Thread: MD: Too much license

Too much license


January 15, 2008


THE WASHINGTON TIMES EDITORIAL - Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley plans a "second tier" of driver's licenses for illegal aliens, it emerged this week. This replay of New York state's license fiasco must be high on Mr. O'Malley's agenda, because even in liberal Maryland, enacting it will require much political capital. As New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer discovered to his chagrin, voters overwhelmingly disapprove of granting licenses to illegals. The unseemliness of government aiding and abetting law-breakers combined with the inherent security issues are viewed, rightly, as bad public policy. This has been true even in solidly liberal states. Indeed, in Maryland, less than a fifth approve of the idea in the latest survey.

Mr. O'Malley's aides began briefing lawmakers on the subject last week. Two types of licenses would be issued in this first-in-the-nation proposal. On the one hand, citizens and legal residents would receive federal REAL ID-compliant licenses that serve the familiar functions and benefit from the REAL ID law's security and antiterror upgrades. On the other, illegal aliens would be eligible for the second tier, which sounds like a genuinely novel means of abetting law-breakers. The second-tier licenses could not be used for access to federal buildings, to board airplanes or to cross borders. But they would serve as driver's licenses and as a basis on which to secure auto insurance. This is touted by Mr. O'Malley and allies as a security gain.

As things stand, Maryland is among the very worst in the nation when it comes to driver's license fraud and insecurity. Perhaps Mr. O'Malley thinks that more explicit state-government condoning of illegals would be acceptable. But this runs contrary to all signs that Marylanders actually want genuinely tough enforcement of immigration laws — not a government which abets illegals. In Rasmussen Reports' Jan. 2 survey of state voters, only 18 percent of respondents said that illegals should be allowed to get driver's licenses. Fully 76 percent said no.

There are further signs of a serious gap between Mr. O'Malley and public opinion on related subjects. Sixty-six percent of state residents said they think that Maryland police officers should check the immigration status of drivers as they issue traffic citations, compared to 25 percent who said no. Fully 55 percent said that an illegal alien discovered in such a manner should be deported. No wonder Casa de Maryland and other pro-illegal-alien organizations are uncomfortable.

Overall, for Marylanders, immigration ties for the No. 3 issue of concern in the next presidential election, between the economy and the war in Iraq and tied with national security. That is no blank check, Mr. Governor.

The notion that Marylanders will prove more comfortable with a government that aids and abets illegal activity and less sensitive to the security issues than New Yorkers is simply wrong. And yet, this is the premise of the latest O'Malley proposal. It is not too late for the governor to jettison a bad idea.

www.washingtontimes.com

The notion that Marylanders will prove more comfortable with a government that aids and abets illegal activity and less sensitive to the security issues than New Yorkers is simply wrong.

Oh yea, I'm beginning to wonder..

The second-tier licenses could not be used for access to federal buildings, to board airplanes or to cross borders. But they would serve as driver's licenses and as a basis on which to secure auto insurance

I suspect the illegals will reject a second tier license. They are afraid it will document they are illegal. I suspect they are correct. They will still refuse to buy insurance.

The 2nd tier license process should ask for finger prints and name of employer.

I predict the illegals and the conservatives will fight a 2nd tier license. Illegals want a first tier license, so they can vote, purchase a house, etc.