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(Video: CNN)
New York City’s new law-and-order mayor has decided to allow a measure giving local voting rights to an estimated 8000,000 noncitizens, many of whom are green card holders, to become law. Eric Adams also insists that the idea doesn’t water down American citizenship because “membership has its privileges.”
Mayor Adams, who had 30 days to veto the bill — that requires a mere 30-days of residency to cast a ballot — that was approved by city council in December, had previously expressed misgivings about the “problematic” legislation.
Noncitizen voting, however, was even too much for CNN liberal Jake Tapper as he interviewed the Adams on Sunday. “I think there are a lot of Americans watching right now who might share your concerns and also have, more broadly, questions about the idea of people who have not taken a citizenship test, prepared for that test by learning about the U.S., who haven’t sworn an oath to the country, getting to vote. Why did you change your mind, and why is it acceptable for non-citizens to vote in an American election?,” Tapper asked the Democrat.
“I did not change my mind,” Adams asserted. “I supported the concept of the bill. The one aspect of that I had a problem with, I thought was problematic, was the 30-day part, being in the country for 30 days, was the place that I had questions.
“I sat down with my colleagues. I’m a big believer in conversation. We have to start talking to each other and not at each other. And after hearing their rationale and their theories behind it, I thought it was more important to not veto the bill or get in the way at all and allow the bill to move forward. In New York City, just Brooklyn, for example, 47% of Brooklynites speak a language other than English at home when I was the borough president. And so I think it’s imperative that people who are in a local municipality have the right to decide who is going to govern them, and I support the overall concept of that bill.”
The city council passed the bill by a vote of 33-14, which means that even some Democrats voted against what appears to be a power grab by the left based on a minimal residency requirement.
New Yorker voted against voting rights for non-citizens, and her reason says A LOT about Dems https://t.co/0lTCTyE2HW
— Jack Furnari (@JackBPR) December 10, 2021
Tapper seemed unconvinced by the mayor’s answer, implying that the change in the law makes “a mockery” of the concept of American citizenship. With that in mind, he then asked Adams what he would say to “the people who went through the difficult process of becoming an American citizen?”
“Well, I say to them, keep doing it,” Adams replied. “Membership has its privileges of being a member of what we call the United States of America. It’s is a great privilege, and I would tell them, keep doing it, be encouraged. This is a great opportunity to be a member of this great country. Don’t let anything daunt you or take you away from that mission. This legislation is not going to do that; keep becoming a citizen of this country.”
Adams did not directly address, however, Tapper’s question about whether the next step is allowing noncitizens to vote in federal elections.
“The measure applies to legal residents, including those with green cards and so-called Dreamers who were brought to the country illegally as children but were allowed to remain under a federal program known as DACA,” the New York Times explained. “They will be able to vote in primary and general elections for citywide contests, like those for mayor and public advocate, as well as in local races, like those for council members and borough presidents.”
The city’s board of elections must come up with a implementation plan by July that will supposedly prevent noncitizen voting in federal and state elections in a state where no voter ID is required and where voting procedures are otherwise already lax.
It’s an understatement to suggest that a law of this nature would have no chance of even being proposed if the targeted cohort tended to vote Republican.
Legal challenges to the law, which takes effect in January 2023, are likely.
Twitter is hardly giving Adam’s explanation a vote of confidence. Here is a sampling:
Soooo I should be able to goto Paris and vote in their elections? Of when I’m vacation in Mexico I can vote as well!! These people are crazy
— Patrick Connolly (@connolp1) January 9, 2022
Look at @jaketapper growing a spine. Now if he’d ask those same questions on state and federally elected Democrats
— Shawn C Morgan (@SCMorgan1970) January 9, 2022
Really starting to worry about this guy being our Mayor. Really bad start
— Joe C (@Jcee25) January 9, 2022
It’s obvious that Adams was against this bill and the powers that be explained to him that this is the only way to ensure further democratic success in elections. They’ll hand out money on cue, and highlight the other sides opposition to immigration and poof, another victory
— Anti Mandate is homophobic (@BOOMROASTED227) January 9, 2022
Dumbest reply ever. Lol. So anyone can wander into the country and vote for elections and then leave? What a braintrust. Haha.
— Bradley Laborman (@BradmanTV) January 9, 2022
Voting is restricted to citizens for a reason. Green card holders are not citizens. Paying taxes doesn’t give you the right to vote. It’s an honor to become a citizen. If they want to vote nothing stops them from becoming citizens
— Aρης (@grkmind) January 9, 2022
Dems know they’ll stay in power forever – that’s why they support it.
— Chris Bierman (@ChrisBierman14) January 9, 2022
Systemic Leftism!
— Comic Book Creator (@barbo_eric) January 9, 2022
If you woke up from a 10 year nap there is no way one would think this is real
— MugzMcG (@MugzMcG20) January 9, 2022
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