According to the Right Wing, It's Wrong for Immigrants To Have A Driver's License...

[Yavin4]

but it's okay for them to buy a gun? What am I missing here?

[Caution]

1. Illegal. They think it's wrong for Illegal immigrants to have either a license or a gun

They believe enough totally screwed up things that we don't have to create any new ones.

[JPZenger]

4. Do we want drivers to be tested and insured or not?

If you refuse to let illegals have driving licenses, then you are going to increase the number of unsafe drivers who have not been tested. You also are going to encourage higher numbers of people to not have insurance. I'd like to have drivers be tested to make sure they can at least read basic road signs in English.

The reality is that many illegals are transported in overcrowded vehicles. When there is an accident, there are often multiple fatalities.

[mitchtv]

5. I'd like to see the percentage of hit and run

that are unlicensed undocumenteds. I think it is a great percentage in Calif.

[Atman]

14. That is such a bullshit argument!

When ILLEGALS come to the counter for their license, arrest them. They're ILLEGAL. Don't grant them driver's license because you're afraid they'll crash without insurance! These aren't INCONVENIENT immigrants, they're ILLEGAL immigrants, who are in this country ILLEGALLY. If they want an American drivers license, come on in -- LEGALLY -- and apply for one.

That said, I don't disagree with you about the reality of uninsured drivers, etc, but that doesn't negate the illegality of them being in the country in the first place. I just don't get this bizarre notion of granting illegal immigrants all the benefits of legal American citizenship. If you're going to illegals the same privileges as legal citizens and immigrants, what's the point of even have an "illegal" status? What the hell is illegal about it when you can walk into a government office and get official government documents?

.

[damntexdem]

20. And following this logic ... we will continue to have unlicensed drivers.

You want to see illegality, go for a drive on any freeway -- why drivers are ILLEGALLY going faster than the speed limit.

I won't say it's the case on this board; but the "they're ILLEGAL" argument is generally a cover for racism.

[Atman]

24. OOoooohhhh...so now I'm a racist.

It must be so convenient for you to be able to pull that one out of your magic hat when an argument doesn't suit you. You do realize that a terrorist who smuggles himself into the US in the wheel well of jetliner is also an ILLEGAL immigrant, right? By your logic, then, we should grant him a driver's license, too. Wouldn't want him driving his bomb-laden Renault unsafely, would we?

Why do you only consider Mexicans and Latin Americans "immigrants?"

I spit on your fucking "racist" remark. You suck, big time.

.

[Henryman]

21. "come on in -- LEGALLY " hahahaha

There here! We should deal with it!

[Henryman]

19. Hit & Runs more common than pulling over, IMO

Excellent point JPZenger!
I see a hit and run every couple of months. My daughter got hit and the guy stopped. He didn't have a license or insurance. He worked at a body shop and wanted to have my car fixed there. I trusted him and it worked out. But illegal means no license, and then no insurance. We all lose!

[Atman]

25. So only illegals have no license or insurance?

How many times have you read about some NON-illegal getting busted for not having a license or insurance?

Let's look at this a different way: I don't pay my property tax, so the state won't renew my registration, so I can't get insurance. But I can't afford the tax, or the registration fee...but it doesn't stop me from driving. By your logic, the state should ignore the law and give me my license and registration anyway, just because we shouldn't have unlicensed, uninsured motorists on the road.

Oh, no, wait a minute...legality isn't the issue. I'm just a racist. Or maybe a DMV-ist? Or is it an excise-taxist? Help me out here.

.

[BOSSHOG]

2. and they like clean motel rooms and lots of lettuce on their plate

[NewJeffCT]

3. you were expecting logic?

These are the people that think it's great to do business with the Communists in Vietnam & China, but to do business with the ones in Cuba is unconscionable.

The people that think welfare for the poor is terrible, but welfare for Big Oil is fine & dandy.

[Cleita]

6. Other countries issue temporary driving permits to visitors

and foreigners working in those countries. What is wrong with us? I still think it's because of racism. If it were Canadians or Europeans who are visiting, there probably wouldn't be a problem. As a matter-of-fact those aliens do get driver's licenses. Why is the line drawn agatinst Latinos from south of the border?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. you can international drivers' licenses in other countries

nobody complains about British nannies driving without licenses!

[Cleita]

12. Actually, those nannies from European countries do get

licenses and no one bats an eyelash. Most of them are here illegally too.

[Atman]

15. Sneek into Thailand or France ILLEGALLY and go ask for a driver's license.

I'm sure they'll bend over backwards to accommodate you.

You're talking about VISITORS, not people in other countries ILLEGALLY.

.

[slackmaster]

16. Or Mexico

You'd get your ass beaten up by the police.

[Cleita]

17. Most enlightened countries that aren't police states recognize

that anyone operating what could be a lethal machine should have the opportunity to prove to the authorities that they in fact can operate the machine safely and they will get a driving permit to do so. Drive into Mexico for the day or weekend sometime. The Mexican authorities will accept your American license as proof that you can drive and they will even sell you car insurance for your stay because American insurance won't cover you in Mexico. Now they don't know if you are going to stay there illegally or are going to return when you say so, but it's not important. The important fact is that you have a legal license and insurance.

[Atman]

23. Apples -- Oranges.

Great. I, as a legally licensed driver in the states, can legally travel to another country and they'll accept my legal license. What does that have to do with ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS getting official documents from our government? "Most enlightened countries?" And then you cite MEXICO?

.

[Cleita]

I didn't cite Mexico although from reading my post it could be

inferred. I should have been clearer. I was using Mexico as an example that many Americans are familiar with especially those of us who live in states that border Mexico and do cross into there to do some shopping especially many elderly who buy drugs there much more cheaply and get dental work done.

[slackmaster]

7. Who is saying immigrants shouldn't have driver's licenses?

Just to be clear about what we are discussing here.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. It's a big issue here in Kansas

They need a license to get insurance, but the legislature can't pass a law allowing them to get licenses. So they are uninsured motorists.

[slackmaster]

13. If you mean illegal immigrants, the same situation exists in California

An illegal immigrant is not a lawful permanent resident alien or a citizen, therefore the question posed in the OP is moot.

If that's what the OP is referring to.

Even a temporary visitor, e.g. someone on a student visa, can get a California DL (but not a gun).

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. No human being is illegal

[slackmaster]

26. OK, but the presence of a particular person in a particular place is not always legal

Not to split hairs or anything.

[Cleita]

28. There are unjust laws that make some people less legal than

others, like Jews were made illegal in most venues in Nazi Germany and runaway slaves had laws against them here before the Civil War. I believe this law against neighbors crossing our border is not a just law. We need to do something about it for our own good as well as that of the immigrants.

[slackmaster]

29. Good point - The Nazis confiscated guns from the Jews

And limited where they could go, set curfews, etc.

[Cleita]

30. Not only that it got to the point where it was almost impossible

for them to shop for necessities like food because they were banned from many stores, restaurants and hotels.

[gatorboy]

9. Because right wingers are all about folks getting in the back of the bus.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Not just right wingers.

[geardaddy]

18. So the right wing doesn't want immigrants to have a DL?

Does Ahnold have one? Kissinger? They're immigrants.

[gollygee]

27. No one has ever questioned whether my husband should have a license

and he's an immigrant.

Do you mean people who immigrated illegally? I would agree with that.

[Cleita]

31. So you don't mind sharing the road with someone who doesn't

have a license and insurance because the law says he can't, yet he needs to get from one place to the other usually in a car because if he's working out in the fields there usually is no bus service out in the rural areas. Well, I hope you feel safe because gosh, darn they aren't legal and have no rights to get a driver's license or insurance.