Posted on 11/14/2007 7:22:17 AM PST by fweingart
ALBANY -Gov. Spitzer must have seen the writing in his rearview mirror as he hit brakes on his controversial license plan.
Driven by mounting opposition, Gov. Spitzer buckled Tuesday on his controversial plan to issue special driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
"I can confirm that the governor intends to withdraw his plan," Spitzer spokeswoman Jennifer Givner said Tuesday night.
Not everybody was happy with the turnaround.
Assemblyman Peter Rivera (D-Bronx) blasted the governor, saying, "He created a tremendous amount of hope and now he has let the air out of that hope. I certainly hope this does not help him in the polls. It's a tremendous blow to all immigrants. I supported him until I saw his backbone disappear."
But Rep. Vito Fossella (R-S.I.) said, "This is good news for the security of New York and the nation. A secure license is key to a safer New York. New York should not be issuing licenses that compromise our safety."
Fossella had proposed a measure to block states from receiving federal highway funds if they granted licenses to undocumented immigrants.
Spitzer's cave-in came as a Siena College poll found his job approval rating has dropped to a low of 33% and that only one of four respondents said they would reelect him.
The poll found opposition to the license plan running at nearly 2 to 1.
Spitzer will meet today in Washington with New York's congressional delegation, many of whom have openly opposed the program.
The controversy has even hurt Democratic presidential front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton, who has been hammered for failing to take a firm stance on the issue.
The governor's office indicated that Spitzer will tell the New York lawmakers that he is shelving the plan and that immigration is a federal issue to be handled by Washington, congressional aides said.
"We were hoping that this is exactly what he would do because this is an issue that was creating a huge problem for members of the Democratic delegation, especially upstate," a congressional source said.
Spitzer unveiled his licensing plan two months ago, hoping to bring people "out of the shadows," he said.
The measure would have allowed applicants to get licenses without submitting valid Social Security numbers. Instead, the DMV would have been able to accept foreign passports, birth certificates, previous state driver's licenses and other verifiable forms of ID.
Opponents, including Mayor Bloomberg, a Spitzer ally, feared, the plan would encourage illegal immigrants to flock to New York. Some charged the proposal would make it easier for would-be terrorists to get identification, and make the country less safe.
Michael Balboni, New York's homeland security head, argued that the new system would actually improve security by creating high-tech, tamper-proof IDs that can be accessed by law enforcement.
The governor sought to salvage the license effort last month by striking a deal with the Department of Homeland Security to create three separate types of state driver's licenses: one "enhanced" that would be as secure as a passport; a second-tier license good for boarding airplanes, and a third marked not valid for federal purposes that would be available to illegal immigrants and others.
Republicans had slammed the idea.
"The governor has finally started to listen," Senate Deputy GOP Leader Dean Skelos (R-L.I.) said last night. "He finally sensed that New Yorkers were not going to tolerate a plan that was flawed from the beginning."
Earlier, state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Rensselaer) told a gathering of business executives in Rensselaer County that lawmakers would smother Spitzer's license plan before it ever got on track.
"It's not happening," he said. "It's just nonsense and wrong."
Now the DIMS are going to have to canvas the graveyards extra hard next election cycle.
I’d be thrilled with this if it weren’t so coincidental that this issue caused such problems for Hillary so recently. In the Clinton World, there’s no such thing as a coincidence.
Eliot was sinking Hillary’s numbers, so Eliot got taken to the woodshed....damage is done tho...HAHAHAHAHA.
YOU KNOW this guy is just waiting for another opportunity to try again, as quietly as possible.
ping
I know someone who works at the DMV and she said every single one of them were going to refuse to go along with this. I told her to tell her co-workers that there were people standing behind them and to know that they are not alone.
The day before the Dem debate in Nevada. Now Hillary can say that this is a non-issue and then move on to say that she will pass comprehensive immigration reform that Bush failed to pass. Next question, Wolf....
Spitzer: ‘The Issue Does Not Disappear’
I'll see if I can find a text of his statement, which was a hoot. Troopergate has truly gone off the deep end.
Hillary will say that she agreed with the IDEA but ... but ... she did not agree with actually impleminting the the IDEA!
“Michael Balboni, New York’s homeland security head, argued that the new system would actually improve security by creating high-tech, tamper-proof IDs that can be accessed by law enforcement.”
Fire the putz!
ID’s don’t make anyone secure.... except the rulers of a police state.
Papers please!
The measure would have allowed applicants to get licenses without submitting valid Social Security numbers. Instead, the DMV would have been able to accept foreign passports, birth certificates, previous state driver’s licenses and other verifiable forms of ID.
“...and other verifiable forms of ID.” Such as a crumpled up piece of scrap paper saying “My name John Doe. I am legal, sure!” in red crayon.
Said Assemblyman Peter Rivera (Communist-Bronx). It is a bad break when anarchy and lawlessness gets overruled in favor of common sense, which by the way was forced on this governor by the people of the state and the country.
He is hoping and praying the voters will forget all about this little incident when he runs again. Not gonna happen. He is done.
Criminals, that is. It doesn't bother legal immigrants at all.
Sorry, Pedro...it's only a blow to ILLEGAL immigrants.
Sure, Spitzer said he’s dropping it because he listened to the people, but he had to drop it because it would NEVER have been passed, thus making him look almost as stupid as he really is.
Keep asking hard questions Chris, getting her to answer is earth shattering - at least it has stayed in the news that Chris Matthews got Ms. Clinton to finally answer a question after three or four tries. I wonder if Wolf Blitzer has the nerve to rise to the level Chris did……whether the Clintons liked it or not….the country delighted in seeing Hillary Clinton be made to answer a hard question and yes she has in the past demanded her questions on camera be scripted before hand.
It was an extremely stupid ILLEGAL idea, backed by a stupid governor, and a really stupid Demoncrat candidate...thank GOD this was turned around, because the consequences would have been horrifying for not only NYC, but all of America as well!! :-O
I just returned from a trip and first thing TSA asked for at the airport was my airline ticket and ID (drivers license). I want Liberal morons to explain how illegals with drivers licenses aka ID can be screened for travel with any degree of security????
, Here's a Winner, Folks!
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