Thread: Maine Governor Vetoes Driver's Licenses for Illegal Aliens

Baldacci Vetoes Real I.D. Repeal - 6/3/09 3:40 P.M. EST

Gov. John Baldacci today vetoed a bill that would have repealed some provisions of Maine's Real ID law, enacted last year under pressure from federal authorities. Lawmakers voted Monday to repeal a provision of the anti-terrorism law that requires people to show so-called "legal presence" before getting a driver's license. They also repealed a provision requiring further study of facial recognition and other "biometric" technology.

Baldacci said the repeal would allow Maine drivers' licenses and identification cards to be "issued to people who are knowingly breaking immigration law." He said 46 states, including all other New England states, now require drivers' license applicants to show proof of legal presence.

Supporters of the repeal effort had argued that the provision threatened Mainer's privacy, but Baldacci said that argument was "overstated." He said the law doesn't require the use of facial image scans and other means of biometric identification, but only orders the Secretary of State to study the use of such technology.

"Maine's legal presence requirement is reasonable and justified," Baldacci said in a statement. "I do not believe that Maine should issue drivers' licenses to people who are not in the country legally. A driver's license is more than just a license to drive a car. It is an official credential that is used for many other purposes and which can be misused by someone in the country illegally. To change Maine's law unnecessarily puts at risk the integrity of State-issued credentials."

Chances of an override are slim.

www.mpbn.net

This is from Maine Public Radio. That must account for the audacity of their wording:
"Lawmakers voted Monday to repeal a provision of the anti-terrorism law that requires people to show SO-CALLED "LEGAL PRESENCE" before getting a driver's license."

Good news!! we don't get common sense very often these days!!

Gov. Baldacci said:

"Maine's legal presence requirement is reasonable and justified," Baldacci said in a statement. "I do not believe that Maine should issue drivers' licenses to people who are not in the country legally. A driver's license is more than just a license to drive a car. It is an official credential that is used for many other purposes and which can be misused by someone in the country illegally. To change Maine's law unnecessarily puts at risk the integrity of State-issued credentials."

So right sosad...common sense prevails occasionally.

Wish his common sense could spread like the Mexican Flu.

Nice, now our supporters need to arrange some political payback for those jerks in the Maine Assembly that just tried to aid the invaders.

W