Eric Hartley: New license won't make state safer

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Ben is correct - 2009-01-30 10:36:40

Here's an article that describes what Ben is talking about... how the dems learned to push things through by watching the republicans push things through... by fear, by changing the argument from real questions like what should we do or not do to how should we do it. http://www.reason.com/news/show/131332.html

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

B Kibbey - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Balanced column? - 2009-01-29 21:01:15

Referencing the statements of somebody with a different opinion and then claiming that they have reached that opinion out of 'fear' and arguing that they have 'exaggerated' in a statement that they never made is not a 'balanced column'. It is just another example of the left-wing bias in reporting that permeates the media. A 'balanced column' wouldn't summarily state that the opposition to the current policy is based on 'this fear' when there are a number of factors. But one of the new favorite liberal tricks is to identify anybody who feels differently they do as being 'fearful', so they are then seen in a negative light. Similarly, it was not even suggested that 'Maryland hands out licenses', yet the columnist argues that anybody making the statement is exaggerating, again, putting the person he disagrees with in a negative light (even though the statement was never made). This is also known as a red herring, right? The article isn't even close to 'journalism' but is instead pure ideological advocacy. And of course, the comment uses the same argumentation method by summarily stating that anybody who references this behavior as improper by a journalist (or is the columnist willing to identify himself as supportive of the liberal agenda and state that he uses his column to convince people of the propriety of the liberal agenda) is just part of a 'one-note anti-illegal crowd', thereby summarily delegitimizing the others who commented to anybody who doesn't take the time to actually think about what they are reading. It is a very sad state of affairs we find ourselves in.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Ben H. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Wait, come to think of it - 2009-01-29 08:33:03

i DO wish unemployment on illegal aliens. i wish they found this country so undesirable to live in, that they would pack their bags and head back to the country where they came from. if they left, that would mean they would stop using our taxpayer funded services without paying into such services, and it would mean that jobs in this country would be guaranteed to go to legal, taxpaying citizens. if they were unable to find jobs here and they left, no longer would my health care premiums rise so that i could cover the share they don't pay. if they left, the taxes that i pay into the public school system would now go towards students who are in this country legally, and whose parents also contribute to our tax system. we are a nation of immigrants. but people who come here illegally, people who evade our taxes, people who use taxpayer funded services without paying into those services, and people who refuse to learn the language of our land are not "immigrants". they are aliens who are invading our country and deserve the same lack of respect they give to our nation.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Brian A. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Nils, please.... - 2009-01-29 08:04:00

Nowhere, NOWHERE did i say i wish unemployment on illegal aliens. what i did say, however, is that i am furious in these difficult economic times that MY TAX DOLLARS are being used to fund CASA of Maryland, which helps aid & abet illegals in our state and helps them find jobs that should go to legal taxpaying citizens instead. you have a bleeding heart for illegal aliens. good for you. can you please pay MY share of extra taxes that support them in our state? i'd like to instead put my money to use supporting people who are in the country legally and who share in the cost of paying taxes with me.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Brian A. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Nils - 2009-01-28 22:46:36

It's not Maryland's fault illegals keep pouring into the US, but how is it not Maryland's fault that they keep pouring into Maryland?

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Peter D. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Potshots - 2009-01-28 21:49:15

So, Brian, just because you disagree with someone you wish unemployment on them? Pretty constructive...and typical. I don't necessarily agree with giving illegals licenses myself. But this story very skillfully lays out arguments on both sides. Did you people even read the story? This is a balanced column. The writer just takes it a step further and tells the way he leans. For that the one-note, anti-illegal crowd skewers him. I'm still undecided. I think it makes sense to keep track of illegals. They're going to be here anyway...why not track them? At the same time this state needs to follow the RealID rules and not be an overly attractive destination for illegals. I've said it before. It's not this state's fault illegals continue to flow into the U.S. This is a national issue and it was never adequately addressed by the Bush administration. In fact he was much more "liberal" on this issue than many of the people commenting here.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Nils Pedersen - Arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

B Kibbey..... - 2009-01-27 18:45:51

you hit the nail on the head. all the MVA needs to do is ask for a valid passport, a social security number, or U.S. birth certificate. doesn't seem that difficult. when we have illegals flocking into our state with Spanish newspapers in hand that say "come to Maryland to get a license", that scares the heck out of me. they are coming to our state, getting licenses with ease, evading our taxes, using our taxpayer funded services to their advantage, taking jobs away from legal taxpaying citizens, and sending money home to their country without fees or fines. i am sick of the fact that illegal aliens have more freedoms in this state than the legal taxpayers.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Brian A. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

reform - 2009-01-27 17:54:08

we don't need REAL ID... we need Maryand MVA to start requiring proof of citizenship. Cost... near-zero. Immimigration problem... reduced. (not solved, it will take a lot more than that). As for Real ID... read this... http://www.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/30

