The Tribune has receive a sizable number of letters to the editor in the past few months about the claims that President Barack Obama isn’t a natural-born citizen as required by the Constitution (Art. II, Sect. 1). So they claim he never was eligible to be elected or sworn in president. A number of federal lawsuits have been filed around the country on issue, with the arguments getting more convoluted with the passage of time. But every one of the lawsuits have been dismissed, and the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to consider any of them.

Lately, the most virulent believers of Obama’s ineligibility, often referred to as “birthers” by critics (such as myself), have been pining on their hopes on U.S. District Judge David O. Carter of California. Carter didn’t immediately dismiss the lawsuit like other judges. He heard arguments and considered evidence, so the birthers thought they finally would get their day in court.

Nope. The judge ended the case today. Carter’s speaks to why every lawsuit has been a waste of time and money. The Constitution spells out how a sitting president can be removed from office, and the courts have no authority to do so, Carter says. If Obama somehow wasn’t born in Hawaii or if he somehow gave up his U.S. citizenship as a child, it would be Congress’ task to impeach him. However, even staunch conservatives such as Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., reject the birthers’ position in light of the various evidence confirming Obama’s natural-born citizenship.