Spitzer

[Robb]

I am surprised that the Federal Government hasn't tried to horn it's way into states' DMV business more than it already has (e.g. extorting the states into adopting standard speed limits).  If some Commerce Department bureaucrat were ever to argue that drivers' licenses should be subject to federal regulations because those licenses are used by truckers for interstate commerce - well, it certainly wouldn't be the dumbest thing ever argued under the commerce clause...

[KeithK]

[quote Robb]If some Commerce Department bureaucrat were ever to argue that drivers' licenses should be subject to federal regulations because those licenses are used by truckers for interstate commerce - well, it certainly wouldn't be the dumbest thing ever argued under the commerce clause...[/quote]
And that's pretty much the definition of damning with faint praise.

[mnagowski]

[quote KeithK]It's a very god thing that NY can set a higher minimum age for driving than Montana, for both places.[/quote]

It's also a good thing that New York State varies the minimum age for driving by county. I could drive at age 16 in Erie County. Not so on Lawn Guy Land.

One would think that if they could vary driving ages within the state, they could also vary things like state income taxes and Medicaid mandates.

[ftyuv]

Some states don't even have a DMV.  Massachusetts, for instance.

RMV FTW!

[RichH]

[quote Robb]I am surprised that the Federal Government hasn't tried to horn it's way into states' DMV business more than it already has (e.g. extorting the states into adopting standard speed limits).  If some Commerce Department bureaucrat were ever to argue that drivers' licenses should be subject to federal regulations because those licenses are used by truckers for interstate commerce - well, it certainly wouldn't be the dumbest thing ever argued under the commerce clause...[/quote]

I'm also surprised, considering the mess with the Real ID Act.  It's really confusing, what with all the deadlines and age cutoffs and extension requirements constantly being tinkered with and pushed off.  As it stands now, unless your state files an extension waiver, your licenses will be invalid for air travel and entering federal facilities this May 11.  (Maine, NH, SC, and Mont. are the holdouts, despite many more states passing resolutions against Real ID.  AZ and NY got extensions without even asking for them.

http://www.news.com/8301-13578_3-9885311-38.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-01-12-717358665_x.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REAL_ID_Act

Basically, if not for the opposition by a lot of lawmakers themselves, I could see the Feds saying, "OK, fine...you want to make this difficult?  We're Federalizing licenses."  But they were wussies with replacing the dollar bill with a dollar coin like Canada and every other country has done, so why would they be strong on this too?

For the record, I feel Real ID is a Bad Thing and just reading this stuff again has soothed my federalist itch.

[KeithK]

[quote metaezra]One would think that if they could vary driving ages within the state, they could also vary things like state income taxes and Medicaid mandates.[/quote]
Is there a good justification for varying the state income tax by county?  If the idea is to support and fund the state government then everyone across the state should pay the same rates.  It would be a different story if you removed many of the responsibilities/expenses from the state level and give them to the counties.  Then lower state taxes dramatically and have the counties set their own variable rates (they can be collected by the state - NYC does this).

In the abstract this would be a very good thing - tax competition.  Probably lots of potential negatives.