N.Y. Drops Illegal Immigrant License Plan

Gov. Spitzer Abandons Plan To Give Illegal Immigrants Some Form Of Documentation

(CBS/AP)  New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday he was abandoning a plan to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, but said that the federal government had "lost control" of its borders and left states to deal with the consequences.

"I have concluded that New York state cannot successfully address this problem on its own," Spitzer said at a news conference after meeting with members of the state's congressional delegation.

Spitzer said overwhelming public opposition led to his decision.

The governor introduced the plan with the goal of increased security, safer roads and an opportunity to bring immigrants "out of the shadows." Opponents charged Spitzer would make it easier for would-be terrorists to get identification, and make the country less safe. Many New Yorkers agreed with them.

About 70 percent of New Yorkers oppose the license plan, according to a Siena College poll of 625 registered voters released Tuesday. The poll, conducted Nov. 5-8, had a sampling error margin of 3.9 percentage points.

"You don't need a stethoscope to hear the heartbeat of the public on this one," the governor told reporters. "There are some moments where emotions are simply too hot."

Last month, Spitzer sought to salvage the license effort by striking a deal with the Department of Homeland Security to create three distinct types of state driver's licenses: one "enhanced" that will 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.

The topic has become an uncomfortable one for Democrats. New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic front-runner in the presidential race, has come under scrutiny for her noncommittal remarks on the subject.

Clinton has said she supports governors like Spitzer who try to address the national problem of immigration, but has refused to say whether she supports or opposes Spitzer's actual plan.

[trillion1]

The issue may be dead but the fact that Spritzer even tried it and that Clinton agreed should not be forgotten.

[gunnerv1]

The Illegals are seen only as an enhancement to the voter base of the "Progressive" party (what''s in a name change).

[qwerty9988-2009]

I will vote for FloydZepp

[closethippy1]

Now that we need to sell more homes, now that we need to raise more taxes to pay for our infrastructure and also help us with our nationl debt, how about if we get real about "illegals" and stop trying to reach some kind of Hitlerian utopia where everything is so neatly divided and separated.
You kick 12 million people out of the US, be them legals or illegals, and you''re gonna get the US in a long serious recession.
I can''t believe people have become so emotional about such nonissue. It shows how easy it is to scare Americans and how they have way too much time on their hands to worry about everything.
It''s amazing how Americans love to pretend they care when they actually don''t. They can''t even bring themselves to insured their own children.
Sickos.

[jack3213]

So let me understand this. For example, An illegal immigrant comes in for a drivers license, a person of authority meets this illegal and doesn''t arrest them but wants to give them a drivers license? Isn''t the person of authority doing something illegal buy not arresting the illegal immigrant? Thank goodness this bill is DOA. Made no sense, but then again, alot of what the Dem''s do never make any sense.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by closethippy1 at 07:52 AM : Nov 14, 2007

And I can''t believe, you think that if we deport illegals, that will cause a recession. LOL

We''re going to have a recession anyways, but most likely a depression.

I''m glad somebody up in NY had some gonads to stop this garbage of a law!

People like you are the reason we''re in such mess now. I bet you voted for the amnesty bill back in 1986, right?

[mj_duke]

Love how they spin it as he is ready to %u201Cdrop plan to give illegal aliens SOME FORM of documentation%u201D.

No Spitzer, you were trying to give them DRIVERS LICENSES!!!!!!!!!!!!

We New Yorkers have a long memory.

[nexgen99]

Well it looks likes Elliot Sphincter head finally got the message. The pompous little rich boy has finally shut his pie hole.

[jetranger7]

GOOD, Now its time to get rid of and oust Spitzer from office !! Quite Obviously, he has forgotton about how to represent the people of THIS Country, Tax Paying American Citizens ! Oust him from office he''s NO Longer needed !!!!!!!!!

[hungry1968]

We New Yorkers have a long memory.

Posted by mj_duke at 08:45 AM : Nov 14, 2007



It can''t be too long - Joe Bruno and Sheldon Silver are still in office. They are easily the two biggest obstructionists that have ever existed. I''m not talking about this amnesty bill - I''m talking about all of the good bills that have been killed in the state assembly and senate for over 20 years now.

[barbjc1]

I had something sent to me the other day dated 1907 from then President T. Roosevelt. The words apply to today. I sent it to my congressional representative, who happens to be a Democrat. Here it is.
The year is 1907, one hundred years ago......

''In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person''s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn''t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.''
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Every American citizen needs to read this!

