Governor Spitzer Resigns

On March 12th, Christopher Dziedzic, Chairman of the New York State Young Republicans, released the following statement:

“Today is bittersweet. We have just learned that Governor Spitzer will step aside effective Monday, March 17th. These past few days have certainly been the darkest in New York’s long history.

“I do want to thank the Governor for sparing us any more of the torture that we have already endured.

“An impeachment procedure would have derailed our elected officials even more, causing an even later budget -- it is best that the Empire State moves on and away from another Albany scandal, for the good of its constituents. I paraphrase President Ford when I say that our long nightmare is over.

“This nightmare began on Day One when Governor Spitzer stated that everything was going to change, and it certainly did. A plan for drivers licenses for illegal aliens, improperly using state employees to discredit the Senate Majority Leader, the new ‘crack tax’ initiative, and many other conflicts are all apart of this 14 month-long embarrassment known as the Spitzer Administration.

“I, again, wish to state that all of our prayers are with Mrs. Spitzer and her three daughters as they, too, try to move forward, out of the public’s eye.

“We must look ahead to the new administration, pass a smaller state budget, on time, and get back to working on the real issues affecting the Citizens of New York State.”

The NYSYR conducted an online petition drive among New York’s Young Republicans to tell the Governor to resign. Within the first 48 hours, about 700 signatures were gathered statewide.

Thanks to GOP, Spitzer’s License Plan Got Steamrolled

by Bob Capano, Brooklyn YRs

I am not quite sure what part of “illegal” Governor Spitzer and other advocates for giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants do not understand.

Under Governor Spitzer’s original announced plan for New York, which unfortunately is a reality in some states, one would have been able to apply for a driver’s license without having to prove their legal status. Those applying for licenses in New York State would no longer have been required to provide Social Security numbers and instead, would have allowed applicants to provide foreign passports or other forms of ID.

Therefore, illegal immigrants would have been eligible for the same license as legal immigrants and citizens under this plan.

The Brooklyn Young Republican Club began an on-line petition drive to stop this controversial Spitzer plan (go to www.brooklynyr.com for more information on the Club).

Indeed, nearly 400 individuals from Brooklyn and beyond signed this petition, including residents from throughout New York State, as well as from Wisconsin, Georgia, Nebraska, and Florida. This demonstrated the wide-spread disagreement with this plan, including by many Democrats like former NYC Mayor Ed Koch. The Brooklyn YR Club was proud to be a part of the large grass-roots effort that ultimately forced Spitzer to recently withdraw this plan.

In addition to all of the other potential security threats posed by this policy, including the fact that terrorists could have potentially obtained this new watered down driver’s license to allow them to operate more freely here, this plan could have forced us all to get passports to fly within the United States. This is because our licenses under Spitzer’s plan may not have met federal security requirements (REAL ID Act) and therefore, they would have been de-valued as proof of our identity and status in the United States. It is still unclear why our Governor proposed such a plan that would have burdened legal, law-abiding New York residents with additional costs and inconvenience by forcing us to get a passport in order to allow illegal immigrants to have a driver’s license.

Then, Governor Spitzer announced a new version of his original ill-conceived plan. He wanted to create a three-tier licensing system. Two of these licenses would have been available only to citizens and legal aliens and would have met the new federal security requirements. However, there still would have been a license available to illegal immigrants, which would still have raised the security threat mentioned above relating to terrorists potentially being able to obtain one. Once again, it is unclear why our Governor proposed creating any type of identification for people who are here illegally. Indeed, we should not be overlooking, bypassing, excusing or forgetting the fact that people are here illegally, and this is precisely what we are doing when any state provides them with a privilege like a driver’s license.

Some argue that Republicans and those who are opposed to giving illegal immigrants driver’s licenses are anti-immigrant. Nothing could be further from the truth. We support legal immigration and those who follow the law to become part of our great country. Think about it- how can we as a society look those in the eye who waited many years to become a part of our country legally, while we excuse and reward those who came here illegally by providing them with a driver’s license. I cannot support such unfairness, and I do not understand how Governor Spitzer and supporters of this type of plan can.

Although Governor Spitzer did withdraw his plan, there are still states that currently allow illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses.

There are also those, including many Democrats running for President, who support this idea or can’t articulate where they stand. Thankfully, in New York, we were able to stop this plan; however, one state in our country allowing policies that threatens our security is one too many.

This is why I am pleased that two New York Members of Congress, Vito Fossella and Peter King, are taking the lead in Washington, D.C. to deter and prohibit states from issuing driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

Bob Capano is the President of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club.

Spitz’ Fits Put “Day One” on Fritz

by Rich Alicea, Queens YRs

On a cold, winter day in January, New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer (D) stood on the steps of our State Capitol and declared that the "Rip Van Winkle" days in Albany were over. He declared that he would usher in a new age of ethics in the state. He declared that everything would change beginning on "Day One."

But seven months later, Governor Spitzer has accomplished little more than bullying and compromising those "ethics" that he promised to promote. His hypocritical "do as I say, not as I do" attitude has become the norm, as he publicly criticized Republicans throughout the state for actions that not only are lawful, but actions that the Governor himself has been doing.

His now infamous outburst to Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco (R), in which he described himself as an “f*****g steamroller”, was only the first of a series of schoolyard bully tactics that Spitzer has utilized to create a double standard in our Capitol.

He chastised the Republican-controlled State Senate for its refusal to, without question, adopt his version of campaign finance reform. At the same time, the Governor, with the practice of bundling, sold access to himself and his office to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars a person, as reported in April by New York State Republican Party Chairman, Joseph Mondello. Is this reform? Instead of leading by example, Governor Spitzer has chosen to lead by public posturing and grandstanding. But, the hypocrisy continues.

As Governor Spitzer publicly criticized Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R) for using public aircraft, he traveled around the state lambasting Republican Senators for ending its legislative session on the scheduled date and not kow-towing to his demands, according to a July 2, 2007 New York Daily News article. In effect, he campaigned for any Democratic challenger to a Republican incumbent, all on the taxpayer's dime. To add insult to injury, the Governor's office leaked police records about Sen. Bruno's travel, for political gain, to the Albany Times Union. The Steamroller's response: "I didn't know it was happening."

In his first several months in office, Governor Spitzer has only proven that his ego trumps all, and that we, the taxpaying citizens, must suffer the consequences. Allowing his feud with Sen. Bruno to get the best of him, he has demonstrated that he either cannot be trusted to monitor what's going on in his own office, or cannot be trusted to tell the truth when it comes to his own office's manipulation of its authority. Either way, this type of behavior is unacceptable.

Rich Alicea is the Chairman of the Queens County YRs.