to at least reply. The only problem is that it could lead to people just ignoring requests they don't like for whatever reason and it would just disappear into a black hole.

[aREDSKIN]

The only problem is that it could lead to people just ignoring requests they don't like for whatever reason and it would just disappear into a black hole.

Just like what Obama's doing.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Previously they had to at least reply. The only problem is that it could lead to people just ignoring requests they don't like for whatever reason and it would just disappear into a black hole.

Oh please, this law is specific to the Obama birth certificate, not an open door to ignore any request they don't like, please don't invoke the slippery slope argument here as this law prevents it.

[Zguy28]

Oh please, this law is specific to the Obama birth certificate, not an open door to ignore any request they don't like, please don't invoke the slippery slope argument here as this law prevents it.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100513/NEWS03/5130322/Birther-measure-signed-into-law

The new law, Act 100, allows state agencies a limited exemption from Freedom of Information requirements when duplicative requests for information are made by the same person. Although the law covers all agencies, the measure targets people who repeatedly request a copy of Obama's Hawai'i birth certificate.

It's specific target may have been the birther loons, but that's not its scope.

I'm searching for the actual text of the law right now, but cannot find it on the interwebz.

[JMS]

So basically the law is now in Hawaii that the Health Department can ignore requests for information that they are prohibited by law from releasing in the first place.

Sounds reasonable to me, but hey what do I know. :whoknows:

No I think the law is that Hawaii can ignore requests for data, to which they've already responded to. I think Hawaii is getting pumelled with requests for Obama's documentation and they are saying If it's been asked and answered they are going to stop responding...

I wonder why the Republican Gov of Hawaii would sign a bill to cover up Obama's birth controversy? Obviously because she doesn't think it's a controversy but a pain in her neck.

[JMS]

Oh please, this law is specific to the Obama birth certificate, not an open door to ignore any request they don't like, please don't invoke the slippery slope argument here as this law prevents it.

Not exactly... I read it as an open door. Not to ignore requests for information, but to ignore multiple requests for information from the same guy, who doesn't like the answer the state is giving.

[AsburySkinsFan]

"duplicative requests for information are made by the same person".

They said no once, now they can ignore you.

[Larry]

"duplicative requests for information are made by the same person".

They said no once, now they can ignore you.

I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means "no".

[ross3909]

This seems to be pretty easy for the President, produce your birth certificate. Up to this point he has only produced an invalid COLB (Certificate of Live Birth) that was altered making it, well invalid. However, the law says that not only does the President have to be born in the US, both his parents must have been US citizens at the time also, hence the term "Naturalized". I have yet to see evidence that proves that Obama's father was ever a legal citizen of the United States, this is a problem. I can understand that Obama just does not want to be bothered by all of this, but in the process of fighting these "false claims", he has spent $1.7 million. If I was innocent of something, I would just produce the proof not drop a bunch of cash to fight it. I don't have an idea what the truth is, but people who just listen to commentators to get their opinions might as well be lemmings.

[AsburySkinsFan]

I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means "no".

I love that line!

What's bad is that the people making these repeated requests are simply doing so as an annoyance to the state of Hawaii because they know full well that they aren't going to suddenly get an approval, so they just settle with wasting Hawaiian tax payer money, which is very patriotic and fiscally responsible.

[China]

Here, I found his birth certificate:

Everyone satisfied?

[AsburySkinsFan]

This seems to be pretty easy for the President, produce your birth certificate. Up to this point he has only produced an invalid COLB (Certificate of Live Birth) that was altered making it, well invalid. However, the law says that not only does the President have to be born in the US, both his parents must have been US citizens at the time also, hence the term "Naturalized". I have yet to see evidence that proves that Obama's father was ever a legal citizen of the United States, this is a problem. I can understand that Obama just does not want to be bothered by all of this, but in the process of fighting these "false claims", he has spent $1.7 million. If I was innocent of something, I would just produce the proof not drop a bunch of cash to fight it. I don't have an idea what the truth is, but people who just listen to commentators to get their opinions might as well be lemmings.

Stop it, just stop it. A COLB is EXACTLY what the Commonwealth of Virginia issues for Birth Certificate requests an NO ONE questions them so just quit...stop it...stop it...stop it.

[btfoom]

While I don't think they needed to pass this law (for example, the can now ignore new agencies requests after one 'no'), I do think they needed to do something to address this situation and the cost of the time needed to process (and deny) these requests.

My guess is that if they had set a cost for the time spent reviewing the request, determining that the request had already been addressed, and then responding to the request, that they would have had pretty much the same outcome.

IMHO, if the guy wants to continually ask for something that has been denied and is willing to pay the cost of someone doing all of that work - at typical government speed - plus overhead, then be my guest. That cost will quickly become substantial.

[Larry]

This seems to be pretty easy for the President, produce your birth certificate. Up to this point he has only produced an invalid COLB (Certificate of Live Birth) that was altered making it, well invalid.

