By Michael J.Cook

Gov. Elliot Spitzer is leading the way in New York State to give everyone who lives there-legally or not-the ability to obtain a driver’s license, but not without flack from both sides of the political spectrum after compromising due to national pressure.

The federal government allows states to make their own decisions regarding driver’s licenses, and in this case, whether a license can be given to an individual who is not a legal resident. Spitzer first proposed a blanket program, which would grant full-fledged driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. The fierce opposition from the State Legislature, and many in the Assembly, caused him to instead propose a multi-tiered program. The new program, negotiated and announced with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, would give undocumented immigrants in the state a license that would permit them to drive, but not as identification to cross borders or board planes.

Instead, a nationwide identification card would serve as a driver’s license, in addition to providing identification for numerous applications, such as boarding planes and entering federal facilities. Spitzer’s new proposal would give New Yorkers who are here legally a federally recognized identification card known as a Real ID. While the system is not expected to be implemented nationwide until 2013, N.Y. residents can expect to see the Real ID as soon as next year.

But this close to an election, Democrats fear that such an unpopular move by the governor could cause local elections across the state to suffer. From Albany to the Hamptons, from county clerks to county legislatures, the local politicians and their opponents are battling over an issue of both the security of the nation’s borders, as well as an increasingly complex surge of security reforms that have been in the works since the 9/11 attacks.

In Monroe County, which includes the city of Rochester, a flier issued by Monroe County Republicans warns voters that “Democratic county legislators want to make it easier for illegals and terrorists to get driver’s licenses,” according to an article in the Nov. 5 Albany Times-Union. The flier shows a man in a turban, with an assault rifle over his shoulder. On the other page, a N.Y. driver’s license shows the same man.

“While I object to illegal immigration, the reality of the situation requires that we offer all people to be licensed to drive,” said Daniel Gruber, a political science major in his junior year. “The alternative would promote a dangerous situation.”

Meanwhile on Long Island, Republican Joseph Belesi is pushing the issue as well, who lost an election against incumbent Dave Mejias in the Nassau County Legislature, pushed the issue in his campaign.

“Under the current plan, Osama bin Laden could probably get a license in New York state,” Belesi said.

While the Republicans feel the proposal is going too far, Spitzer’s fellow Democrat Sheldon Silver feels that the governor’s second proposal is a compromise that does not go far enough. During the announcement of the new, multi-tiered program with Chertoff, Silver said that the original supporters of the bill were upset with the new proposal, and the original opposers were not satisfied either.

“It’s an unmitigated political disaster” said Richard Himelfarb, an associate professor of political science, when asked about how the issue will effect the Democratic Party. “I think it’s very damaging to the Democratic Party. Incumbents can and will be asked about this issue”.

With Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) now officially offering her support for Gov. Spitzer’s proposal, the national spotlight on the Empire State is growing brighter. Just a day after her indecisive position on the subject-highlighted by attacks on her during a debate in Pennsylvania-Clinton’s campaign endorsed Spitzer’s proposal.

“Senator Clinton supports governors like Governor Spitzer who believe they need such a measure to deal with the crisis caused by this administration’s failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform,” her campaign said in a press statement.

Despite many Democrats fearing that Spitzer has put the party in a dangerous position, Clinton’s recent support suggests that the issue has some clout, especially on the national stage. Clinton has endorsed neither of Spitzer’s programs specifically; however she is in support of the broad conception of allowing illegal immigrants to obtain licenses.

Himelfarb compared the proposal to another questionable policy making decision, brought under fire during the 1988 presidential election. Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis, while governor of Massachusetts, supported a prison furlough program. The program most controversially resulted in the release of convicted murderer William Horton. Under the state law, he had become eligible for an unguarded, 48-hour furlough, however he never came back. Instead, Horton assaulted a man and a raped a woman in the couple’s home in Maryland 11 months after being freed.

“It basically rendered the impression of Democrats as the party that cares more about the criminals than the victims,” Himelfarb said. Himelfarb feels that the Democrats are being considered as the party that “cares more about the right to drive than whether or not [immigrants] are here legally. And it just doesn’t pass the smell-test of the American public.”