Spitzer Drops License Plan, A Note on Immigration

Thank God.

This is a contentious plan that saw no short-term effects to the voting public and little long-term effects to justify forcing it into law against massive public opposition. The voting public, whether it be because of racism, xenophobia, or just that it aggravates them that illegal immigrants found their way to America easier than their ancestors, do not show sympathy with immigrants who come here illegally.

It is true that some immigrants are forced, by economic or political means, to come to the United States illegally, and most come here looking for a decent living and not to take advantage of our social services. Sure some illegal immigrants are forced into slave labor just to keep themselves in the country, but the American people do not show sympathy with their plight.

Americans see their country has something that needs to be earned. Their ancestors sold everything they had to get on overcrowded, dirty boats for weeks at a time only to come to Ellis Island and be forced to go through hurdle after hurdle before arriving in America and have to start from scratch. In the eyes of Americans, illegal immigrants did not earn their way to America. They ran across the Rio Grade, or got off a plane and went into hiding after their visa expired. Americans feel, and justifiably so, their ancestors would not have been given such a fair deal if their ancestors came to America illegally, whether their arrival illegally was justified or not.

Now there are racial and xenophobic undertones in this debate as well. I highly doubt the debate would be as divisive if the immigrants came from Ireland, Scotland, or Norway. The color of immigrants' skin, the language they speak, and sometimes the religion they preach and seen by many as a threat to all-things American. This argument, however, would still be present if all immigration was legal and documented, as it was in the early 20th century.

Now, I understand Spitzer's rational. This is a problem that the federal government, thanks to lack of enforcement of the laws, has forced us to deal with. Unlicensed illegal immigrants cause accidents which drive up insurance costs. Licensing them and allowing them to get insurance decreases those chances, but I highly doubt any licensed illegal immigrant is going to be able to afford car insurance. Instead of steamrolling his plan, Governor Spitzer really needed to convince the people why he has to come up with this plan; "Because lack of federal invervention on the issue is causing unlicensed drivers to get into accidents, costing New Yorkers more. Until they come up with an immigration solution, we have no choice but to license them, so they can get insurance."

He didn't

The reason for massive public opposition to this is largely anger over these immigrants entering the country illegally and not being punished for it. Giving them driver's licenses is seen as a reward, ignorning the fact that they've committed a crime, even if it's only a misdemeanor.

New York State Assembly Passed Gay Marriage Bill

By a vote of 81-65, the New York State Assembly became the third state legislative body in the US to vote to legalize same sex marriage. Last year, both houses of the California legislature endorsed same-sex marriage, but the bill was vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill got some bipartisan support. Four Republicans, two men from the Hudson Valley and two women from the Adirondacks, voted for the bill;

Mike Spano (R-Yonkers), Joel Miller (R-Poughkeepsie), Teresa Sayward (R-Essex County) and Dede Scozzafava (R-Gouveneur) all voted aye.

21 Democrats and 1 Independent voted nay, breaking with party line; Peter Abbate (D-Brooklyn), Daniel Aubertine (D-Cape Vincent), Joan Christensen (D-Syracuse), Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village), Bill Colton (D-Brooklyn), Steven Cymbrowitz (D-Brooklyn), Francine DelMonte (D-Niagara Falls), Ruben Diaz Jr. (D-Bronx), Dennis Gabryszak (D-Cheektowaga), Sandra Galef (D-Peekskill), David Gantt (D-Rochester), Diane Gordon (D-Brooklyn), Timothy Gordon (I-Delmar), Auriela Greene (D-Bronx), Carl Heastie (D-Bronx), Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn), William Magee (D-Nelson), Margaret Markey (D-Maspeth), N. Nick Perry (D-Brooklyn), Annette Robinson (D-Brooklyn), Robin Schimminger (D-Kenmore), Anthony Seminerio (D-Richmond Hill).

State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselear) has already said the bill will be dead on arrival to the Senate, so it'll almost certainly will not reach Governor Spitzer's desk this session.

Spitzer would sign it if it did. It would make New York the second state to legalize gay marriage after Massachusetts and the first to do it legislatively.

Governor Bloomberg?

