Prepare yourself for a wave of birth certificates in 2012

Whether you're a birther, you laugh at birthers or, like me, you think Obama should put the whole matter to rest already by releasing his birth certificate, prepare to hear about birth certificates in the next election. I believe Donald Trump, the iconic billionaire who is rumored to be considering a run for the presidency, has hit on something that will become a trend; Trump has disclosed his birth certificate.

To be sure, it will start with TEA Party conservative candidates who will eagerly disclose their birth certificates, and probably their academic records, but it will build into pressure on other Republican candidates to do the same, which they will. Any independents will quickly join the wave of 'Certified Presidential Candidates.'

Of course, a wall of resistance will appear at the edge of the Democratic Party. However, as primary candidates for that party's ticket recognize the potential mileage of divulging their records, a few of them will eventually fall in line. And, I suspect, like a Tsunami washing ashore, the wave will eventually surround one spot in the political landscape - the current holder of that seat and the one who created the albeit modest seismic activity surrounding this issue.

As for me, I'm glad to see it. For all those apologists on the Left who, in the face of professions of transparency, stand in defense of Obama's intentional obscurity, this will put to rest the argument of "No other president was required to show their birth certificate. This is only because Obama is black." Of course, while the latter part of the argument is a clear red herring, I understand the prior isn't necessarily true either, though it has clearly not been a frequent requirement.

Personally, I think we should require all presidents to prove their eligibility for the office. As I've stated before, the lowliest federal clerk is expected to dot all the 'i's and cross all the 'T's before taking a position in the government. That no one has questioned the validity of someone's eligibility before only suggests a glaring mistake of the past, and one we should rectify now.

So, in  a sense, I'm thankful to Obama for pushing this issue onto the public's radar. And, whether he was born in a hospital in Hawaii, a hut in Kenya or in a crater on the moon, I'm looking forward to how he handles the pressure during the coming presidential cycle. Donald Trump, whether you take him seriously as a candidate or not, has hit on something here and this issue is about to take on a life of its own.