White House Website Transparency… Except Obama’s Birth Certificate
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on June 8, 2009
POTUS Barack Obama, President 'Lack of Transparency'?
I have my opinions about why our president has spent millions of dollars exceedingly vast, non-disclosed amounts of money (revised for accuracy – we don’t know the precise dollar amount because it’s not been released, but it is believed to now exceed a million dollars) on a team of attorneys in order to keep his birth certificate (and other personal records, such as college records) unavailable for the public to see, have read myriad articles on the topic, and have been diligently following a number of people who are pursuing, through the US court system, the truth.
I’ve been watching this crusade since long, long before the election in November 2008, and both sides of the coin have presented valid points to consider. Both sides have also made goofy, grin-producing points—either about conspiracy or the “unquestionable” integrity of the Democrat party.
But now, this latest act of Gestapo-like censorship, this alarming, even cocky, lack of transparency on a taxpayer-funded government website claiming total transparency, by the White House, really takes the cake. No topic has ever been “hands off” about George W. Bush. Something is indeed being kept from the American people, and I want to know why.
I’m breaking my silence.
Where’s the birth certificate?
From NewsBusters:
BORN IN THE USA?
By Drew Zahn | June 06, 2009All topics open to discuss – except Obama eligibility
100% of posts scrubbed from White House transparency site ask about birth certificate© 2009 WorldNetDaily
When it comes to evaluating and discussing transparency in government, one issue – and one issue alone – has been deemed out of bounds by a White House website: President Obama’s continued concealment of his birth record.
As WND reported, the Obama administration’s Office of Science & Technology launched the online forum to allow Americans to discuss ways of creating an “open government,” which in turn resulted in a flood of people seeking disclosure of Obama’s proof of eligibility to serve as president.
As part of the forum’s rules and guidelines, posts that are obscene or reveal personal information, like Social Security numbers, are scrubbed completely, while those that are deemed off-topic are removed to a separate archive.
But a quick survey of flagged, removed and archived posts from yesterday reveals 100 percent of those yanked for being off-topic were, in fact, on the same topic.
The Open Government Initiative’s online forum contains 21 entries deleted yesterday, all of them submitted to the thread on “Transparency Principles” and all of them discussing Obama’s birth records, including a comment from WND’s Chelsea Schilling.
One user, Jason Roberts, expressed his concerns on the forum about the White House hosting a “transparency” discussion without properly addressing the eligibility topic.
“The fact that the birth certificate issue hasn’t been resolved, precludes any possible discussion of government transparency,” Roberts wrote. “It is a farce to sit with hands folded and pretend to have some self-righteous discussion about government transparency when Mr. Obama is refusing to be transparent about his birth certificate, passport records, and school records. If his presidency started with his being sworn in, then the transparency must start with him willingly releasing his long-form birth certificate.”
Are you motivated yet to join the billboard campaign and clear up the air of mystery surrounding Barack Obama’s constitutional eligibility to serve?
Roberts continued, “This issue will never go away. It will be there, stoked and kept fresh daily, for 8 years if necessary, until it is addressed. And the one to blame is Obama.”
Comments not scrubbed from the site for being off-topic include the following:
- A man’s detailing of his full-body rash and medical problems – prompting four additional comments on Lyme disease – on a thread devoted to the proper qualifications for presidential appointees to science posts
- A claim on the thread dedicated to scientific integrity within the OSTP that Americans are being “covertly assaulted” with secret energy weapons and then accused of being paranoid or mentally ill
- A pair of posts advocating more widespread use of marijuana in a discussion thread on government whistleblowers.
Despite the removal and archiving of posts related to Obama’s birth certificate, however, the discussion continues to be dominated by questions of Obama’s qualifications to serve as president.
One commenter, Dave Jamieson, wrote this afternoon that “in order to assure the people who are participating on this site that true honesty and transparency will be the highest goal,” three things need to be done.
Jamieson demanded the website first, “Be truthful in declaring that the highest-rated number of posts and votes in the idea gathering phase of this project were in regards to Obama’s eligibility;” second, “Send a verifiable message to the White House declaring the results of phase 1 as shown above;” and third, “Ask the White House to release all applicable documents proving Obama’s eligibility.”
He concluded, “Then and only then will you garner respect from all the participants of this website for the truthfulness of what you have said you are trying to do.”
Click here to continue reading this NewsBusters article >>
'Birth certificate' billboards are starting to appear across US - this electronic one is in Ball, Louisiana. In the coming weeks, billboards will begin to appear in other places, such as Los Angeles and Pennsylvania.
