Posted on 10/28/2007 11:34:35 AM PDT by neverdem
Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s retreat from his plan to permit illegal immigrants to obtain the same kind of driver’s licenses as other New Yorkers drew angry reactions yesterday from civil liberties advocates and immigrant groups, some of whom described the shift as a stunning betrayal.
The governor has been under fierce assault from conservative groups and others since proposing last month to allow illegal immigrants to get New York driver’s licenses. But joined by the federal secretary of homeland security, Michael Chertoff, in Washington yesterday, the governor announced a starkly different version of his plan.
It calls for separate tiers of licenses. New Yorkers who could provide stringent proof of legal residency could get the new federally recognized license known as Real ID. The licenses available to illegal residents would not serve as federal identification.
“What a huge political flip,” said Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition.
“He’s now embracing and letting his good name be used to promote something that has been widely known in the immigrant community as one of the most anti-immigrant pieces of legislation to come out of Congress,” Ms. Hong said.
She said having separate licenses would amount to a scarlet letter for illegal immigrants. “I know I’m speaking for millions of immigrants when I say I just feel so thoroughly betrayed.”The separate licenses could also serve as an invitation for law enforcement to arrest anyone carrying one on immigration charges, said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. She added that the new proposal could send illegal immigrants further into the shadows, compelling them to drive with forged or no licenses and without insurance.
“This flip-flopping is bowing to the fear-mongering of the Bush administration and turns New York into a poster child for policies based on...”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Governor Accused of Betraying Principles (Spitzer’s flip-flop on illegal alien driver’s licenses)...
how about this lib/dem dope spitzer just doing what all lib/dems do.....betray the US!!!
Thanks for the link. Spitnitwit always struck me as a vindictive weasel.
Senior center may get stuck with bill
By ROB PRICE, Steuben Courier-Advocate
Saturday, October 27, 2007 9:45 PM CDT
BATH | A senior housing center in Bath may get stuck paying the bill for a newly constructed sidewalk built to help residents get to a nearby shopping plaza
The reason is the state funding for the project was pulled by Gov. Eliot Spitzer in retaliation for criticism levied for his plan to allow illegal aliens to obtain drivers licenses........
ping
You seem to think Hillary is more concerned about traffic deaths of a few voters than the votes available from thousands of illegal immigrants.
Bad read!
Lou Dobbs Makes Spitzer Nightly Pinata "Lou Dobbs is sorry about calling Gov. Eliot Spitzer an idiot."
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.
72% of NYS includes more Debs than reps.
As usual, the times prints lies not truth.
"Wall Street Sheriff becomes Highway Harlot"
She wouldn’t be concerned about the traffic accidents, but the increase in traffic accidents could have produced a voter backlash, and she didn’t want that.
new “tier” licenses ...new bureacracy...sounds like dysfunctional Big Brother NYS.
Why not hire the illegals to hand out the new licenses...?
The "RealID" was never about demarcating the illegals (regardless of whatever the spinmeisters may have said at times). It's all about creating a National ID System for Americans -- the cornerstone of an "Internal Passport" system.
Papers, please?
Don't bet on it.
Right now in Michigan we've basically got what he was trying to accomplish. The only difference between MY license, and the licenses freely issued to illegals, is that I had to hand over my SSN (which, laughably, says right on the front of the card that it's NOT to be used for identification) -- but an illegal need merely affirm that he does not have an SS card.
Stick a fork in us. We're done. Pucker up and kiss your country goodbye, gringos.
That's the giant economy sized camel's nose under the tent that no one wants to mention.
A license granted to an illegal is as good as a "license to vote", thanks to the "motor-voter" abomination.
We are deluding ourselves if we don't think that there are HUGE numbers of criminal aliens participating in our elections.
That may give you some idea as to why "our" politicians are whoring themselves pandering to the "illegal immigrant constituency."
Increasingly, people who should not be allowed to vote, period, are becoming the swing-vote that decides "our" elections.
There's a reason those Mexican "La Raza" type "leaders" are always presenting a smirk a mile wide every time they're interviewed on camera.
Sounds good to me!
Spitzer is a petty, vindictive coward of a man.
Sounds good to me!
Yeah, gee, what an outrage -- imagine that, something that makes it possible to arrest criminals for their crimes. Oh, the humanity, etc.
Do these people even think before opening their yaps?
My editors always told me to be as concise as possible. With that in mind, I would respectfully suggest that you trim your sentence by three words.
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