Posted on 02/07/2008 8:29:01 AM PST by sickoflibs
Gov. Martin O'Malley's decision to cooperate with the Bush administration on Real ID is a mistake.
The decision turns clerks at Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration into immigration officers, forcing them to ask prospective drivers about their immigration status and then assess the validity of documents - a troublesome chore even for well-trained immigration officers.
Moreover, Real ID will push illegal immigrants further into the shadows, where they will be deterred from reporting crimes to police or using emergency rooms. Because those who drive will not have a license or liability insurance, the risk for all drivers will likely increase.
Although anyone who fails to carry a Real ID will find it difficult to function in society, most "suspects" under the program will be nonwhite. According to the Electronic Privacy Information Center, "There would be intense scrutiny of and discrimination against individuals who chose not to carry the national identification card and those who 'look foreign.'"
Once again, illegal immigrants are the scapegoats. They have been driven off the road this time to advance a neoliberal political agenda bent on hollowing out government services and advancing Orwellian strategies of surveillance and control by private means and without judicial scrutiny.
Mr. O'Malley's progressive vision for the state on other matters will be severely compromised by this wrongheaded decision about Real ID.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
This won't be an issue next year with President Clinton/Obama/McCain as they will not enforce this.
Um, that was part of the idea, in hopes that the shadows would be sufficiently less pleasant than Mexico or whatever other country they came from so they will decide to go home voluntarily without the cost of deportation.
Thats because Robert Koulish is a dork and is ranting ... (cue the 'See Dick Rant' pic ... )
There is NO right to drive ... moron
Stupid author.
Illegal immigrants are not scapegoats; they are criminals who are breaking the law.
“The decision turns clerks at Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration into immigration officers, forcing them to ask prospective drivers about their immigration status and then assess the validity of documents - a troublesome chore even for well-trained immigration officers.”
Boo hoo...the MVA employees need more to do anyway.
Because those who drive will not have a license or liability insurance, the risk for all drivers will likely increase.
As compared to how many that are already doing this in the sunlight?
Why don’t we just recognize Mexican drivers licenses as valid in the US? Then at least they can’t use it to get a ballot or vote. I think they recognize ours.
If I recall correctly, about 10% of drivers in Baltimore, both legals and illegals, are either driving on suspended or expired licenses or have no license and/or insurance. I don't think the risk is gong to increase all that much.
OK, another law that makes it difficult to be an illegal immigrant, i.e., criminal in America...and this is bad how?
Oh, well, it might impact the Democratic Party’s long-established efforts to garner illegal votes...guess they’ll just have to canvas the cemeteries again...
OK, another law that makes it difficult to be an illegal immigrant, i.e., criminal in America...and this is bad how?
Oh, well, it might impact the Democratic Party’s long-established efforts to garner illegal votes...guess they’ll just have to canvas the cemeteries again...
I don’t like the idea of a National ID Card on bit. Just one more way for govt to intrude into our lives. It’s bad enough that my friggin SSN is now used by everyone from banks to to the Fed Govt as a means to ID me. I know I will be thread fodder for posting this, so to the people who will start the sean327 bashing party, when do you finnaly say enough is enough? When will you get tired of giving up “small things” for small amounts of precieved security?
What good is security when your freedom is gone?
Not all illegals are Mexican. Some are from other Central and South American countries. We also have a number from Asia, Africa, and the middle east, who either come through Canada or Mexico or overstay their visas.
Incidentally, this is why the “you just hate hispanics” argument doesn’t fly. Groups like la raza are trying desperately to make illegal aliens a racial issue, but it isn’t. It’s a legal issue. Personally, I don’t care what their country of origin is, illegal is illegal.
I understand your position except we already give up all our rights to fly, regardless of our risk, and this national ID is for that.
Currently Airline security (TSA) is required to treat everyone the same regardless of threat. Mohammad from Sudan and my little (american)10 yrold nephew both are treated like potental terrorists. It’s the invasion of the body snatchers strategy, that anyone can become a terrorist at anytime when we all know that is not the case.
Frankly I don’t think they have the smarts to do it.
Hassling all men (even those who never fathered a child) is nothing. It got the Democrats the chick vote by railing against deadbeat dads.
Minorities (even illegal immigrants) are another voting block they actively court.
And they wanted to give tax “rebates” to people who never paid taxes. The election is in Santa’s bag.
I think he should put his money where his mouth is and throw away his license and cancel his insurance.
But the Hispanics have the largest number of illegals in the country who are likely to vote. Just keeping them from getting US licenses would help keep vote fraud down considerably. English only ballots would help too.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
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