October 23, 2007
Opponents Hit the Brakes on Spitzer's License Plan
Rensselaer County Clerk Frank J. Merola is unhappy with Gov. Spitzer's plan to issue drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. As an employee of the State, he has no legal discretion over whether he can ignore the plan once it's enacted, so he's filed a lawsuit to block the initiative in state Supreme Court in Albany. In a statement explaining his lawsuit. County Clerk Frank Merola alluded to a recent public opinion poll that showed widespread opposition to Spitzer's plan licensing plan.
“New York residents have stated loudly and clearly that we are not in favor of giving license to illegal aliens and all we get from the Governor are lectures on how we are wrong, and that if we were as smart as he was, we would understand and support this policy. Well, 72% of New York residents, including myself and a vast majority of County Clerks are not as smart as the Governor and I am filing suit to prevent this travesty of a policy from being implemented.”The State Senate also voted 39-19 to pass legislation that would overturn Spitzer's licensing plan. Any hope of that legislation making its way through the Assembly, however, is approximately nil unless Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver decides to oppose Spitzer's plan.
Gov. Spitzer, for his part, seems unperturbed at the senate legislation, the lawsuit, the opinion polls, and the raucous protest on the steps of the state Capitol. He left a closed-door meeting with Senate Democrats saying, “It’s always good to have the conversation about why I believe what we’ve done is correct and appropriate and important." He accused opponents of his plan as being overheated and counterproductive. Spitzer feels that issuing licenses to illegal immigrants will lower insurance rates and bring undocumented residents out into the open where they will be subject to more laws and regulations.
(Photo by Mike Groll/AP)
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This better be like when Chief Wiggum offered Homer a new boat.
I see Gov. Spitzer's point in trying to make the best of a bad situation, but his plan is just plain wrong. Illegal Aliens should not have access to state-issued ID. The benefits of this plan are overstated by its defenders. Illegal aliens have other obstacles to buying auto insurance than their immigration status, allowing them licenses will not automatically make them responsible drivers. Seeing American politicians cater to a foreign constituency that is here against the will of the American people is sickening.
Again, what makes anyone believe that an illegal alien is going to get auto insurance just because they have a driver's licence? That is idiotic. If they had any respect for rules and laws, they wouldn't be here illegally.
My prediction: No matter what happens, insurance rates will rise over time. There is strong historical precedent behind that.
The arrogance of Spitzer is appalling. It's clear he is unable and unwilling to see anyone else's point of view but his own.
How many more years does he have as gov ?
"F" the law abiding public, right Spitz?
Sally4, I would take as many more years of Spitzer as long as we don't have to deal with that jackass Pataki anymore. He was and will remain the WORST Governor we have ever had.
And the rest of you stop treating illegal immigrants like some new scary commie threat. They've been here for decades and just because the fringe right is looking for an election winner and that gas bag Lou Dobbs is going on and on about this shit doesn't make it anymore of a "problem" than it has ever been.
Anything that makes it easier for people to become contributing members of our society, lower insurance rates or higher insurance rates is reallty not the point here, is a good thing.