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

B Kibbey - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Yes, it will be safer.... - 2009-01-27 17:02:49

because if Maryland would start to require proof of citizenship in order to obtain a drivers license, we wouldn't have so many illegal aliens flocking into our state. And that would mean less illegals evading our taxes, less illegals reaping the benefits our our taxpayer funded services, and less illegals living in maryland and murdering our citizens. i am still floored that we are continuing to aid & abet illegals in this state. i am still floored that CASA of Maryland is allowed to continue assisting illegal aliens with OUR tax dollars. and i am still floored that our own state government cares more about the rights of people who entered this country illegal and continues to spit in the faces of the hardworking, legal taxpayers of Maryland.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Brian A. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

oh brother - 2009-01-27 16:15:32

Perhaps this newspaper should lay off its columnist instead of the other hard working people.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Brian N. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Real ID - 2009-01-27 14:10:02

First this isn't about being anti-foreign; short of American Indians, ALL of us can trace our roots back to immigrants. It's about coming here in the prescribed and lawful manner. If you are not here legally you are a parasite - taking all the benefits of living in this country and providing nothing back to it. You pay no income taxes, work for next to nothing keeping wages artificially low, a good portion of the money you "earn" goes back to relatives in your home country never to be spent here in the US. Well, I'm getting a bit off topic...back to driver's licenses. DLs are a legal form of identification. If I must somehow obtain another form of "secure" ID to fly or enter a federal building because this liberal state is too lazy and touchy-feely to implement a common sense program that nearly every other state has, I will not be a happy Marylander. I suspect many other voting tax payers will not be happy either. But wait, can illegals vote in MD...?

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Jeffrey O. - Pasadena, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Serious problem..... - 2009-01-27 08:03:43

when illegal aliens are flocking into our state with "out-of-state" Spanish newspapers advertising "come to Maryland to get a license". They are making lines longer for LEGAL taxpaying citizens, they are using that valid drivers license to board airplanes and enter federal buildings, and they are creating negative population growth in our state. Tai Lam, a 14-year old, YES, A FOURTEEN YEAR OLD, was killed in Silver Spring by an illegal alien. Mary Havenstein, a 63-year old Bethesda woman, was beaten and hog-tied in her home by illegal aliens. She died too. Oh, and Lila Meizell, a Montgomery County resident, was beaten and burned alive by, (yep, you guessed it) illegal aliens. So with all of these illegal aliens flocking into our state and murdering our citizens, WHY, OH WHY do we continue to hand out drivers licenses to them, allow then to evade our taxes, allow them to work in our state, and allow them to use pro-illegal alien organizations like CASA to aid & abet them in our state? This is NOT El Salvador, this is AMERICA, and I want my country back!!!

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Brian A. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Total B.S. - 2009-01-26 20:15:23

More Liberal claptrap.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Emma G. - West River, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Article - what a joke. - 2009-01-26 19:39:06

This is really amazing ... so many "smart" elected officials and here we are in 2009 with illegals getting licenses in Maryland. Am I surprised no, am I sad, yes. It is a failure on many levels -- who is accountable in the Maryland Government to fix this and fix it pronto!

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Nick W. - Davidsonville, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Quick Fix - 2009-01-26 15:41:25

The MVA should make two License lines, one for documented citizens and one for those undocumented. Have someone from ICE between the two lines, and I bet that will stop the problem.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Debbie F. - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Oh, and..... - 2009-01-25 17:52:44

for all of you who hate those dreadfully long lines at the MVA, isn't it disheartening to know there are hoards of illegal aliens waiting in line in front of you to receive their valid state drivers license with ease? Can you imagine if we went to a foreign country illegally, demanded a valid identification card from their country, and used that country's public services for free without paying into those services? I'm quite certain if we tried it, we'd be behind bars.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Brian A. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

Ridiculous - 2009-01-25 17:47:23

That Maryland continues to aid & abet illegal aliens, continues to support illegals with OUR tax dollars, and continues to hand out drivers licenses to people who are in this country illegally. It angers me beyond belief. Legal, taxpaying citizens are losing their jobs, while illegal aliens get employment support from pro-illegal alien groups like CASA of Maryland (an organization funded in part by OUR tax dollars). Why do you think the MVA is seeing such an incredible influx of illegal alien applicants for drivers licenses? O'Malley has the red carpet rolled out for them at the taxpayers expense. What a shame to know that Frederick County schools are facing budget cuts in sports programs, Montgomery County may have to close public libraries, but illegal aliens can continue to flock into our state, evade our taxes, attend our public schools, use our emergency health care centers, and get help finding jobs through taxpayer funded organizations. Can someone please tell me how I can file for illegal alien status so I can avoid paying my taxes this year while still reaping the benefits of taxpayer-funded services? Seems like the legal taxpayers are getting the short end of the stick in this state.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Brian A. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight. 0

The question isn't - 2009-01-25 09:17:40

how will it impact immigrant, but how it impacts Maryland. Nice try at a spin with the editorial. I don't know why they C(r)apital bothers with an editorila page, the entire paper is an editorial. Every other state in the Country has adopted the RealID laws. It's about the impact of immigrants coming to the only state that doesn't have the RealID. I guess it was poor research in not mentioning that Maryland is the only state that doesn't have the money to implement the RealID. But liberals just have a problem with facts.

unhide Comment hidden due to low ranking. Why is this comment hidden?

Peter D. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral