by Chris Earl

Created on: April 12, 2011

“Mister President you’re fired” Donald Trump shouts in glee, accepting the Republican nomination in 2012.  His victory made possible by his “birther” attack on Obama.          

             New employees are asked to provide a birth certificate and social security card in order to complete IRS forms.  Men and women joining the military are required to provide their birth certificate, high school diploma, marriage records and other documents.  Even little league baseball players are required to show their birth certificates to prove they are young enough to play.

            Most Americans are comfortable with this type of request and freely provide the necessary documents.  Donald Trump is simply asking the most powerful man in the world to do something most Americans submit to many times during their life.  Trump’s focus on this issue resonates with a large segment of American voters.  “Why shouldn’t he show it?” they ask.  “What is he hiding?” bubbles to the top of the voter’s mind.          

            Trump runs the risk of being perceived as a bully by his constant attack.  Others may try to spin his request into racial tones of injustice.  Republican politicians fear Trump will win the nomination at the expense of one of the establishment’s picks.  Democrat politicians fear Trump because of the damage he can cause Obama, weakening the President enough that a more traditional Republican wins by side stepping the controversial issue.

            The President may have good reason to withhold his birth certificate.  It may list him as Caucasian like his mother.  It might show him sired by a Muslim father.  This could hurt his support in the black community and any Muslim tie in a post 9/11 America is politically fatal.  It is a possibility Obama has all the debated documents and is setting a trap for his opponents.  He destroys Trump in October before the reelection by releasing the birth certificate.  Short of this, President Obama does not quiet the problem.

            The President loses the longer this debate continues, because Trump’s chance of winning improves as Obama eligibility diminishes.  The average American has a kind heart and a deep sense of fairness.  The people have given the President the benefit of the doubt and ample time to respond.  Mr. Trump is feeding the voter’s appetite for knowledge and giving him strength to find a voice.  And this renewed vocality is asking, “Mr. President, please be fair.  Why not prove your citizenship and fire this political apprentice?”

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