Drivers license for illegal....

... whoops, I mean undocumented foreign nationals. This is a sort of big ongoing issue here in California and LA in particular, given that we're the 2nd biggest latino city in the world. And we have a lot of cars on the road.

While I hate to agree with republicans, I have a hard time understanding the argument in favor of making these licenses available. I don't have a problem with immigrants coming to LA and becoming legal residents. I don't have a problem with them NOT becoming legal residents either -- let's face it, it's like teens having sex, you cannot preach abstinence. It's just part of the mix.

But a driver's license is a privilege granted by the state in exchange for all the taxes you pay for the road maintenance, for the cops to patrol the roads, etc. It's not some inalienable right that the state is recognizing with a plastic card. It's a quid pro quo.

I don't think any illegal resident who needs to drive is sitting around thinking "gee, I wish I had a license so I could get to work". Believe me, they're driving.

And I don't think that driver is in his car thinking "the greatest problem that faces me as an undocumented resident is my lack of legal driving status". We have a problem in the theory and reality of our immigration policy, that's for sure. It seems like the driver's license issue is mostly a feel-good measure that doesn't change any fundamental realities about the undocumented immgrant's life.

Meanwhile one latino activist is calling for a boycott of gas stations on Mondays. That reminds me of that email hoax that used to circulate about boycotting Texaco and driving all the prices down. So people will buy gas on Tuesday instead of Monday. The gas station still sells the same amount of product for the week. Who does this send a message to?

17 Dec 04

Comments

gojigmahc

Posted by: Bronson Montalvo at October 31, 2006 03:04 PM

gojigmahc

Posted by: Bronson Montalvo at October 31, 2006 03:05 PM

xpevhqux

Posted by: Gavin Catalano at October 31, 2006 08:26 PM

xpevhqux

Posted by: Gavin Catalano at October 31, 2006 08:26 PM

uhbufm

Posted by: Garrett Wilke at November 1, 2006 01:54 AM

uhbufm

Posted by: Garrett Wilke at November 1, 2006 01:55 AM

mren

Posted by: Antonio Mccallister at November 1, 2006 07:37 AM

uruzouyr

Posted by: Damarion Riggins at November 1, 2006 01:25 PM

uruzouyr

Posted by: Damarion Riggins at November 1, 2006 01:26 PM

Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...

Posted by: Reilly Elrod at November 12, 2006 05:56 AM

Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...

Posted by: Reilly Elrod at November 12, 2006 05:57 AM

Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages...

Posted by: Malcolm Burleson at November 12, 2006 05:33 PM

Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages...

Posted by: Malcolm Burleson at November 12, 2006 05:34 PM

London-born rapper Sway is to be honoured at the BET Hip-Hop awards in the US...

Posted by: Javen John at November 24, 2006 03:00 PM

Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...

Posted by: Rudy Nagel at November 25, 2006 02:43 AM

Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...

Posted by: Rudy Nagel at November 25, 2006 02:44 AM

Pioneering screenwriter Nigel Kneale, best known for the Quatermass TV serials and films, dies aged 84...

Posted by: Quincy Card at November 25, 2006 03:21 PM

Pioneering screenwriter Nigel Kneale, best known for the Quatermass TV serials and films, dies aged 84...

Posted by: Quincy Card at November 25, 2006 03:21 PM

The first stage of a £150m investment in regional museums is praised for boosting visitor numbers...

Posted by: Landon Yee at November 25, 2006 08:56 PM

London-born rapper Sway is to be honoured at the BET Hip-Hop awards in the US...

Posted by: Colten Brewster at November 26, 2006 03:03 AM

London-born rapper Sway is to be honoured at the BET Hip-Hop awards in the US...

Posted by: Colten Brewster at November 26, 2006 03:03 AM

Jonathan Ross is dubbed "risque" by Ofcom but not in breach of rules over an interview with David Cameron...

Posted by: Jack Hefner at November 26, 2006 08:41 AM

Jonathan Ross is dubbed "risque" by Ofcom but not in breach of rules over an interview with David Cameron...

Posted by: Jack Hefner at November 26, 2006 08:42 AM

Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...

Posted by: Daryl Word at November 26, 2006 02:13 PM

Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...

Posted by: Daryl Word at November 26, 2006 02:14 PM

Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages...

Posted by: Alec Fajardo at November 30, 2006 02:45 PM

Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages...

Posted by: Alec Fajardo at November 30, 2006 02:45 PM

Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...

Posted by: Clark Blevins at December 5, 2006 01:22 PM

Veteran actor William Franklyn, known for voicing the 1960s Schweppes TV adverts, dies aged 81...

Posted by: Clark Blevins at December 5, 2006 01:23 PM
end take out comments -->
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