Between Barach and the lunatic fringe

--David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Daily Star

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, introduced a resolution this week "“recognizing and celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the entry of Hawaii into the Union as the 50th State." The problem is that one of the wherefores and whereas's began: "“Whereas the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born in Hawaii”.


You see, there are a bunch of right-wingnuts out there who maintain the President, despite the presence of legitimate birth certificate and other evidence, really wasn't born in Hawaii, but in Africa and, therefore, is not even eligible to be president. Trust me, I'm not making this up. One of the leaders of this lunatic fringe is Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn.


Now resolutions like those proposed by Rep. Abercrombie normally pass unanimously without even the tiniest bit of discussion or debate. But passing this one would have put Bachmann and the like on record as agreeing that the President was, indeed, born in Hawaii. So what did she do? She stopped voting on the measure, arguing there wasn't a quorum present at the time. I don't expect Rep. Abercrombie is going to let the matter drop.


To be continued.