A handful of articles and posts expressing Obama birth certificate/school records concerns & other potential cover-ups:
Conservapedia: Obama birth certificate lawsuits
Hot Air: Gibbs on Birthers: Nothing will convince them and Video: America’s most trusted newsman takes on birth certificate Truth and Video: Chris Matthews can’t get enough of the sweet, sweet birth certificate Trutherism and CNN president to Lou Dobbs: Stop covering the birth certificate story
JustOneMinute: Birthers And Truthers
MSNBC: Obama blocks access to White House visitor list
The Town Talk: Internet site takes its Obama challenge to local billboards
Atlas Shrugs: ATLAS EXCLUSIVE: FINAL REPORT ON OBAMA BIRTH CERTIFICATE FORGERY CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN
Bob Unruh, WorldNetDaily: Supreme Court asked to cooperate with FBI – Attorney investigating Obama’s eligibility reports cyber attacks
Audacity of Hypocrisy: Rev Manning on Obama Birth Certificate issue: ”Joe Biden Exposes Obama”
Jim Blazsik: GOP congressman introduces birth certificate bill
Voting Female: Obama Birth Certificate Defense Lawyers up against a wall; judge set deadline for today
A Conservative Edge: Snopes Dopes Complicit In Obama Birth Certificate Immaculate Deception?
WorldNetDaily: Obama birth mystery: More than 1 hospital – Myth-busting website, news articles say president not born in location he claims
Sonoran News: Federal judge says Obama lawsuit ‘raises significant issues’
Texas Fred’s: Birth certificate issue No. 1 at Fox News
Advice Goddess Blog: Pamela Geller At Atlas Shrugs Claims Obama Birth Certificate A Forgery
WorldNetDaily: New bid to unseal Obama’s birth certificate, challenge claims Hawaii waived privacy by talking about document
Confederate Yankee: Two Generals Joined Cook Case On Obama Citizenship… Just Before It Was Dismissed.
THE “G” BLOGS ~ Gunny G Online : Obama’s ‘birth certificate’ not acceptable in Hawaii ?
Goodtimepolitics: Obama Attorney Threatens Distinguished Veteran on Obama Birth Certificate Issue: WHY?
Irregular Times: Photo Proves Obama Birth Certificate Was Faked!
Citizens Against Pro-Obama Media Bias: Kerchner ad re: barry’s eligibility
Just Americans Making Ethical Statements Weblog: “Birth Certificate” Billboards Start to Appear
Steve Maloney GOP: Obama’s Endless Birth Certificate Problem
Mofo Politics: Alan Keyes files suit in CA, demands Obama birth certificate proof
Newsmax: Shelby: I Haven’t Seen Obama’s Birth Certificate and Where Was Obama Born? and Obama: Most Secretive Democratic Candidate Ever
Associated Content: Obama Birth Records Still a Mystery; Hawaiian Hospitals Won’t Help
World Net Daily: White House can’t hide from swarm of citizenship posts in ‘open government dialogue’
American Spectator: Obama’s Enemies List Grows
Canada Free Press: Unprofessional White House Secretary Disses Question on Obama Birth Certificate
WorldNetDaily: Obama asks which public records you want to see | On White House site, most answer establishing his eligibility to serve
Hot Air: Video: America’s most trusted newsman takes on birth certificate Truth
Media Matters: Sinclair’s Mark Hyman now pushing Obama birth certificate conspiracy theories
USJF: Did state election papers include eiligibility papers?
Ahrcanum “ahR-Kah-noom” > secret secrets: Obama Birth Certificate, Sign of The Times
Star Bulletin: Born identity
Conservative Ideas: Hawaii Admits: “Obama’s Hawaiian certification of live birth not acceptable as a birth certificate”
About the author
I too have tried to stay out of the birth certificate conspiracy crowd because I believe that no matter what, he will turn this into a plus for him and leave those who doubt, with egg on their faces. But I’m most certianly not convinced that he is eligable.
What I have been most concerned with is the lack of history, educational and personal especially, regarding his past. It seems his whole life has been sanitized. No college records or thesis. No real history. It’s almost like he just dropped on site with no resume.
“Watchdoggers” should be watchdogged, too. You claim that Obama has spent “millions of dollars” on legal fees to squelch lawsuits by people trying to uncover some mythical “real” birth certificate.
