Arizona’s Birther Bill vetoed

Arizona’s Republican Governor Jan Brewer vetoed a bill Monday that would have required presidential candidates to prove they were American citizens before their names could be placed on the state ballot.  The bill passed the state House last week and now will not become law unless legislators vote to override Brewer’s veto.

Under the law, Arizona’s secretary of state would have the final say on whether a potential candidate was eligible to be included on the ballot or not.  “As a former Secretary of State, I do not support designating one person as a gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate,” Brewer said.

The bill coincides with constant allegations that President Obama was not born in the United States, a conspiracy that has not died down since Obama’s inauguration.  President Obama’s 2008 campaign produced a “certification of live birth,” a document similar to a birth certificate.

Nearly 75 percent of Americans believe that Obama was definitely or probably born in the United States, while more than four in 10 Republicans believe the president was probably or definitely not born in America.