Spitzer attacks critics, again

Gov. Eliot Spitzer continued beating back what he called the “rabid right" for opposing his new policy to permit illegal immigrants to obtain New York State drivers’ licenses.

“The rabid right that wants to pile on and use this to demagogue the issue will not carry the day in the State of New York," Spitzer said in Albany today.

With his policy under mounting criticism, Spitzer has sought to characterize opponents as right-wing extremists who are anti-immigrant.

And just who are these opponents? New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has been known to tilt left on occasion. Toss in former Republican NYC mayor and presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani and former Democratic mayor Ed Koch, who sometimes even gets called the “L" word.

Some district attorneys have come out against it. The union representing federal border patrol agents says it’s dangerous. So, too, does John Lehman, a member of the federal commission that investigated the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attacks. OK, well, he’s a conservative.

Also in the “opposed’’ column are county clerks (a group not known as a bastion of conservatism, or liberalism for that matter), an assortment of Democratic lawmakers, a Democratic member of Congress, a Democratic county executive.

“Those who have ignored the issue of immigration for 20 years and now want to come back and say, ‘Oh my goodness, look at the problem that is out there.’ They are the ones who have created this," Spitzer said of the illegal immigrant problem.

“We’re governing. We’re not playing partisan politics," he added.

-- Tom Precious

Comments

[John from East Amherst]

Can someone please explain ONE sensible benefit to giving a legal document or license to an Illegal alien? Remember... This person would be here illegally. Why make living here any more attractive?
Now unless the state planned to used it as a Lure to bring them in only to arrest them on the spot, then i would understand. I suppose if i knew this, the cat would be out of the bag. ahahaha

[BobbyCat]

Ohhhhhhh... how I hate to agree with Joe Bruno...but this is not a partisan issue - has nothing to do with libs and cons or Dems and Reps. It has everything to do with common sense.

Why in the world would you issue the primary ID document - a NY driver's license to an illegal alien?

You are giving an illegal alien license, to do almost anything. Illegals have no rights here. They don't deserve to be here, they deserve no documents. Period.

This idea is stupid, bordering on lunacy. The notion that illegals will need to produce a valid passport to get a license is nonsense. The notion that they will then go out and buy auto insurance is naive beyond belief.

Illegals have learned to game the system from A to Z. Anyone with an ounce of street smarts understands that. It's hard for me to believe that Gov Spitzer is the only one who doesn't get it.

[Barton Keyes]

Well, why would the Gov. support allowing illegal immigrants to get NY drivers' licences? A check of Spitzer's web page says it is because:
1)Unlicensed drivers cause five times as many deaths as licensed drivers. Licensing will reduce highway deaths says the Governor.
2)It will create records on illegals that "will help law enforcement solve and prevent crimes".
3)Including people in the system generally increases security more than leaving them out of the system. Licensing, thus, is a good thing.
4)Including them in will make their applications subject to a computer check to make sure they are not using someone else's DMV identity. Also illegal immigrant applications will be processed differently and be subject to special procedures not required of legal citizens.
Those are some of the more prominent reasons. The problem with the reasons are multiple:
1)Neither the County Clerks nor the public were given a proper heads up nor timely and adequate explanations about the changes.
2)Some of the rationales are questionable: is licensing a currently unlicensed driver really going to reduce the chances the driver will cause a motor vehicle fatality? Or does the fact that unlicensed drivers cause more accidents have little to do with whether they are licensed and a lot to do with other factors?
Also the touted advantages of licensing seem a good deal less important to many than the fear that illegals will be able to use the licenses to become permanent, more able to get other documents and other benefits. And that potential is political dynamite in many parts of the country.
3)Underlying the basis of the new rules is the suspected assumption that illegals are a given reality, and that we need to "manage" the issue as opposed to "solving the problem" (i.e. deporting the illegals). And this very assumption outrages an increasing and vocal American constituency.
4)And finally, Spitzer seems to be tone deaf to the new reality that many Americans are viscerally concerned about the impact of 12 million illegals in the US; that they will react strongly to any legislation that appears to make it easier for the illegals to stay in the US.
And a politician that ignores that new political reality will have to pay a political price.

[Carson]

Governor or Pope it's still breaking the law!

We have criminals in this country boldly going where no criminals have gone before. Right out there in front of the Main Stream Media.

It is long over due that we report these acts of aiding and abetting. It could just be the trigger that the police need to act.

Many police departments, sheriffs departments, prosecuting attorneys and other law enforcement agency’s can now be contacted online.

Many in law enforcement feel the same as we do about this illegal invasion.