You make this claim — so show me the documentation to back it up. Link to the direct documentation for this claim. Not documentation that Obama has spent some sum on legal fees generally — every presidential candidate, and especially every successful one, has large amounts of legal fees. See here for documentation of the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent by George W. Bush in legal fees after his successful, uncontested election in 2004:
http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2009/05/16/proof-of-bush-birth-certificate-coverup/
You won’t be able to document your claim, because there IS no documentation of this claim, because it is an urban myth.
World Net Daily, June 2, 2009: Is Obama campaign cash quashing eligibility suits?
FEC shows more than $1 million paid to top law firm since election
Jim, you’re missing the forest for the trees. OK, maybe he has spent only $800,000 or only $600,000 directly to lawyers specifically for the intention of them to safeguard his “birth certificate secrecy” agenda. Stop focusing on the money, because that isn’t the concern. Let’s say they are paid some “huge untold amount” (is THAT better, Jim?) to jump on all lawsuits that are filed to unseal the birth certificate and his school records to keep them locked up. Who cares about the precise, exact dollar amount? It’s a lot of money and it’s growing, that’s for sure. Heck, even if he’s spending just one dollar on hiding that birth certificate and his school records, does that change his lack of transparency? Why is he doing it in the first place? Doesn’t that bother you just a bit, Jim? Or is the phrase “millions of dollars” really your bone of contention?
This is a typical statist tactic, to focus on minutiae to pull people’s attention away from the real issue. You’re ignoring everything else, Jim. Did you read the entire expose’? Or did you just hunt for some tiny little thread to pull to try to unravel the growing concerns of American citizens? The whitewashing of the White House website is OK with you? Threatening people who have lodged complaints is OK with you?
What in the world does Bush and his legal fees have to do with Obama’s birth certificate and school records being hidden and protected by a team of lawyers? Why is Bush a part of Obama’s eligibility? It isn’t, and you know it. Of course presidents spend money on legal fees, that’s common knowledge. That isn’t the point, and you fully well know it. Another attempt to distract, right, Jim? You’re being disingenuous. Calling Obama’s entire lack of transparency on this matter an urban myth, like Bigfoot or UFOs, in the light of growing evidence and growing concerns, is just plain ignorant. You aren’t curious, even a bit, about why he’s doing this? Nor concerned? Nor wondering why a growing number of people in America are pursuing this expensive uphill battle to uncover the truth? OK, that’s your right. If indeed he is determined to be legally eligible for the presidency, I’ll be happy. End of story. But there has been no day in court once about this, so for now, I’m cynical and skeptical.
So, Jim, I take it you believe Obama is indeed eligible to be president of the United States (if I’m wrong about drawing that conclusion, I apologize). Where is YOUR proof? Sorry, there isn’t any of that, either, which is the whole point. The lack of documentation for the most important position in the country is under lock and key and away from the eyes of American citizens… and you instead are fussing and quibbling like a little old lady over the exact dollar amount that he’s paying his lawyers. Pitiful.
Hero worship is naive and dangerous, because it clouds people’s objectivity and judgment to see or evaluate the flaws and discrepancies that others, who aren’t under the “thrall,” see.
Why do you assume that because I’m questioning YOUR willingness to make claims without any basis in observable fact, I’m an Obama hero worshipper? I have a lot of problems with Obama. I also have a problem with your willingness to make factual claims without any basis for knowing what you’re talking about. The entire Obama Birth Certificate baloney theory is based on a swiss cheese of misstatements, fabrications and urban myths such as these.
Jim, like I’ve said, if indeed these concerns are proven wrong, and Obama provides satisfactory evidence that he is a US citizen, I’ll be happy. Once transparency, as we were promised with this administration, is applied to this matter, then I will stop being skeptical.
I have never wanted Obama to be an illegal candidate — the very idea sickens me. Back when I actually thought I might vote for him, this lack of transparency about his place of birth really bothered me, though, as it should anyone. The White House removing all commenter references to his birth certificate in an open forum this week, which claims to be transparent and for American citizens, adds more fuel to the fire and should make anyone quizzical, if not alarmed. Why is the White House scrubbing out this information? Transparency is not conditional.
With all the other documentation, information, speculation, and pending lawsuits being buried by MSM, it would be naive to say “everything is fine and dandy.” It isn’t.
