Trump Refuses to Release Birth Certificate | Hacker News Reader

Trump Refuses to Release Birth Certificate

theguardian.com

5 pointssnowy7 comments

Why should he? Obama refused and he's president, so it's obviously not a requirement for the job. It's a smart strategy: You never give up more than you have to.

Hell, we don't even need ID to vote.

Donald Trump has been an outspoken advocate for the movement that has insisted that releasing Barack Obama's birth certificate to public scrutiny was absolutely a requirement for the job. People still insist that Obama is not actually an American and that his birth certificate (which was eventually released, but of course birthers won't be happy until they can pass it around amongst themselves by hand and probably not even then) is probably a forgery, in no small part due to Trump's efforts.

Realistically, he shouldn't, because apart from the specific case of Obama (for some strange reason) it's never been an issue.

But because Trump is a pompous hypocritical prick, I demand provenance of American citizenship going back at least three generations.

"People still insist that Obama is not actually an American and that his birth certificate (which was eventually released, but of course birthers won't be happy until they can pass it around amongst themselves by hand and probably not even then) is probably a forgery, in no small part due to Trump's efforts."

As an American, we should be questioning things like this. I remember when everyone demanded a re-count with Bush. Why aren't we using this same logic and not questioning it at all?

I will tell you why: political bias. When it comes to anything against the liberal mainstream, it's questioned heavily..but with really glaring issues like Hillary Clinton's emails that suddenly vanished, it's excused and brushed under the carpet.

Our economy has pretty much been ruined by the Obama administration and many are somehow STILL blaming Bush.

"Realistically, he shouldn't, because apart from the specific case of Obama (for some strange reason) it's never been an issue."

Strange reason? He has lots of family in Kenya and he kept it very much a secret. Of course we should have questioned it. His University transcripts are still pretty much locked up. As a president, you need to be transparent. It really makes you wonder what kind of secrets he is hiding. He could have immediately shut everyone up, but chose not to.

It doesn't really make any sense. I do believe he is a US citizen..but I think there is probably something else he is hiding.

"But because Trump is a pompous hypocritical prick, I demand provenance of American citizenship going back at least three generations."

I'm about equality..and you are just being a dick. This is the difference.

>As an American, we should be questioning things like this. I remember when everyone demanded a re-count with Bush. Why aren't we using this same logic and not questioning it at all?

Arguably, because correctly counting votes in a close election is a valid and relevant exercise, whereas counting foreign relatives isn't.

>I will tell you why: political bias. When it comes to anything against the liberal mainstream, it's questioned heavily..but with really glaring issues like Hillary Clinton's emails that suddenly vanished, it's excused and brushed under the carpet.

Fair enough. But it would be disingenuous to ignore the extreme political bias behind the issue of Obama's birth certificate in the first place.

According to my (admittedly cursory) research, no Presidential candidate has ever released their birth certificate since Chester A. Arthur, notwithstanding those who never had one. Yet, this was not an issue before Obama, and it will likely magically cease to be an issue after Obama (as it already has with Ted Cruz), because the controversy was manufactured entirely in the name of political bias, not fairness or due diligence on the part of Obama's political opponents.

>He has lots of family in Kenya and he kept it very much a secret.

How did he keep it "very much" a secret in any way that differs from other candidates keeping their personal lives "very much" a secret?

> His University transcripts are still pretty much locked up.

Obama is not unusual in this regard. Bush's transcripts are only public now because they were leaked.

>I'm about equality..and you are just being a dick. This is the difference.

Why not be upset then that Trump refuses to play by his own standards? For that matter, why be suspicious at all when Barack Obama ran his candidacy under the same standard of carefully orchestrated PR as practically every other candidate in US history?

I'll concede to being a dick, but i'm not running for anything.

If he wants any shred of credibility he should. If his supporters want any shred of credibility they should demand it too.

"If he wants any shred of credibility he should. If his supporters want any shred of credibility they should demand it too."

Gay marriage supporters are against bullying, but they don't hesitate to bully and terrorize anyone against their cause. Credibility lost I guess?

What supporters does Donald Trump have? For that matter, what shred of credibility? It would be interesting to know whether how far he is aware that he is a sideshow act--he could be fully aware, and just regard it as publicity.

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