The idea of a license for undocumented immigrants is not totally up in smoke, but its about to go - at least for now. It is absolutely amazing that Americans don't understand that most people who live in the U.S. have to drive.
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November 10, 2007
Spitzer Showing Signs of Shift on License Plan
New York Times
By DANNY HAKIM
SAN JUAN, P.R., Nov. 9 — Reeling from relentless criticism of his plan to issue New York driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, Gov. Eliot Spitzer indicated on Friday that he had not ruled out shelving the idea.
The governor’s aides have grown increasingly concerned that reaction to the plan is preventing Mr. Spitzer from advancing or even discussing other matters. It has also become an issue for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign and has caused anxiety among other Democrats.
After a meeting on Friday with Hispanic lawmakers at a conference here, Mr. Spitzer was not displaying the defiance with which he had defended the plan in the past. Asked by a reporter if he would change or table the plan, the governor said he was sticking with it “as of now,” but suggested that he was open to abandoning it.
“Sometimes you put out an idea and there isn’t so much support, and you try to persuade people and you see where you go,” Mr. Spitzer said. “This is the way the world works.”
He added: “I don’t think there’s ever been an executive, a president, a governor who hasn’t put out ideas, that at the end of the day there isn’t support, and so things don’t work out, but as of now, sure, I think this is the right idea from a security perspective. We’ll wait and see.”
If Mr. Spitzer were to withdraw the policy, there would probably be great relief among the many Democrats who have become entangled in the issue, whether they support the plan or not.
The reaction to the plan has far exceeded what the governor or his staff expected, and Democratic incumbents in Congress and the State Senate fear it has given Republicans an issue to use against them next year. It has also earned Mr. Spitzer the animosity of groups pushing for stricter controls on immigration and inspired Lou Dobbs, the CNN anchor, to lead a nightly crusade against the policy.
Mr. Spitzer’s comments on Friday came just after Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, the Legislature’s top Democrat, suggested to reporters that Mr. Spitzer should not push ahead at this point.
“I think the governor has a job of going out and selling to the public what he hopes to achieve, listening to the public, making them more comfortable and slowing down the process until there is an understanding by the public of what he hopes to do,” said Mr. Silver, who has broken with Mr. Spitzer over the policy.
The criticism and intense focus on the issue has led to internal discussions among Mr. Spitzer’s aides about their next step. Mr. Spitzer has said he plans to have the new system in place by the end of next year.
Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson, who was also at the conference in Puerto Rico, said of the governor, “I think, for now, he is satisfied to keep going.”
“Now, down the road, you don’t know what future events are, and obviously if they — at some point we’re going to have to start seeing a spike” in support, he said, adding, “If not, I would think down the road, we’ll at least think about it...."
for complete article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/10/nyregion/10spitzer.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1194700307-nXTQh156p3jeIpvsFFv6jg&pagewanted=print
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