I have made no “factual claims” other than to cite a number of sources that have either done a great deal of leg work on investigating or reporting many problems with what’s going on. And as I wrote from the get-go, I have not written about “conspiracy theories” before for that very reason. However, now there are troubling actions going on that should be examined. Here, I merely summarize what is out there from a conservative viewpoint, and there is a lot “out there” on this birth certificate secrecy and all Obama school and college records being in lock-down. Why? Why can’t we see the clubs or organizations he belonged to in college? Or his grades? Or the financial assistance records for him to attend an Ivy League school? Yes, there is speculation that he was granted a “foreign student” grant, which he could not have received had he not been a non-US citizen. This is a bunch of crap involved in the “conspiracy theory world” that I’ve not ever launched into nor really want to without evidence, but it sure does make one pause and wonder why so much energy and money are being devoted to concealing all of it. How can we see the evidence if it is off-limits? Why is there more National Enquirer-like garbage with the MSM spewing lies about Sarah Palin’s son Trig not being her son, but her daughter’s (which has been proven to be false countless times) than has been expressed or wondered about with this? This has much graver consequences than does Sarah’s baby. A distraction by the statists…
But the questions are growing, as those who are asking them, including a number of Democrats.
Kinda like the Watergate scandal… no one believed it until the gathering of more and more evidence proved it. The evidence proving that Obama is not a citizen is not available; flipside, the evidence proving that he is also is not available. And I want to know WHY. Once that is satisfactorily answered, I will cease and desist. But not until then.
As American citizens, we are allowed to question our elected leaders. And I am joining those ranks who question Obama’s eligibility to be our president.
Prove this is all wrong, Jim. Please.
Prove, using evidence, that this is indeed all “swiss cheese of misstatements, fabrications and urban myths,” as you put it. I will be delighted to believe you if the evidence you produce does indeed prove Obama has been hiding records that don’t document that he’s not a citizen. Where is the “swiss cheese” that I’ve cited in this post? Please point out each occurrence and produce evidence that negates it. I’d be happy to be proven wrong.
Man, you’re really obsessed with proving there is no proof, aren’t you? If the records weren’t sealed, there wouldn’t be a problem. No drama, end of story… but Nobama is making this weirdly difficult. I think all that the writer of this post is askins is why? And where is the birth certificate?
I clicked the link on your name, Jim, and it went to IrregularTimes. com, where you have also launched assault against other people on this issue. Funny since there are a lot of writers at Irregular Times who have raised the exact same questions about the birth certificate and other sealed records of Obambi’s. And most of them aren’t afraid to include their last name… LOL.
So Jim – you’re an anti-conspiracy nutcase trying to prove that there is nothing to prove. Pretty weird. You people to give you proof without anyone getting to examine the evidence or to investigate. Wacky world, Jim – even a kid could see through that.
Here’s a news link from yesterday or todxay that makes me think WTF –
Door slams on Hawaiian hospital records
Is Obama eligible? ‘We cannot respond to your inquiries’
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=100590
What is THAT all about? Any ideas, Jim? Or is it just something else you’re going to close your eyes to? You say you have issues with Obama… yeah, right. think you’re drinkiing the Kool-aid a little too much
Liberal troll – ha ha – you are so desperate to want to think Barry Soetero is American citizen that you don’t care what anyone else worries about or are concerned about. You just cover your eyes nad ears like a baby going “nah nah nah nah) You dont care why this coverup is happening. Just worry that the post got the dollars wrong on lawyers.
You’re hilarious Jim – keep on drooling over your precious Dear Leader. The rest of the grownups will get to th e bottom of the truth. i don’t know if he is legal or not but i’m sic k of this – he should stop playing expensive games and just show the birth certificate. The real one, not hte fake one. He said he would be more transparent than GWBush. When is that goin to start btw?
For some jobs I’ve taken, I’ve had to provide proof of my citizenship. A birht certificate, not a “certificate of live birth” is required. Where is Obama’s? He has the most important job in the country why doesn’t he have to show his citizneshp? I am wonderfing bout that cerficiate now too. and his school records and grades. did he flunk? Why is he hiding this stuff? And why doesnt he just show it to prove he was born in Hawaii and not Africa. I heard tht he put a fake certificate wa s put on the net.
Why can’t we see it? tHIS is more important than getting a driver liscnese or working at MickyDs.
WHERE IS THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?????
Jim – you’re a blithering delusional fool. Stop examining your navel for a few minutes and READ the WND article. Read the other links on this site. Open you eyes and your brain. Consider the possibilities that Obama is hiding his birth place info. Why is that so hard for you? To just consider it, and to wonder why is he so intent on hiding all this background documentation. You do have a case of hero worship, you’re just afraid to admit it.
