Governors: Drivers License Costs to Soar

[Eugene]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5148528,00.html

Article covers Real ID Act and Medicaid.

Governors: Drivers License Costs to Soar

Monday July 18, 2005 7:46 AM

By ROBERT TANNER

AP National Writer

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - In the name of homeland security, motorists
are going to see costs skyrocket for driver's licenses and motor
vehicle offices forced to operate like local branches of the FBI,
the nation's governors warn.

The new federal law squeezed this spring into an $82 billion spending
bill had Republican and Democrat governors fuming at their summer
meeting here, and vowing to bring their complaints to Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff at a Monday meeting.

"It's outrageous to pass this off on the states," said Republican
Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, incoming chairman of the National
Governors Association. "You're essentially asking the front-line
clerks at the DMV to become an INS agent and a law enforcement
agent."

The law that passed in June goes beyond an earlier law that sought
to standardize state driver's licenses, requiring that states verify
license applicants are American citizens or legal residents.

link

[rodeodance]

1. this was known when law was passed!! Why did they NOT do something

--some active complaining at the time. i am so sick and tired of this crap!!!

[merwin]

8. Yeah, too little too late.

[Conservativesux]

2. No big deal: when Peak Oil hits, won't nobody be driving anyway.

Course' no one believes in Peak Oil.......yet !

[Carolab]

3. That money should go to transportation.

Like fixing the roads, which are in TERRIBLE shape.

Or funding mass transportation like light rail.

This is COMPLETE BULLSHIT.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. *Sigh* I'm going to miss the days of just throwing a check in the mail

with the renewal application.

[wakeme2008]

5. Let me see if I understand this.... voting and driver's licenses

Congress made the price of driver's licenses SOAR.. and more states are requiring driver's licenses (photo id) to vote...

Is there a connection here??????

[dbt]

6. Mike Huckabee's words are as hollow as his head.

Oh, he talks a real good, Populist game. But when it gets down to the nut-cuttin', he's a Party Boy all the way. Whatever bu$h's handlers dictate, he will ultimately go along with--in a frighteningly efficient manner.

It bears pointing out that Jabba The Huck is considering a run for President in 2008. Never too early to start telling the people what they want to hear, doncha know.

SIDEBAR: Guv, you STILL owe the people of Arkansas (who DID elect your sorry ass) an apology for that "Banana Republic" remark you made on Imus.

[phantom power]

9. He just doesn't want *his* state government to deal with it.

Typical GOP. They're all about federalism, unless it's politically inconvenient for any reason.

[Daphne08]

7. The Real ID Act is just another slap in the face

of democracy, along with all the other crap they've imposed on us - We, THE PEOPLE.

Well, I haven't seen one piece of legislation that benefits THE PEOPLE in a very long time, and it makes me laugh every time I hear one of the Senators or Representatives say, "We're here to do the people's business."

Lately they've been giving us the business alright! :grr: