The Nation: Immigrant License Plan Unravels

[marmar]

comment | posted November 14, 2007 (web only)
Immigrant License Plan Unravels
Andrea Batista Schlesinger & Amy Traub



Governor Eliot Spitzer's controversial plan to make driver's licenses available to all New York residents has unraveled before our eyes. The culprit? Intense pressure from conservatives and lackluster support from progressives. The plan, unveiled on September 21, would have brought New York's undocumented immigrants --as many as one million people--"out of the shadows," while improving safety and security by reducing the number of untrained, uninsured drivers and by verifying the identities of hundreds of thousands of people. Since unlicensed drivers are a factor in five times as many fatal accidents as those with licenses, the proposal to expand licensing would have significantly increased the safety of New York's streets. But it was not to be.

Lou Dobbs and his junior varsity imitators immediately got to work denouncing and distorting the policy. "This governor needs training wheels," an angry Dobbs told his audience as the debate heated up in October. Critics ignored strict new security measures in Spitzer's proposal, like the fact that immigrants would need a verified foreign passport to obtain a license. Sensing an opportunity to boost their own ratings, elected officials stooped to new lows with comments like, "Osama bin Laden is somewhere in a cave with his den of thieves and terrorists, and he's probably sabering the cork on some Champagne right now, saying 'Hey, that governor's really assisting us." (Thank you, New York State Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco).

GOP leaders accused the Governor of helping terrorists board airplanes and the Conservative Party went so far as to release a commercial announcing that "Along the Mexican border, we lock up illegal immigrants. In New York, Governor Spitzer wants to give them driver's licenses. Tell Spitzer he is wrong." Many mistakenly believed that the new licenses would actually enable undocumented immigrants to vote. Close to two-thirds of New York residents opposed the plan. Yet rather than digging in to set the record straight on the issues driving public opinion, most elected officials--even those in safe seats on the left--pandered to fear and failed to give Spitzer the support he needed.

After a month of fierce debate, Spitzer caved and sought support elsewhere: from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. He retreated from his initial policy, endorsed the federal REAL ID Act, and proposed a three-tiered licensing system. Under the governor's new plan, undocumented immigrants are eligible for a special class of license, a nonfederally recognized ID. These new third-class licenses will brand their holders as undocumented, making it unlikely that immigrants who live in fear of deportation will be willing to engage with the system at all and register for them. The governor's retreat is not even a successful compromise: it alienates his strongest supporters while failing to appease his fiercest critics. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071126/schlessinger_traub

[LakeSamish706]

1. Now this POS Governor should do the correct thing and resign. n/t

[marmar]

2. Spitzer a POS? Even if you don't like the license plan, don't you think that's a bit much?

He seems to be a good solid progressive to me.

[LakeSamish706]

3. I do think Spitzer is a POS... He pushed this issue long after it should ...

have died because he is arrogant.... His resignation is certainly in order IMO... This guy couldn't manage a paper route...