Where Were YOU Born

Barack Obama: Somali Pirate

There have been some fine takes on the release of Obama's long form birth certificate.  Everyone seems to like Fallows' take here.  Lawrence O'Donnell was also good here.

But another common theme amongst Those Who Are Almost Always Right is that this won't make a difference to hard core birthers.  Their belief in this patent nonsense is based on delegitimizing the Obama Administration.  It's also racist, as explained here.

One wonders, I guess, what happens to Donald Trump's stunt candidacy.  Glenn Beck is already gone, so one can hope that the conspiracy theory wing of the GOP will be forced back into the shadows as a general election nears.

But I doubt it.  This is a fascinating test case for whether a political elite (the institutional leadership of the GOP) can control a democratic institution.  McConnell couldn't prevent a Senator Rand Paul, can the GOP prevent the 2012 Bachmann nomination?

Obama is right that we have serious issues that need solving.  But I am unconvinced that the American political establishment can approach them with the seriousness and thoughtfulness that will "make our children and grandchildren proud" because it was this system that produced and tacitly endorsed birthers and Teahadists in the first place.