Thread: Lt. Gov. David Paterson for granting noncitizens right to v

Lt. Gov. David Paterson for granting noncitizens right to vote

BY KIRSTEN DANIS
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF

Gov. Spitzer's second-in-command appeared to throw his support behind allowing noncitizens to vote yesterday - even though his boss doesn't necessarily agree.

Lt. Gov. David Paterson, speaking at a breakfast before the West Indian American Day Carnival Parade, said it was "exciting" to note that 22 states once allowed permanent, legal residents the right to vote.

"Let's just remember that America used to be a land of opportunity. We can bring it back," Paterson told the crowd.

Later, Paterson said he did not warn Spitzer about his remarks, but insisted he was not calling for a major shift in the law.

"It's not Eliot's view, it's not a policy change I'm asking for," Paterson said. "It's just a fact you can look up. But I thought when you hear it, it certainly arouses some curiosity as to why we have, for some reason, changed our viewpoint."

A spokeswoman for Spitzer, who was also at the breakfast, would not say if the governor opposes giving the right to vote to legal residents. But, she added, "This is not something that's under consideration."

Between 1776 and the 1920s, 22 states and territories allowed noncitizens to vote. Permanent residents were allowed to vote and serve on New York City school boards until they were phased out in 2002. Efforts to revive the right have largely sputtered.

A measure to allow noncitizens to vote in the city has been stalled in the City Council for about three years. Asked about Paterson's comments, Mayor Bloomberg reiterated his opposition. "It's a privilege of citizenship and I've always thought if you want to vote you should become a citizen," he said.

"If voting is given to everybody, what's the point of becoming a citizen?"

kdanis@nydailynews.com

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/09 ... nonci.html

It's called a fishing expedition and or pandering to illegals. Comments form Lt. Gov. David Paterson only prompt illegals and La Raza to ask for more.

That's good information to know.

Dixie

This is a very dangerous man.

"Let's just remember that America used to be a land of opportunity. We can bring it back," Paterson told the crowd.

If its not, it should remain that way for illegals, they will abuse our system every time. 'The Land of Opportunity' should only apply to those who are committed as citizens and not harmful as law-breakers. This guy is spewing NAU and NWO propaganda. I hope the crowd read into what he was saying.