There are so many things about Obama that are not adding up. Or do you feel that since Katie Couric and CNN and Oprah all the other liberal mainstream media havne’t said diddly about this that there is no issue? REally mature thinking. Wish I could be so content to be a libtard sheeple as you. But I have a brain and a voice. If no one speaks out against corruption or tyranny , they have only themselves to blame when they lose their liberties & free will. We just want answers to this birth certificate thing and you think it’s a big old hardy-har-har that anyone would be stupid enough to dare question the magnificent BHO.
Don’t worry Jim… you just keep on splitting those hairs about the money paid to lawyers and keep being brainwashed into thinking the msm is telling us the full truth and thinking youre so smart. The rest of us will demand answers adn of course, all the quiet liberals who are humming a happy tune will benefit in the end. You are a clueless, arrogant person, and thank God more people are starting to take notice about Obama’s socialist nightmare. You aren’t one but maybe someday, when it blows up in his face, you will. LOL. The birth certificate and school records thing is just one more thing about this joker that makes me mad that my wife voted for him. But she’s mad at herself too. If he is a citizen, good. If he isn’t, not good.
Here is an idea – since questions about the missing birth certificate prompt laughter and ridicule, why not use a different question – one that will result in silence and extreme discomfort. I suggest this one – “Where is the missing $3,000,000,000,000?”
It seems it IS possible to be born in one place, yet be documented being born in another. Can someone explain how a person born in China winds up holding a Certificate of Hawaiian Birth?
Background:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen (12 November 1866 or 24 November 1870 – 12 March 1925)
Sun Yat-sen was born on 12 November 1866 to a peasant family in the village of Cuiheng, Xiangshan county, Guangzhou prefecture, Guangdong province (26 km or 16 miles north of Macau). The latter claim is likely to be correct, as the Certificate of Hawaiian Birth was issued based on Sun’s typewritten testimony, rather than on any documentation from witnesses….
After receiving a few years of local school, at age thirteen, Sun went to live with his elder brother, Sun Mei, in Honolulu. Sun Mei, who was fifteen years Sun Yat-sen’s senior, had emigrated to Hawaii as a laborer and had become a prosperous merchant.
The certificate:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9830547/Sun-Yatsen-Certification-of-Live-Birth-in-Hawaii
A portion of the certificate reads: “……And it appears from his affidavit and the evidence submitted by witnesses that he was born in the Hawaiian Islands on the 24th day of November A.D. 1870…”
The state director of public health in Hawaii issued a statement that “I have seen the actual birth record of Obama and and it is genuine”. When asked if the document showed that Obama was indeed born in Hawaii, the statement ended and she left the room. Under state law, it would not have been a violation of privacy to say “yes” if he was actually born in Hawaii. It would have been a violation to say “yes” if he was NOT born in Hawaii. SHE CHOSE TO SAY NOTHING!
Very interesting, John – I hadn’t heard or read that before. Thanks for the input.
I don’t know from nutin but wouldn’t full disclosure of pertinent documents slam this subject closed? Why is this being allowed to fester? Maybe because??
LOL @ Ball, Louisiana.
“Ball is a town in Rapides Parish just north of Pineville, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,681 at the 2000 census.”
With almost 30% of those 3,700 people under 18, you guys are definitely saturating the markets with this message!! Keep up the GREAT work buahaha…
Glad you’re amused… I recall a boy named David who was mocked for having the temerity to attempt to vanquish a giant named Goliath. As well as Gen. George Washington being told his ragtag team of soldiers would never be able to win against the more powerful British.
Nothing worth accomplishing starts off big. It takes diligence and patience. Devotion and drive. Grassroots efforts are of the people, not of the government machine. And little by little, progress is made. I noticed you neglected to mock the signs in Los Angeles, Washington state, Pennsylvania… oversights on your part? This article was written a month ago, and there are more Where’s The Birth Certificate signs now. Read the WND article and it should enlighten you. I also noticed you didn’t comment on the lack of transparency going on at the White House… but it must be easier to make fun of something than swallow misplaced pride and acknowledge that a “soft tyranny” from “your guy” is right in front of your nose.
Keep your sense of humor, because it does look like liberal Obama-bots are going to be needing it.
Thanks for this post! This is seriously very well compiled and extremely informative! I believe there’s a lot of political stuffs into the birth records controversy, and more is being made because its THE President that we are dealing with.
On the other hand, for normal citizens like us, there are easy ways in which one can find authentic information on birth records, since the state agencies have now decided to share vital records such as birth records online, and can be retrieved with a few clicks only.
I generally use birthdetails.com for such needs. I would also ask people to try this website out! Its great!