.."I know he was only following plans, but you have to have a backup, we have to make an example of somebody....has the blitzed wolf gotten the message?."
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."
sptizer/clinton 08
Embattled Spitzer drops plan to let illegal aliens get driver's licenses
Interesting that Spitzer went down to DC to do this.
The FIRST question Blitzer needs to ask sHillary in the debate Thursday night. Do you or do you not agree with YOUR state’s Governor on his plan to withdraw his plan?
This should be fun.
Its all about increasing the voter base for Hitlery. Once you have a license, you are a defacto citizen.
He did NOT KILL IT he “tabled” it.. meaning when it is no longer an issue for Hillary he will bring it back.
LMAO, I wonder what happened,,,,,he was so determined to get licenses for ILLEGALS...is he up for election or something?
She was adamant when ID was mentioned as a voting necessity. She said it was "inconvenient".
Guess what. I've been inconvenienced. I had to get a SS card. I have to file taxes every year. I have to pay for every lazy SOB and immigrant who contribute nothing because gosh darn...I work and not under the table. Oh, yeah...I pay my own health insurance, too.
“Opponents, including Mayor Bloomberg, a Spitzer ally, feared, the plan would encourage illegal immigrants to flock to New York.”
Illegal immigrants in New York - unimaginable.
spitzer does not know the meaning of quiet.....he is LOUD in everything.
.."I know he was only following plans, but you have to have a backup, we have to make an example of somebody....has the blitzed wolf gotten the message?."
Just in deference to him, I wanted to mention that Assemblyman Rivera used to be an NYPD detective and undercover narcotics cop in the DEA.
Gee, man. All I have is a pipe.
Michael Balboni was given the job of Homeland Security NY State head by who else but Spitzer?
WBEN, Buffalo, announcer just said that Spitzer took just one minute, fifteen seconds in his speech to say that the federal government had lost control of our borders, and his plan would have saved it.
I'm with you on that. I believe Spitzer made a deal with the Clintons that he'd deliver NY for them, no matter what it took. In a blue state like this they probably all figured in their calculating, scheming way there'd be some blowback but that it would fade quickly. But that obviously didn't happen.
Wonderful, he sounds like a cop who’s gone bad, William Bratton style.
Yo, Rivera! I think it was the polls of US citizens that brought about this step back into reality.
Excuse me, but about all this "caving". Last I heard, the governor was supposed to abide by the people's wishes.
“He created a tremendous amount of hope . . . “
English translation: We had a foot in the door and could hear the chain sliding off the lock . . . “
You better run that question by her staffers first.
Perhaps, t., but even the most loudmouthed obnoxious pol can learn to shut his mouth to get what he wants, then will brag about it later.
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