Arizona Governor Vetoes Presidential Eligibility Bill

Here is her stated reasoning:


"I do not support designating one person as the gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate, which could lead to arbitrary or politically motivated decisions," she said. "In addition, I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for president … to submit their 'early baptismal or circumcision certificates' among other records. … This is a bridge too far."


I admire Governor Brewer for her principled stand against allowing her state to be overrun by illegal aliens, and for her grit and determination in the face of a federal government only too happy to see Arizona swamped by foreign criminals.

That said, I don't know what she means when she reveals concern about "designating one person as the gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate;" that strikes me as an easily solved problem, if indeed this is the current reality.

As for baptismal or circumcision records, those are just some of the acceptable document options. Others are postpartum medical records, long-form birth certificates, or notarized affidavits from two or more people present at the time of birth.

I don't know why such common-sense requirements that ensure constitutional adherence pose an ethical dilemma for the governor. How else does one demonstrate his eligibility for the office? With a wink and a handshake?

Governor Brewer seems to have fallen into the same trap as most of the establishment: worrying more about upsetting that selfsame establishment than holding elitist pursuers of high office to the rule of law. It's a sad and typical failure in current politics, and one I did not foresee from a woman of her caliber.