Was Richard Nixon right?  Are presidents above the law?  Congress seems to think so.  It has no plans to require  Barack Obama to produce evidence that he is a "natural born citizen" of the United States  in order to take the office of President.

If  Congress isn't going to require Obama to prove he is a citizen, it should do the next best thing and enact legislation that insures he qualifies regardess  of where he was born or any subsequent actions that could have compromised his citizenship under existing legislation.  

Failure to insure Obama is a citizen  could create a constitutional crisis if the  courts eventually recognize that they have to  consider  whether or not  Obama is qualified to sign acts of Congress into law and  enforce them.  If an unqualified president can sign bills into law than  it is no longer important whether or not the bills themselves comply with the Consitution.

The courts have thus far rejected lawsuits questioning the "standing" of the plaintiffs to raise the issue.  A person being prosecuted for violating a law would have "standing" to question if the law were properly signed into law.

Failure to insure that  Obama is a citizen could allow nations that have evidence he may not be a citizen to use that evidence to blackmail him into doing what they want.  

Congess wants states to require us to provide proof of citizenship to renew drivers' licenses we have had for decades.  Shouldn't it impose the same requirements on those who want to be  president, or isn't it important whether or not a president complies with the Constitution?

So far Obama has only produced a vague "Certification of Live Birth" that Hawaii issues for babies that might have been born outside of Hawaii, including outside the U.S., to Hawaiian parents.  According to Hawaiian statues:

"[§338-17.8] Certificates for children born out of State. (a) Upon application of an adult or the legal parents of a minor child, the director of health shall issue a birth certificate for such adult or minor, provided that proof has been submitted to the director of health that the legal parents of such individual while living without the Territory or State of Hawaii had declared the Territory or State of Hawaii as their legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding the birth or adoption of such child."

Barack Obama's mother certainly would have taken advantage of this option if her baby had been born in Kenya as some have alleged but not proved.  Pregnant Mexican have been known to cross the border into the U.S. for the sole purpose of allowing their children to be born as U.S. citizens.  Obama's mother would have wanted the same for her baby if she had miscalcuated and been in Kenya at the wrong time.

Dr Chiyome Fukino has stated:  "Therefore, I as Director of Health for the State of Hawaii, along with the Registrar of Vital Statistics who has statutory authority to oversee and maintain these type of vital records, have personally seen and verified that the Hawaii State Department of Health has Sen. Obama’s original birth certificate on record in accordance with state policies and procedures." 

However, she has not said that the document states Obama was born in Hawaii.

Hawaii's "policies and procedures" even allow "Amended certificates of birth [to] be prepared and filed with the Department of Health, as provided by law, for 1) a person born in Hawaii who already has a birth certificate filed with the Department of Health or 2) a person born in a foreign country."

Based on past political controversies,  the refusal to state that Obama was born in the U.S. indicates that he probably was not born in the U.S.  Those who blindly accept Obama's claim that he is a citizen have forgotten President William "I never had sexual relations with that woman" Clinton.

 If  I wanted to be president, I would be willing to let the Washington Post publish a copy of my  birth certificate on its front page.  After all who is going to attempt to steal the identity of the President of the United States. Obama's refusal to make his complete birth certificate public indicates he is hiding something.  What else would he be afraid of than that the document shows he was born outside the U.S.?

It is generally accepted that Obama's mother was a U.S. citizen, but some question whether he was born in Hawaii or Kenya.  Congress could eliminate this problem by making provisions in 1986 legislation retroactive to some time prior to Obama's birth.  Any child born to an American parent, or at least an American citizen mother, would automatically be a U.S. citizen.  Congress could require DNA evidence for those who claim an American citizen father.  There is legal precedent for basing a child's legal status  on the mother's legal status.  During the period of slavery a child was considered free or slave based on whether the mother was free or slave.

Other questions about Obama's citizenship involve him becoming an  through adoption by his stepfather Lolo Soetoro.   They cite  a school document indicating he is an Indonesian citizen.  If Obama failed to follow the proper legal actions to negate that citizenship, Congress could change the law so that his failure isn't important.   Another set of allegations involve a suggestion he traveled under a non-U.S. passport after becoming an adult.   This allegation would involve legal restrictions that Congress could easily change so that they don't affect Obama's citizenship

If any of the allegations about Obama.not being a U.S. citizen are correct, there are likely documents possessed by foreign documents that would confirm the allegations.  If Kenya has a document indicating Obama was born there, Kenya could use the document get financial support from the Obama administration or even military assistance in the event of a civil war.  If Indonesia  has documents showing Obama as an Indonesian citizen such as an Indonesian passport, it could use documents to coerce Obama into helping the Indonesian government.  If Obama traveled to another country using a non-U.S. passport the countries he visited might blackmail him.

If Obama isn't a citizen and the courts don't remove him,  or if the fact isn't discovered until after he leaves office,  a precedent would exist for naturalized citizens such as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to become president.

I don't know if Obama is an American citizen or not, but if he is he can easily eliminate any doubt by making his birth certificate public.   His failure to do so indicates he is covering up something. The something he is most likely covering up is that he was not born a U.S. citizen and the only way he can constitutionally serve as president is if Congress changes the law so that he does qualify as a citizen.

If Congress doesn't insure Obama is a citizen and the courts remove him because he isn't a citizen, Congress would have to repass every piece of legislation passed between the time Obama took office and the courts ruled he was not constitutionally qualified to sign legislation into law.   If the Democratic Congress allowed a non-citizen Democrat to become president, the public might react by refusing to ever again vote for a Democrat for any office.

We average citizens have to prove to government we are citizens  just to renew an old  driver's license.  Shouldn't those who want to run our government have to prove to us  that they are citizens before they take office?  Or are elitist politicians above the law.