Senate Votes to Stop Spitzer Plan to Give Illegal Immigrants Driver’s Licenses (NY Senate)

NY Times ^ | October 23, 2007 | NICHOLAS CONFESSORE

[neverdem]

ALBANY, Oct. 22 — Spurred by overwhelming public opposition to Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s decision to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, the State Senate yesterday passed legislation that would overturn the policy.

The 39-19 vote, which passed with the support of all the Republican senators present as well as several key Democrats, capped a debate laden with accusations of racism and demagoguery and warnings about terrorism and voter fraud. The vote also followed a raucous protest outside the Capitol, during which some opponents of the plan called for the governor to be recalled or impeached.

The clashes over the driver’s license policy overshadowed nearly all other business on Monday, and further dimmed the prospect for passage of major legislation that the governor and the Legislature have been negotiating for months, such as campaign finance reform and a property tax rebate for elderly homeowners.

The Senate bill is among a range of legislative and legal maneuvers Republicans are mustering to overturn Mr. Spitzer’s plan, which was issued by the State Department of Motor Vehicles in September. Assembly Republicans said they would try to attach a similar measure to unrelated legislation likely to reach the floor of their chamber during Tuesday’s Assembly session.

Their chances of ultimately prevailing on the measure may be slight, given that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, supports Mr. Spitzer’s policy and has nearly untrammeled control over the flow of legislation in his chamber.

But Republicans are eager for even a procedural vote to put Democrats on the record on the issue. Some Democrats have expressed uneasiness with...

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“Silver has not been a go-between,” Mr. Bruno said when asked about Mr. Silver’s comments. “If he has, he’s a dismal failure. All he is doing is feathering his own nest, making excuses for his own inactivity.”

[jmaroneps37]

The answer to the illegal alien invasion will come from the bottom up. The fact that individual county clerks are suing spitzer over this is impressive. The fact that even more clerks are just saying NO and saying HE has to sue them is still more impressive.

[The Mayor]

Many have done the same as you.

I have been fighting the corruption in Erie County and this state since 95, running for office, writing letters to the editor and now blogging. It blows me away how apathetic and apologetic people are.

If I loose this race I will either leaving or just stopping the fight.

[Travis McGee]

QUISLING: a synonym for traitor, someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.

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Current federal law 8USC 1373(a) PROHIBITS SANCTUARY CITIES. It reads as follows:

"Notwithstanding any other provision of federal, state, or local law, a federal, state, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual."

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U.S. Constitution, Article 4 Section 4:

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,

and shall protect each of them against Invasion;"

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Invasion: \In*va"sion\, n. [L. invasio: cf. F. invasion. See Invade.] [1913 Webster]

1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Marysecretary]

they’re socialists who have their own agenda.

[Marysecretary]

Silver isn’t too far behind. He’s a real problem here.

[Marysecretary]

Valesky’s one of ours—a local. Looks like such a nice man (NOT).

[Marysecretary]

I was born and raised in CNY and I plan on dying here. I love New York State, not the politics but the scenery, the people, etc. It’s a good place to live even if we do have one of the nation’s highest tax rates. We’re still making it fine on retirement.

[ThomasPaine2000]

Take a look at Westchester County...

[Marysecretary]

Nope. I’m happy here in God’s country, a rural area. Anything near NYC is foreign to me and that’s okay. Now, had you moved here, I think you’d like it.

[ThomasPaine2000]

I have lived “up-state”, Rochester and the Finger Lakes region, in my early years, and yes , you are right, it is a beautiful state. But “down state” ????

[Marysecretary]

Yeah, I understand. I hate driving down there!