State Moves Toward Repeal of License Law (California)

[Judi Lynn]

November 25, 2003
THE STATE
State Moves Toward Repeal of License Law
Senate Democrats, in a reversal, join in vote to deny illegal immigrants in California the right to drive. The Assembly is expected to follow suit.

By Gregg Jones, Times Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO — In a victory for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate Democrats joined with their Republican counterparts Monday to repeal a controversial law that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain California driver's licenses.

The Senate voted, 33 to 0, to repeal the law after only four minutes of debate. Six Latino Democrats chose not to vote. An Assembly committee is expected to take up the matter today. The lower house, which is generally more conservative than the Senate, is expected to vote as a whole within the next few days.

After years of struggle to win passage of the driver's license legislation, the swift reversal by Senate Democrats — virtually all of whom voted for the bill only two months ago — stunned and angered some of the law's supporters.

"These are hate, wedge issues," said Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers union and a member of the University of California Board of Regents, her voice cracking with emotion during a Senate Transportation Committee hearing where the Democratic retreat unfolded earlier in the afternoon. "I just want to ask Democrats to stand up for the people who stood up for you." (snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-me-drivers25nov25,1,940849.story?coll=la-home-headlines

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[dfong63]

1. sorry, but that doesn't make sense

"These are hate, wedge issues," said Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers union and a member of the University of California Board of Regents, her voice cracking with emotion during a Senate Transportation Committee hearing where the Democratic retreat unfolded earlier in the afternoon. "I just want to ask Democrats to stand up for the people who stood up for you."

that doesn't make sense... illegal immigrants stood up for the democrats?

as for it being a "wedge issue" - if the bill's proponents really believed it was a "wedge issue", then why did THEY start this fight in the first place?

i for one opposed the bill from the start, and i congratulate the CA state senate dems for having enough sense to change course. the issue was a loser, it didn't compute philosophically or politically.

[depakid]

2. What doesn't make sense

is witholding drivers' licenses in the first place. Look, undocumented workers are GOING TO DRIVE ANYWAY, with or without a license. Without a license, people can't get insurance- and when someone gets into an accident with you who does't have insurance- who do you think pays? Nope- not just you. Taxpayers.

Now, obviously a lot of undocumented workers won't get isurance for one reason or another- but some will- and for every one that does, that's one less potential liability for you and all of the rest of the people in California. Moreover, last I heard, DMV wasn't handing out licenses for free, and to take the test (or register your car) you have to show proof of financial responsibility....

Of course, this latest bit of stupidity by California legislators doesn't surprise me- after all, it's the same bunch that brought you energy deregulation and the regressive car tax (which they could have repealed using the right proceedures)- and which virtually ensured that Arny would become your governor.

[dfong63]

3. what is needed

the problem is not caused by the state's refusal to hand out licenses to people who are not legally entitled to them; the problem is caused by the people's refusal to obey the law - and by the state's refusal to enforce it. "We have to change the law because people are going to break it anyway." if you take that approach, it only encourages people to break more laws. what this really means is that we have to change the equation and put teeth in the law. there's a saying that laws are meant to be broken, but +one should add that then they're meant to be used to punish the lawbreakers.

[DUreader]

5. LOL , meanwhile your prisons are being emptied cause they cost too much

because they are overcrowded due too all the 'teeth' you have in

your laws.

Get Tougher! Yeah that will show them.

lol

[Mentalist]

4. They are not

They are not "undocumented workers". They are ILLEGAL aliens. Wanton and willful violations of our laws should not be rewarded with drivers licenses or other benefits and privileges.

[Snellius]

8. Tell it to the Californians who ILLEGALLY profit from them

.

[snooper2]

7. What makes you think they are going to buy insurance?

Stupid law and it should have been repealed.

By the way, I was able to get insurance when I moved here (Texas) for a motorcycle without having a valid drivers license.

[Snellius]

6. More California hypocrisy

California has always been a slave labor state: the Mexicans used the Indians, the Americans used the Mexicans, the Chinese, the Okies, the Filipinos. California agriculture, its sweatshops, its domestic service, its construction trades and on and on has always depended on cheap, docile, imported labor but when it comes to facing up to their obligation to the "aliens" they can't live without, Californians want to pretend they don't exist. Who's taking advantage of whom in this hypocritical relationship?