Editorial: A club for rotten governors

Necessity is the driving force behind a move to grant driving privileges to undocumented immigrants in New Jersey. A blue-ribbon panel convened by Gov. Corzine may make that recommendation when it issues its report.

Just the prospect has set the stage for a fierce battle in the Legislature, which would likely have to approve the proposal.

Like the rest of America, New Jersey is acting in the absence of a better national policy on immigration. An estimated 12 million illegal immigrants live and work in the United States, about 350,000 of them in New Jersey. For many, driving without a license is their only means to a job that supports their families.

A "driving privilege card" would allow those who could not otherwise qualify for driving licenses to drive legally in the state. But it would not have the same identification function of a standard license and would not allow a person to board an airplane or get government benefits. Those caveats should help allay national security concerns.

A driving privilege card would also allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state college tuition fees, which Corzine has supported.

Opponents argue that illegal immigrants should not enjoy the benefits of citizenship; they should be deported. But a mass exodus isn't going to happen, so why not take steps to help them earn a living and not be a greater burden on the state's social- welfare system?

A driving privilege card isn't a good answer to the situation, but it makes sense for now. Ultimately, Congress needs to find a way to legalize the residency of millions who for years have lived, raised families and paid taxes in this country.

Now that Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has made it hip to be a tax cheat, let's extend the penalty-free consequences he enjoyed to all Americans who might have crossed the IRS at one time or another.

So suggests U.S. Rep. John Carter (R., Texas), who introduced a bill Wednesday to eliminate all IRS penalties and interest when paying taxes past due. He calls it the "Rangel Rule," named for Charles Rangel, the Democratic congressman from New York, who in September fessed up to owing $5,000 in back taxes for failure to report rental income.

Despite the admission, and an ongoing ethics investigation on an unrelated matter, Rangel has suffered no penalty. He is even still chairman of the tax-law-writing Ways and Means Committee. First, Rangel. Now Geithner, who paid his back taxes but no penalty or interest. Back in the day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi might've called out this "culture of corruption."

The "Rangel Rule" will go nowhere in this Congress, but it's a nice gesture as taxpayers receive their W-2s and contemplate filing - or not - their returns this year.

Wall Street still doesn't get it. In a year when the financial industry's greed and irresponsibility helped to cause an economic meltdown, Wall Street firms handed out $18.4 billion in bonuses to their employees - the sixth-largest payout in history.

President Obama said it all - the bonuses are shameful, given the industry's reckless performance and its demand for corporate welfare bailouts. Obama is considering new restrictions on bailout funding as Wall Street firms ask government to buy up more of their toxic debt.

More than ever, the administration must ensure that taxpayer money doesn't end up paying for bonuses for the so-called "titans" who got the country into this mess.

The building he ran wasn't historic, but Independence Visitor Center president and CEO William Moore nonetheless took historic tourism in Philadelphia to new heights over a 10-year career that's coming to a close. Since the center's 2001 opening, under Moore's direction, nearly 15 million visitors stopped by the tourist gateway on Independence Mall at Sixth and Market Streets.

For visitors to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and beyond, the center became a one-stop destination to find their bearings, book tickets and tours, buy souvenirs, or simply make a pit stop and grab a snack.

Moore also left his imprint outside the center's four walls, leading efforts with the National Park Service to complete the ambitious landscaping and makeover of Independence Mall. His impressive career trajectory now takes Moore to Florida, where he will head up the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Congratulations to the Camden High and Willingboro High School marching bands for representing South Jersey well during the presidential inauguration festivities.

The two schools captured six awards in competitions sponsored by the Utah-based Heritage Festivals in Washington. That includes first-place honors by jazz ensembles for both schools in their respective divisions.

Camden High senior Alexander Cummings was singled out as the best soloist for performances during the jazz competition. Willingboro High received the instrumental sweepstakes award, given to the school with two band groups that made a near-perfect performance.

Kudos also to the school districts, parents and the public for helping the bands raise thousands of dollars to make the trip. "This will be etched in everyone's mind forever," said music supervisor Ryan Bates.