[nexgen99]

We New Yorkers have a long memory.

Posted by mj_duke at 08:45 AM : Nov 14, 2007



It can''''t be too long - Joe Bruno and Sheldon Silver are still in office. They are easily the two biggest obstructionists that have ever existed. I''''m not talking about this amnesty bill - I''''m talking about all of the good bills that have been killed in the state assembly and senate for over 20 years now.

Posted by hungry1968
========================

New York gets exactly what it deserves. It has consistently voted democratic and has become a cesspool of socially dependent morons.

[drivelphobe]

closethippy.....

First, deporting 12 million illegals will not cause anything but financial growth. There will be no more entitlements, and the new employess will be paid higher wages, reuslting in an economic boon.

Illegals are far from a non-issue. Their invasive presence is a bigger concern than the war. The American tax-paying citizen is fed up with them.

Americans don''t pretend to care, they do care. They care about their families, finances, legal immigrants,law enforcement, living decent lives, and their country, including their culture and their language. What they don''t care about is illegal immigrants. They need illegals to get out of this country and now.

As far as inuring American children, families will do it without the help of the government. They don''t want the government to give anymore free medical coverage, nor driver''s licenses, to the thieving illegals.

You are the Sicko and a fool.

[dollybaird]

Everyone and I mean everyone should read BarbJC1''s comment; our candidates are so willing to quote past presidents but why aren''t they taking a stand and quoting Teddy Roosevelt''s comment?? This is such a big issue and no one will touch it, I would vote for the person who is willing to clean up this illegal immigrant mess!! Political Correctness (and the Liberals) has ruined this country.

[sahidloyola]

I think we should give them licenses. They drive anyways, why not drive legally? pay insurance, taxes etc. If they are good drivers leave them alone if not, get them out of the system. Just because they come from another country, that does not make them less. I mean i think that if you are a good citizen; welcome to America, if you are a bad. GET OUT!!. Most illegals pay their taxes at the end of the year, this is something not too many people are aware of. They pay their taxes because they fear to get deported and they think it will help them to become legal some day. Come on guys it is 2007, do illegal immigrants count as .35% of a legal immigrant?

[frankinaz]

Illegal immigrants and the businesses that hire them need to be PUNISHED, and not rewarded for breaking various laws, so no driver''s licenses should be issued to people anywhere in this country illegally. Any state that issues illegal immigrants driver''s licenses should have all Federal hignway funds cut immediately. This country not only needs to enforce its immigration laws, it also needs to change and enforce laws that DISCOURAGE, and not encourage illegal immigration.

[jumkey]

Just the story of another politician who sees the writing on the wall and needs to satisfy his wackjob constituents.

There is no downside a lot of benefits to giving illegals drivers licenses but Americans are so angry and self-absorbed they can''t see them.

[jetranger7]

Hey Spitzer, or Spitzer, Spiterzor or what ever your dumb name is, guess what, Mr. Govenor,, "YOUR-FIRED" effective Immediately !! Why ?? for even coming up with the Dumb Azz plan to begin with, you Moran, didn''t they teach you anything in School, or were you out back smoking Wacky-Tabbaky with the rest of them ?? I believe you should now go and pick up Aluminium cans along side a very narrow freeway with lots of high speed semi-truck traffic !! Have Fun !!!

[drivelphobe]

sahidloyola....

Go back where you came from. You just want a license too. Illegals are not welcome in this country.

[xlib]

Just in time for the BIG dem debate tomorrow night. Wouldn''t want to embarass madame clinton again asking her a timely question on a hot topic. Seems herr spitzer got the same memo as wolf, don''t embarass the madame. Only ask questions that were hand picked by the clintonista camp.
Such a coincidence.

[signof4]

1. All Illegal Aliens MUST be deported.
2. All vehicles found in possession of illegal alien drivers MUST be confiscated.
3. All politicians MUST re-read their job descriptions so they will understand that they DO NOT represent the citizens of foreign countries.
Posted by jmcgilvray at 09:41 AM : Nov 14, 2007

Well said!

[sahidloyola]

DrivelPhobe sorry to dissapoint you but I have a license and I am legal in this country. No need to get mad here. Im agreeing with you, in the fact that if immigrants are bad people, get them out. They put a bad name to all the rest and create problems. If they are good people then welcome them. Relax a little buddy.

