‘Housekeeping,’ sure

You’re lucky if you haven’t come across the self-delusioned among us who are still convinced that Barack Obama and the state of Hawaii didn’t cover up the fact that he was born somewhere other than the United States.  And now the self-delusioned have a voice in Congress in Sixth District Congressman Bob Goodlatte, who has signed on as a cosponsor of legislation that would require presidential candidates to provide proof of their birthplace.

The bill, authored by Florida Republican Bill Posey, would require the “principal campaign committee of a candidate for election to the office of president to include with the committee’s statement of organization a copy of the candidate’s birth certificate, together with such other documentation as may be necessary to establish that the candidate meets the qualifications for eligibility to the office of president under the Constitution.”

A story by Jeff Mellott in the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg this week quoted Goodlatte as referring to the legislation as a “housekeeping” matter.

“It doesn’t have an impact on the outcome of the election,” the paper quoted the Republican congressman.

But it sure does fire up the lunatic fringe that just can’t wait to sink its teeth into the “other such documentation as may be necessary” clause in Posey’s bill.

– Column by Chris Graham