Tyner, Bunnell Support New DMV Policy

If there was award of who is the most principled Democrat adhering to the true liberal values of the Democrat party, Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner would win that award hands down.

Joel Tyner is the most liberal of all his fellow Democrats in the Dutchess County Legislature. Be it walking for causes or advocating for any liberal leaning causes under the sun, promoting costly entitlement programs, or progressing the need for more efficient florescent light bulbs.

However, now it seems County Legislator Tyner has another Democrat Legislator to compete with on who is the most liberal outspoken Democrat in the Dutchess County Legislature. That colleague is Legislator Fred Bunnell.

This competition came as Tyner and Bunnell recently reinforced their support of Governor Spitzer’s recent landmark decision changing DMV policy. This new change does not require individuals to have a social security card when applying for a drivers’ license.

County Legislator Tyner and Bunnell held a rally with a group of four from local clergy supporting the Governor’s new policy. This is not Bunnell first time in speaking in favor of the new policy. In this Poughkeepsie Journal article he said

County Legislator Fred Bunnell, D-Poughkeepsie, said the Republicans are unnecessarily injecting politics into an issue of public safety. The immigrants who stand to benefit from the new policy, he said, are here to work and should be able to acquire driver's licenses.

“They're here because there's a lot of employers in the county who want them here,” Bunnell said. “They are seen by our business community as critical to our economy.”

Many lawmakers are calling Spitzer’s new policy as detrimental to the safety, security and a slap in the face to open government and the democratic process. In addition it promotes illegal aliens to be in the United States…Illegally.

Yet Bunnell believes they should be rewarded for their courage for the role they play in the economy. Forgetting the fact that not requiring social security numbers opens the door wide open for abuses and only can be classified as very risky

Bunnell, Tyner and other proponents of the pro illegal alien policy say that critics are invoking politics into this issue. However, it seems Spitzer and supporters of the new policy invoked politics long before by not allowing for a free open discussion in the light of day.

In addition, Spitzer contends the DMV is not INS and therefore shouldn’t be concerned with illegal aliens. This is what happened before when the 9/11 terrorists obtained drivers’ license even though they were here illegally. Do Bunnell and Tyner support this policy change even if it allows possible criminals and terrorists to obtain drivers’ license? Does Tyner and Bunnell support Spitzer’s decision not to cooperate with federal law enforcement agencies?

At the very least Democrats, who pride themselves in clean and open government, should be at odds with Spitzer’s decision. So does Joel Tyner and Fred Bunnell support Governor Spitzer decision even thought it came void of public discussion, input and was made unilaterally with no legislative review?

Supporting Spitzer seems very risky though. Polling data shows that the public is extremely irked by the new policy.