Eliot Spitzer’s decision to bag his effort to give illegal aliens driver’s licenses says a lot — about a lot of things.
First, the Spitzer case proves that on immigration issues the will of the people will no longer be ignored. Our voices are many and loud. We will not be trampled on.
Second, Spitzer — like his fellow Democrats Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama — get only bad counsel and complicate their careers by listening to it. Spitzer’s camp claims to be surprised by the public outcry. But I’m not — and neither are you. In fact, I predicted it. Spitzer, et al needs to wider his sphere of influence to include people who disagree with him.
Third, the reaction to Spitzer’s ill-conceived plan guarantees that no governor in the near future will venture into the murky water of licenses for aliens. That battle, for the time being, has been fought and won — by us.
Fourth, Spitzer’s withdrawal from the illegal alien license fray does not let either Clinton or Obama off the hook. Obama is on the record as in favor. Clinton, waffling aside, also supports the idea.
Either could take advantage of Spitzer’s choice to pull the idea and say:
”I see now that the public opposes…and if elected president, I will do what the public calls for so I have changed my mind.”
I’m not expecting that to happen. But if I were a Clinton or Obama adviser, that’s what I would tell them to do.
And since they’ve been getting the same bad information as Spitzer, they should listen.