Federal Immigration and Nationality Act
Section 8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv)(b)(iii)

"Any person who . . . encourages or induces an alien to . . . reside . . . knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such . . . residence is . . . in violation of law, shall be punished as provided . . . for each alien in respect to whom such a violation occurs . . . fined under title 18 . . . imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both."
Section 274 felonies under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, INA 274A(a)(1)(A):
A person (including a group of persons, business, organization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he:
* assists an alien s/he should reasonably know is illegally in the U.S. or who lacks employment authorization, by transporting, sheltering, or assisting him or her to obtain employment, or
* encourages that alien to remain in the U.S. by referring him or her to an employer or by acting as employer or agent for an employer in any way, or
* knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal convictions.

[Chancellor Carlyle Roberts, II]

The majority of voters were stupid enough to vote for this guy - they have no right to complain when he comes up with such typically leftist and asinine proposals as this one!

What part of ILLEGAL does that poor excuse for a lawyer and governor not understand?

[Richard W Jenkins]

Gov. Eliot Spitzer sould know what the word "illegal" stands for, since he served as attorney general. Illegal's have no rights to use anthing that is paid by US Taxpayers. Driver Lic., Schools, Hospitals, use of any services. It does not manner how long they have been here. The only thing that sould be done is for them to be turn into the INS, be trial by FED Judge and convicted for breaking the laws, and make them pay there way home threw assets sales or billing the Government of there country that they are deported to. The employeer who hires them, sould be sent to jail for 90 days, then pay a fine of $5,000 for each day that they work for them. They are breaking the law, and any Then have all Gov. contracts cancel and they be put on a black list for 10 years. This will make them follow the laws that are on the books. There is no excuse to not follow the law. The cost to New York is to high for tax payers to keep them. Wake up Gov.

[716to305]

Funny when you call any auto insurance company to buy a policy they ask for your social security number because one of the factors that determins your rate is your credit score. So you tell me what illegal alien is going to able to afford a policy that is based on having no credit. Illegal aliens are scared to drive because they don't want to get arrested, so by making it ok for them to drive your incourging more of them to do so.

[tom calandra]

What a dissapointment this guy is as a governor.The former attorney general forgets to use the word ILLEGAL, BEFORE immigration; so who's the demagogue?He is just another politician pandering for votes down the line.

[Peter B.]

Giving drivers licenses to illegal aliens is a huge issue. Am I missing something here or is the fact that Schumer and Clinton remain silent on this an even bigger issue ? Can anyone remember when Schumer was silent on anything ? This is a defining issue for any high ranking politician especially a N.Y. senator {Clinton} who wants to be your president. The silence from these two and the failure of the press to push for a response is suspect.

[Lloyd Marshall Jr.]

God BLESS Oklahoma! We need to do the SAME thing in NYS!

http://www.koco.com/news/14475678/detail.html

How about sending up some Okies and other backwoods Southerners to NYS and straightening things out in this once proud "empire" state... RED State style?

[Lloyd Marshall Jr.]

For Ellie Dorritie and her little Int'l Action Center band of lemmings... if someone is in this country illegally, without having gone through the correct scrutiny, then they have NO business being here!

A letter I sent to the News...

People who come to settle in this country without going through proper channels are here illegally, and should be deported.

Such people are a slap in the face to people like my dad, who came here from Barbados years and years ago, and who went through the procedures that led to his becoming a US citizen over 30 years ago.

And now Ellie Dorrite and her little band of International Action Center friends are saying that these illegals are no different than people like my dad, or no different than those who came through Ellis/Angel Islands. Furthermore, they want New York to proceed to grant them driver's licenses. Isn't one supposed to have a Social Security number to do so?

In adition, one can register to vote when aplying for a license. Allowing illegals to do this will lead to election fraud. Only US citizens can vote.

This driver's license giveaway needs to stop now, and the International Action Center needs to stop pandering to illegals and start considering the US citizens, especially New York State citizens, who end up paying for this "generosity."

Thanx.

[Ed Stephenson]

Illegal is ILLEGAL, Gov Spitzer should NOT be allowed to make this state a haven for illegal immagrants. It just shows where this state is headed if we allow the left wing to continue to take control. First mistake was the appointment of Grannis, a anti gun, anti sportsman to head DEC. The second is his need for power. He is nothing more then a RAT, that will take this state down.

[Lloyd Marshall Jr.]

Hey, let's stop calling Elliot Spitzer "Governor." Given his actions, he has proven he is unfit even to be a dog-catcher.

I voted for John Faso... To me, he's Governor Faso.

Just call Elliot Spitzer, "Mr. Spittle." As if he's even worth some spittle.