Ah, the only Republican who can probably give Eliot Spitzer an interesting reelection...the Republicrat Mayor of New York City. He'd have almost a whole year to campaign after leaving office at the end of 2009.

Bloomberg vs. Spitzer would be a VERY interesting race, and it's beginning to show, Bloomberg is not crazy about the new Governor.

Let's see what happens when the mayor's term comes to a close in 2009.

Spitzer To Push For Gay Marriage

If there is any doubt Spitzer is spending his political capital like a drunken sailor, I give you his push for gay marriage to a divided legislature.

Spitzer is a strong support of gay marriage and has vowed to work to make New York the second state to legalize it, and the first to do it by legislation.

Some polls have shown a small majority of New Yorkers support gay marriage. A larger majoriity support civil unions and domestic partnerships. More over, although I have no proof of this, my belief is that to most New Yorkers, gay marriage is low on the issues meter; meaning if it was legalized, the large minority who opposes it would not suddenly begin rioting and picketing, nor would it destroy Spitzer or the state's Democratic Party.

Still, Spitzer's chances of getting a bill to sign into law are slim. Although a majority in the legislature supports it, some Democrats oppose it and the Republicans still control the State Senate.

While I applaud the Governor's spending of political capital to do what's right, perhaps if this fails, he should consider civil unions as a means to begin giving legal rights to gays and lesbians now, with gay marriage coming down the pike. Progress takes time, remember.

Spitzer's First 100 Days

Governor Eliot Spitzer assumed office in January with something very few new governors had ever had before...a sweeping mandate.

Having won nearly 70% of the vote in the general election, and carrying every Congressional, State Senate and State Assembly district, Spitzer took office with an enormous amount of political capital to spend, and he wasn't afraid to spend it.

Spitzer faced the state legislature head on, working with them to overhaul workers' compensation, keeping sexual predators off the streets, and promote ethics in Albany. He got a budget passed, only 11 hours late.

Governor Spitzer hasn't feared defeat however, he took them on, and it's debatable if he should've, concerning the election of a new State Comptroller. He lost that battle with the legislature, who, to the Governor's chegrin, elected Long Island Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli to the position over other candidates listed by a committe set up by the Governor. He caved to the state legislature on hospital spending and school spending, but was successfull in doing what former Democratic Governors Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo failed to do in the 1970's and 80's, funnel more education money into the poorer schools.

Spitzer's approval rating has taken a beating in his first 100 days. Partially as a result of those commercials aired to attack the Governor's cuts in Medicaid; one such commercial shows an eldery lady threatening to give up and die if Spitzer cuts her Medicaid. Any Governor would see his or her popularity plummet when they are "killing old ladies." Approval ratings don't mean much in the first few months, especially when one won his seat with 70% of the vote. Spitzer's political limits are being realized.

New York's Primary is February 5th

Governor Spitzer signed into law today a bill that will move New York's Presidential Primary up one month to February 5th. Here's what Governor Spitzer says in support of the new law;

"Moving the primary date to February, we will help secure New York's large and diverse population an influential voice in selecting the 2008 presidential nominees."

As if New York didn't have enough influence on this race already.

Clinton and Giuliani are almost assured of victories here, which would be one of the largest primaries and will be so early in the year.

Here's what former Governor Pataki has to say about it;

"It's great having New York be relevant, but what I do have concerns about is when you have a dozen states or more doing it at the same time. The idea of a primary season where you have to go from state to state or region to region and respond to what has happened in earlier states is of value."

For once I agree with the Republican Pataki and not with the Democrat Spitzer...stranger things have happened I guess.

Nevertheless, I understand Spitzer's point. Today, the primaries have become less of a long race where delegate leads change hands like back in the 1960's and more about "Well, I'll just vote for the guy who won in Iowa."

The Tale Of Two Democrats

The Popular Governor vs. The Unpopular Legislator...both from the same party, but both on opposite sides of public opinion

Respondents to an online poll by Crain's New York Business overwhelmingly agree
with Gov. Eliot Spitzer that Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is a
roadblock to reform in Albany and ought to be removed.

