Here’s one of the reasons why the brain-dead, racist Birther conspiracy theory continues to be appallingly popular on the right — because leading Republican politicians encourage it: Rep. Stearns on Obama Birth’s Certificate: ‘The Question Is, Is It Legitimate?’

STEARNS: All I can tell you is that the general consensus is that he has produced a birth certificate. The question is, is it legitimate? That’s where we stand now. I’ve seen a copy of it on television. But you know the Governor of Hawaii couldn’t get what he felt was an original of the birth certificate. He tried to do it and gave up on it. So I think what Obama’s showing is a facsimile, but I think that debate probably is not enough, shall we say, just to impeach him. We’re going to have an election in five or six months so we can change the course of history by electing someone other than Obama. That’s what elections are all about. If we started impeachment this time of year, very difficult in terms of time and strength.