By Nicole Houck, Contributing Writer
In a move that should delight conservatives as well as Democrats, State Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) has reintroduced a bill that would require candidates to submit documentation in order to be eligible for candidacy.
“Requiring all candidates, for the offices of President and Vice President, to submit valid proof of natural born citizenship documentation in exchange for statewide ballot access is a fundamental and long-overdue check and balance that must be implemented to further ensure that the Oval Office is never occupied by anyone other than a natural born American citizen,” said Metcalfe.
It’s par for the course for Metcalfe, already well known as Harrisburg’s most vocally conservative member with an affinity for Tea Party issues.
Metcalfe’s House Bill 1350 would amend Section 910 of the Pennsylvania Election Code. It would be edited to include the offices of the President and Vice President of the United States to the existing list.
“America’s founding fathers said it best, ‘a well-informed electorate taught to know and prize their God-given rights cannot be enslaved,’” said Metcalfe. “As a veteran and an elected official who takes an oath of office, just like every past and future President of the United States, to uphold and defend the Constitutional rights of the citizens I represent, it is beyond perplexing and greatly troubling that a political candidate can ascend to the highest levels of government without providing sufficient documentation verifying his or her place of birth or American citizenship.”
Loading ...
8 Responses
Birther legislation? Oh, come on. When something happens that causes you to find out there is a problem with enforcing our existing law, you amend the law to be able to enforce it.
Setting a legal standard for what is required for proof to appear on your states ballot is reasonable and sets a clear standard.
Does a birth certificate alone make one a “natural born citizen”? Is a dual citizen a natural born citizen ? Can one take actions as a adult that changes ones citizenship status?
I am by no means a birther and believe these are all things that need to be defined in statute clearly. The lark is that someone running for the highest position in the country can “seal” their records from public examination and then have the court stopping the electors from challenging eligibility because they have no standing. The “sealing” of records by a candidate needs to be eliminated as well.
Hats off to Rep. Metcalfe for sponsoring legislation to end the sideshows one and for all by codifying standards into statutes.
Janet Spleen – What is your education?? I’m WHITE and REALLY RACISM GOES BOTH WAYS!!! I feel your RACIST AGAINST ME. Let’s stop dividing our country. What is racism about freedom loving American TRUELY BELIEVING we are fighting a control-seeking, socialist elected class? NO COLOR IN THAT!!!!! It’s policies and ideology.
Representative Metcalfe bill is logical, but it will be challenged in court. That could take forever. It leaves me with little hope of a fair election representing the peoples vote.
The U.S. Constitution covers this, no? I’d rather that the leg spent time on things like preventing the state from becoming even more polluted by fracking or education or infrastructure or almost anything.
This bill is utterly logical. Those who say we “should worry more about the fiscal problems in Pennsylvania” are disingenuous. If the bill were quickly enacted without diversionary democrat contentiousness, then elected officials could turn their attention to other problems. There is no logical reason not to require that candidates establish their eligibility for the office they seek. Democrats should promptly accede to this reasonable requirement so that we can move on to other issues. Their objection to this bill only raises questions about what it is they so greatly fear – making evident how important and necessary this bill is.
Pass the bill quickly so that we can move on. As Barack Obama has said, “the only people who don’t want to disclose the truth, are people with something to hide”.
I applaud Rep. Metcalfe for submitting this bill. I was shocked after the 2008 election to learn you did not have to show proof of anything required in the Constitution to run for president in any of the 50 states. It is over 200 years late, but better late than never, especially with so many new immigrants coming here each year.
Ms. Houck’s thinly veiled sarcasm regarding Rep Metcalfe’s HB1350 accounts for reasons why such legislation is necessary. A complicit media that covers up Vs covers the facts on a candidate, due to their biased political agenda, has produced a president and administration that believes they are above the law and accountable to no one other than George Soros.
I applaud Rep Metcalfe and the legislators in other states for introducing legislation that, were the politicians and a complicit media not so mired in ocrruption, would be unnecessary.
The Honorable Mr. Metcalfe should worry more about the fiscal problems in Pennsylvania. Why is it that it is only the Republicans who question our President’s origins? Last I heard Hawaii is a state. What is so awful about all of this is that it is tinged with racism, even though no one would admit it. I would rather have a smart half-Kenyan in the White House than a dumb American. And we have had a few of those.
So wheres his?