[hawksprings]

"There is no downside a lot of benefits to giving illegals drivers licenses but Americans are so angry and self-absorbed they can''''t see them."
Posted by jumkey

Jumkey, would you just stop for a minute and use your brain?!?

Do you really think a person who''s in this country illegally would voluntarily walk into a government agency and register with that government to get a drivers license?????
If YOU were in a country illegally, would YOU ''register'' yourself with the government, and now that government knows WHO you are and WHERE you live?????

If you answer ''yes'', you''re either lying or insane.

What would possibly motivate an illegal to get a driver''s license??? Are they going to get car insurance? No insurance company would insure them because there would be no way to run a driving record on them to determine what kind of risk they are.
Besides, what motivation would an illegal have to pay money out of his pocket for insurance when he isn''t doing it now?

And if an illegal was going to all the trouble to get a drivers license, why not just go through the process of immigrating here legally.

Spitzer''s idea has got to be the dumbest thing I''ve ever heard of.

Makes me wonder what his REAL motivation is....

[condumism]

jinGOPig FASCISTS in the White House today report that the USAs INFLATION is TAME, SMALL, NEXT TO NOTHING! This is the biggest lie since GW Bush lied the naiton into war!

[condumism]

All the DEMS need to do in 2008 is ask ARE YOU BETTER OFF TODAY THAN YOU WERE BEFORE GW BUSH BECAME PRESIDENT? the answer will be a resounding Bah, Bye, Republicons! Then we will have Dem Presidient, and a filibuster proof Dem majority in Congress. Bah, Bye, Republicons! I can not stop laughing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tcoleman12]

Great points, Hawksprings!

Do any of you guys really believe that Spitzer just dropped this plan all by himself due to poll numbers? The polling on this has been low since he decided to put this retarded plan together.

However, a phone call from Clinton in the middle of the night, maybe a horse''s head in the bed (a la The Godfather) got the change of mind needed. A little over the top on the last one???

[condumism]

Todays inflation report from the LYING Fascists in the White House: INFLATION IS UNDER CONTROL! NOw alot of Southern Nazi loving Cons from the original Confederate states will find this news to be a relief, while they are out filling up their 11 mpg pickup trucks with $3.20 gasoline.

[meboard]

Spitzer can kiss his re-election goodby...and probably any future office...

[hawksprings]

Haven''t we been told our whole lives that driving is a Privilege, not a Right?

Why would we give a privilege to someone who is here illegally?

How is Spitzer deciding what laws of New York to follow and which ones to overlook?

If an Illegal can get a driver''s license, then why can''t I rob the Qwicky Mart? Or not pay my taxes? Or peee on my neighbor''s lawn?

[setumstrt9]

Let me guess. Hilary will now come out and say she is against the plan.

[hawksprings]

Hey, was Spitzer that banjo-playing kid on "Deliverance"?
Looks like him all growed up.

[one_american]

This was nothing but a scheme to give drivers licenses to illegal aliens so that they would have the necessary ID to vote for Hillary.

This scheme is not dead, it is only temporarily shelved, and they will find a way to sneak it in before the election.

[hawksprings]

Condumism,
Don''t underestimate "Minorities" in this country who want it run by rule of law.

[bbirdsr71]

Thank you New York! for having the balls to standing up against the illegal immigrants and the Dem''s. This was a very bad idea where is the common sense in the plan?


NY Giants still suck, oops thats NJ, ...ok the Jets

[brianp55]

Spitzer''s real motivation behind this despicable plan was to ingratiate himself with minorities at the expense of the residents of New York. He attempted to justify this by claiming that this was only a response to the failures of the federal government...when in fact, the failures of the Feds provided him with just the excuse he felt he needed to push this nonsense down the throats of NY residents. Once again, we have the seen the citizens rise up against extending privledges to illegals. These guys never learn.

[donbl1]

Spitzer''s real motivation was getting back in synch with the poll indicating 70% did NOT want illegals to have driver''s licenses.

[donbl1]

I wonder if Triangulator Hillary can now make a decision on what she thinks about the drivers license issue.....?

[mike71067]

From the article: "About 70 percent of New Yorkers oppose the license plan, according to a Siena College poll of 625 registered voters released Tuesday".

Uh-oh! It looks like Hillary is going to have to change her policy again! After her embarrasing debate performance where she refused to answer questions regarding the illegal immigrant license issue, her campaign scrambled to insist that she DOES support licensing illegals. Now, that polls show that Americans are overwhelmingly against this policy, she needs to show her other face again. Just like Hillary...

