Thinking that somehow proving that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii will shut up those who wish to enforce the Constitution, Hawaii governor Neil Abercrombie is pushing to have Mr. Obama's birth certificate released to the public.

Here are the problems with what he is doing:

1. Hawaii law prohibits the release of a person's vault birth certificate to "anyone who doesn't have a tangible interest". Of course, it's a complete joke that a person wishing to prove that a person is legitimately running for or serving as President of the United States doesn't have a tangible interest. If Honolulu hasn't recognized that fact by now, Neil, you are going to continue to have problems getting the certificate released. After all, I can't see many situations that present a more tangible interest than that.

2. Proving that Obama was born in Hawaii doesn't prove his eligibility at all. The Constitution requires that only a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN may hold the office of President. This means that even though you may be disproving "conspiracy theories Obama was born elsewhere", you will also be proving that he is ineligible for the office by virtue of his not having two citizen parents (see Vattel, 1814 and more).

It makes no difference whatsoever where Mr. Obama was born. Natural born citizenship requires that both parents of the person in question are citizens. Mr. Obama's father was a British subject, subject to the jurisdiction of Kenya.

Bring on the birth certificate, Neil. Bring it on.

RWR

To all ...

RWR

Cliff Lee
Welcome Home

One year ago this very week, Phillies General Manager thanked one of the finest pitchers ever to wear red pinstripes by trading him. This really pissed me off, and I made two predictions. 1. That this trade would wind up biting him in the ass, and 2. that you would see an effort to bring Cliff Lee back to Philadelphia. I will admit to falling a little short in that I believed Lee would be back before the end of the 2010 season, but he was in fact included in a trade - just not with Philly.

I have said before that I was skeptical of the trade that brought Lee to Philly. He made a believer out of me. I was also openly skeptical of the trade that sent him away, in which Roy Halladay made his way into town. Anyone remaining skeptical of that trade after the season Halladay had would have to be a complete dumbass.

Of this deal, I am NOT skeptical. Not only do we now have the Halladay-Lee combination I dreamed of a year ago, but having retained Cole Hamels, and acquiring Roy Oswalt over the course of the season and giving up neither, we can today call Reuben Amaro a genius. At least until he pulls another stupid move.

This could well be the finest starting rotation in baseball history.

Welcome home, Cliff! YOU RULE!

RWR