Spitzer Sputters
By Alicia Colon
November 9, 2007

Governor Spitzer's executive order to license illegal immigrant drivers has resulted in a public interest group, Judicial Watch, suing him, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the DMV commissioner for circumventing the State Administrative Procedure Act. Another problematic Spitzer bill is the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act (S.5829), which could force all hospitals to allow abortions, including religious hospitals whose mission statements oppose the procedure. The governor's biggest problem may be tiny Gabriel Jones, who more than anyone drives home the message that abortion kills a living human being.

From the beginning, Mr. Spitzer's reasoning for the licensing proposal has been flawed, which has led many to believe, as I do, that the real purpose behind it may be to allow potential voting mischief. Polls show that 77% of New Yorkers reject the licensing proposal regardless of the governor's claim that national security warrants documenting illegals who are already here. If Mr. Spitzer believes the passports or birth certificates presented to obtain these licenses are genuine, then I'd like to know how he intends to authenticate them.

Mr. Spitzer has also said that he feels that issuing licenses to illegal immigrants would lower insurance rates and bring undocumented residents out into the open. Why on earth would insurance companies lower their rates? The governor's proposal does nothing to guarantee that these illegal immigrants would buy insurance. There are many legal drivers who do not carry insurance. This is for two reasons: It's too expensive, and they don't own any property that can be sacrificed in case of an accident or lawsuit.

The president of Judicial Watch, Thomas Fitton, explained in his press release: "Eliot Spitzer wants to use his public office to sanction illegal behavior and put all of us at risk through his plan to give driver licenses to illegal aliens. If Governor Spitzer wants to change the rules, he has to follow the rules – which means going through the New York State Legislature and otherwise following New York law."

http://www.nysun.com/article/66218