[hillaryin08]

HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa

Thanks Rush, you just cost me votes in NY!

[signof4]

This scheme is not dead, it is only temporarily shelved, and they will find a way to sneak it in before the election.
Posted by One_American at 10:47 AM : Nov 14, 2007

Well said!

[jowand]

Spitzer probably got a call from Bill CLinton telling him to drop it for now.

[badfish911]

GOOD NOW WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY FOR US WHITE PEOPLE TO GET FREE DAY CARE

[liminx]

If they want a drivers license then they should be willing to go to iraq and put their lives in danger like our soldiers are doing.

[nextprophet]

RON PAUL KNOWS HOW TO STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
The talk must stop. We must secure our borders now. A nation without secure borders is no nation at all. It makes no sense to fight terrorists abroad when our own front door is left unlocked. Ron Paul has a plan: (1.) Physically secure our borders and coastlines. We must do whatever it takes to control entry into our country before we undertake complicated immigration reform proposals. (2.) Enforce Visa rules. Immigration officials must track Visa holders and deport anyone who overstays their Visa or otherwise violates U.S. Law. This is especially important when we recall that a number of 9/11 terrorists had expired Visas. (3.) No amnesty. Estimates suggest that 10 to 20 million people are in our country illegally. That''s a lot of people to reward for breaking our Laws. (4.) No welfare for illegal aliens. Americans have welcomed immigrants who seek opportunity, work hard, and play by the rules, but taxpayers should not pay for illegal immigrants who use hospitals, clinics, schools, roads, and social services. (5.) End birthright citizenship. As long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter the U.S. illegally will remain strong. (6.) Pass true immigration reform. The current system, and those proposed by ALL other candidates, is incoherent and unfair, and would allow up to 60 million more immigrants into our country.

[lorinkundert]

"I have concluded that New York state cannot successfully address this problem on its own," Spitzer said

Sure you can. it''s called an old fashioned roundup.

[jetranger7]

What everybody needs to do NOW, is Demand this Idiot Resign, Immediately or be FIRED ! Its time we Americans QUIT letting these Idiots hold public office, and QUIT letting them lie to us that they''re watching out for our best interests, clearly their not ! Hit the Road Jack-your gone !

[bbirdsr71]

RON PAUL KNOWS HOW TO STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

He''ll get my vote! YES!!!!

its round up time! ROUND THEM UP, KICK THEM OUT!

[terrorislam5]

ILLEGALS GO HOME,,, WE DON''T NEED YOU,,,

[forthepeopl1]

TO ALL AMERICA YES, CONGRESS HAS AGAIN SLAP AMERICANS RIGHT IN THE FACE WITH THIS, PLEASE DONT BELEIVE ME THAN GO AND READ THE LAW BUSH SIGN INTO LAW.

ITS CALL THE MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT 2006, AND HIDDEN IN FINE PRINT CONGRESS HAS GIVEN THEMSELFS AND ANYONE WORKING IN THE GOVERNEMNT IMMUNEITY ON ANY THING THAT HAS HAPPEN IN THE WAKE OF THE WAR,OR ANYTHING ELSE THEY CAN FIND.

THIS IS THE BEST PART, THEY BACK DATED IT TO ( 1997) why?????

why would they need to back date this all the way before 2001????

because they have been ease dropping on america way back then...think about it america, and you better think about this, cheney/bush/rumsfeld/rove/rice started this war on all lies on top of lies, and remember 18 out of 19 involved in 2001 was saudi araibans you know the king and bush hold hands walking in the woods??? and this is why bush said he doesn''t care about finding bin laddan because bin is part of the royal family that bush loves..

so if you look at the hole law, hillary help get it into law, why why why sounds funning because her husband bill was president at that time in 1997..so what are they all hideing in washington???????????????

david a belanger,veteran,us army, 978-618-3105,[e-mail]

[terrorislam5]

Reporting Illegal Aliens: A Citizen Takes Up Arms For His Country
http://www.vdare.com/king/citizen_takes_up_arms.htm

Along Part of the Border, A Zero-Tolerance Zone
Tough Program Is Discouraging Illegal Crossings
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/17/AR2006061700455.html?nav=rss_world/centralamerica

AIDS virus invaded U.S. from Haiti: study
The AIDS virus invaded the United States in about 1969 from Haiti, carried most likely by a single infected immigrant who set the stage for it to sweep the world in a tragic epidemic, scientists said on Monday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2954500820071029?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true