He has. The document he's produced is a birth certificate. In fact, it's the only birth certificate legally recognized by the State of Hawaii.

However, the law says that not only does the President have to be born in the US, both his parents must have been US citizens at the time also, hence the term "Naturalized".

There is no such law.

And if there were such a law, it would be unconstitutional. Because the US Constitution (the supreme law of the land, you may have heard), states that

All 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.

I don't have an idea what the truth is, but people who just listen to commentators to get their opinions might as well be lemmings.

No comment.

[wskin44]

Stop it, just stop it. A COLB is EXACTLY what the Commonwealth of Virginia issues for Birth Certificate requests an NO ONE questions them so just quit...stop it...stop it...stop it.

But Virginia is a real state with real Americans. Virginia has had something like 7 real Presidents starting with none other than George Washington himself. Hawaii has had no real Presidents unless you want to count the current occupant of the White House because you are a liberal commie. George Washington owned people like Obama.

Don't you just love the birthers' logic?

:beatdeadhorse:

[Larry]

While I don't think they needed to pass this law (for example, the can now ignore new agencies requests after one 'no'), I do think they needed to do something to address this situation and the cost of the time needed to process (and deny) these requests.

My guess is that if they had set a cost for the time spent reviewing the request, determining that the request had already been addressed, and then responding to the request, that they would have had pretty much the same outcome.

IMHO, if the guy wants to continually ask for something that has been denied and is willing to pay the cost of someone doing all of that work - at typical government speed - plus overhead, then be my guest. That cost will quickly become substantial.

Oh, I don't know.

Can't somebody in Hawaii write a script or something, where, any piece of email that contains the word "Obama" gets an auto-reply message reading "No.", and then gets deleted?

[JMS]

However, the law says that not only does the President have to be born in the US, both his parents must have been US citizens at the time also, hence the term "Naturalized".

There is no such law.

Actually what we know of Obama would violate that "law" if it existed. Nobody disputes that Obama's father was born in Africa and was not a citizen of the US when Obama was born......

We also have other examples of Presidential candidates who were not born in the United States.... John McCain was born in Panama, George Romney was born in Mexico.

Here is the current definiton of Natural Born American, as opposed to naturalized American..

• Born in the US.... No issues...
  
• Not born in the US, but both parents US citizens; No issues...
  
• Not born in the US, and only one parent US citizen; No case law either way.
  

Naturalized American is one who applies for citizenships after birth.... inelligible.

[AsburySkinsFan]

There is no such law.

You are so right Larry. I just love it when the birthers want to scream about following the Law and the Constitution and yet they don't even know what the Law or the Constitution even says.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Actually what we know of Obama would violate that law. Nobody disputes that Obama's father was born in Africa and was not a citizen of the US......

We also have other examples of Presidential candidate who were not born in the United States.... John McCain was born in Panama, George Romney was born in Mexico.

• Born in the US.... No issues...
  
• Not born in the US, but both parents US citizens; No issues...
  
• Not born in the US, and only one parent US citizen; No case law either way.
  

The Constitution states that the candidate for President must be a "Natural Born Citizen".

• Born in the US.... Natural Born Citizen...
  
• Not born in the US, but both parents US citizens; Natural Born Citizen...
  
• Not born in the US, and only one parent US citizen; Natural Born Citizen
  

No issues.

[Corcaigh]

Can't we just have a law that anyone requesting a copy from this point forward will have their guns taken away and be interned in a FEMA camp for patriots and real Americans?

[ABQCOWBOY]

Actually what we know of Obama would violate that "law" if it existed. Nobody disputes that Obama's father was born in Africa and was not a citizen of the US when Obama was born......

We also have other examples of Presidential candidates who were not born in the United States.... John McCain was born in Panama, George Romney was born in Mexico.

Here is the current definiton of Natural Born American, as opposed to naturalized American..

• Born in the US.... No issues...
  
• Not born in the US, but both parents US citizens; No issues...
  
• Not born in the US, and only one parent US citizen; No case law either way.
  

Naturalized American is one who applies for citizenships after birth.... inelligible.

I believe McCain was born in the Pananma Canal Zone, on a Military Installation. Military Installations abroad are considered American Soil so technically, he was born on American Soil.

[Dan T.]

This seems to be pretty easy for the President, produce your birth certificate. Up to this point he has only produced an invalid COLB (Certificate of Live Birth) that was altered making it, well invalid. However, the law says that not only does the President have to be born in the US, both his parents must have been US citizens at the time also, hence the term "Naturalized". I have yet to see evidence that proves that Obama's father was ever a legal citizen of the United States, this is a problem. I can understand that Obama just does not want to be bothered by all of this, but in the process of fighting these "false claims", he has spent $1.7 million. If I was innocent of something, I would just produce the proof not drop a bunch of cash to fight it. I don't have an idea what the truth is, but people who just listen to commentators to get their opinions might as well be lemmings.

Wow, you might be onto something here. Maybe you should look into this a little more - you could bust this story wide open.

:thumbsup: