Conventional wisdom suggests that the most important issue going into the 2012 elections will be the economy. Wrong. I have suggested that one of the more important issues determining whether President Obama wins a second term should be his stubborn refusal to hold confessed war criminals accountable for authorizing torture in our name. Wrong. We now know that the most important issue in the 2012 presidential election will be President Obama's birth certificate.

I have to admit that I am glad to see that the birthers are still around. I can't help it. I think they force us to confront - or at least acknowledge - much of what is wrong with modern politics and the role of corporate media in shaping public attitudes. And yes, I also find them quite entertaining.

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