NM Is A Foreign Country, You Know

It's one of those velvet rope situations! I'm flying to NM this weekend, and I'm bringing my passport! It'll be just me and Governor Richardson behind the security barriers! And Val Kilmer and Shirley MacClaine too! And Ted Turner! And we'll be safe, safe, safe from the chili-eating hoi polloi!:

Finally, the states and Homeland Security appear to be in the middle of some kind of cross between a game a chicken and a power play, with travelers caught in the middle. Napolitano wants Pass ID to be approved and is using the threat of paralyzing travel through the entire United States of America in order to encourage the Senate to move the Pass ID bill along.

Since many states have problems with the provisions of Pass ID (despite the support of the governors association), this would be one way to ram through a piece of unpopular legislation.

Should the states capitulate? Is Homeland Security trying to ram through Pass ID? Who should make the determination of what constitutes a secure driver’s license system? The state, or the federal government?

Finally, according to an AP wire service report issued today, December 7th, Jim Abrams notes that congress is already behind on spending legislation and has a passel of must-pass bills already clogging up the process. Abrams notes: ... with the Senate devoting all the next two weeks to a health care bill, the year-end pileup has reached new dimensions.”

And Napolitano thinks the Senate should drop everything to pass Pass ID?

Sounds a bit crazy - what do you think?