A little about Sheldon Silver; He has been Speaker of the State Assembly since 1994, when he replaced Saul Weprin (D-Queens) who passed away. He led the State Assembly through three Governors; Cuomo, Pataki and now Spitzer. Basically, he has led the State Assembly through it's entire history of being notoriously discombobulated. When a man has been in power for 17 years and has not made an already messed up body any better (perhaps worse), maybe it is time for him to go.

Then this;

Only 7% of respondents to the Crain's poll were unconditionally supportive of
Mr. Silver, while a full 73% said Mr. Silver should be removed, and 20% said the
matter should be settled by the Assembly, not the governor.

Shelly's on the wrong side of an overwhelmingly popular governor with an overwhelmingly popular agenda (Reform in Albany).

The election of Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli (D-Great Neck) as State Comptroller over the more qualified Martha Stark just shows how notoriously screwy the state legislature is. Martha Stark was quite a qualified individual, but she lost the election in the State House because she was effectively chosen by the Governor...and the State Assembly hates to agree with the Governor.

News Flash: Governor Spitzer won his electipn with 69% of the vote...the second largest landslide in the state history...I would call that a mandate, and with that percentage of New York's population behind you, it's no surprise Silver is not very popular. Voters wanted reform, they want Albany to work, and that's hard to do when you have the same old people running the place.

For years Silver's right hand man had been Majority Leader Paul Tokaz (D-Cheektowaga) from way up near Buffalo. Tokaz retired last year and was replaced by Democrat Dennis Gabryszak. The new Majority Leader is Ronald Canestrari (D-Cohoes), who is perhaps not ready to become Speaker. If Tokaz was still in the Assembly, this would be an easy clinch for him, but without him, a new Speaker may be hard to choose. It has been tradition, however, for the Speaker to come from New York City...but maybe it is time to give Upstate a chance to govern.

Nevertheless, Pataki is gone, so is Hevesi, and maybe it is time for Shelly Silver to step down too and for a new Speaker to take his place...and maybe take Joe Bruno with you.

Good Times in Albany for the next four years

Right To Love

Saint Valentine believed it, and we should today...Government has no right telling people who they can love and whether or not they're allowed to show it.

Today sbould be more than chocolates, candy message hearts, flowers, balloons, kisses and sex. It should be about the underlying message left to us by the patron saint of lovers who lived 1800 years ago.

In 269AD, Emperor Claudius II found his military population dwindling. Roman men were not staying in the military longer than they had to. The emperor believed this to be because men cared more about marrying and raising a family then defending the empire in the far off borders in the military. Claudius therefore cancelled all marriages and refused to allow any.

Saint Valentine wouldn't allow it. He continued to marry Roman men and women, even though the emperor had banned it. Saint Valentine did not care if those he was marrying were Christian, Jew or pagan, her married them. Love doesn't come with labels. The emperor, seeing Saint Valentine as a threat to his power had him beatened and beheaded for conducting illegal marriages. Claudius II made a martyr out of Saint Valentine and since he was a Christian priest, Claudius added fuel to the alredy existing fires of persecution against the Christian minority. Neverthless, Saint Valentine died leaving behind the message that love trumps all and everybody has the right to commit to those they love...publicly.

Here in New York, we are lucky to live in a state where a majority of the population aren't bigots. We don't believe our government, like Emperor Claudius II, has any right dictating who can get married, to whom and when. More than half of all New Yorkers support marriage rights for LGBT Americans. Governor Spitzer also supports legalization of gay marriage.

While this is not an issue that may be taken up right away, as the new Governor has bigger fish to fry, but with the Governor's 69% mandate, the Democratic super majority in the State Assembly, and the slim two seat majority for the liberal Republicans in the Senate (thanks to the victory just last week of Democrat Craig Johnson, a gay rights support in a Long Island State Senate race against anti-gay rights Republican Maureen O'Connell,) we may soon see the Empire State become the first state to legalize gay marriage through legislative action...and no one can argue legislative action.

The bigots will argue New York has "activist" politicians. The religious zealots will argue New York will be damned to hell and the sky will fall upon Manhattan...but we here in New York understand what is right.

We here in New York understand love cannot be restricted.

Happy Valentine's Day