Schwarzenegger Announces : Running for CA Gov.

So you agree with Bush? That's a first.

Uberoff was told to get lost by the RNC and/or Bush himself so is McClintock far behind?

Polls now place Ahnold at 13%
Bustamante at 25%

Davis may be also cutting the loses for his party by Bustamante's change in tactic of not pushing to vote agains the recall.

To get a license in California, you have to have car insurance. Ever been hit by an illegal alien with no insurance? Maybe not such a bad idea -- it's the feds that are responsible for our borders. Those that slip in are then the responsibility of the state as far as driving a vehicle.

From what I know I'm a relative newbie, at most a fourth generation American. But my ancestors immigrated legally, they didn't swim the Rio Grande or run across the badlands of Arizona intentionally avoiding the immigration process.

It has nothing to do with legal immigrants from any country. It's about allowing illegal immigrants from any country to get driver's license used by many as a US citizen I.D. Canada used to allow Californians to use our driver's license to get into Canada. That will no longer be allowed. I'm wondering what other illegal ways the California driver's license can be used by illegal immigrants? Will our driver's license say "Legal" or "Illegal" residence? What, may I ask, gives illegal immigrants rights in California? Aren't we a country/states of laws?

Yes LW but once you get the license you can conveniently not pay your insurance. Of course driving uninsured is illegal...but so are they...

Why bother with immigration laws? Once they're here, give them all the rights and priviledges of a citizen.

That's true, C. I don't think having a license will motivate anyone to get insurance. It's very expensive. I have a feeling most illegals can't afford it.

I wonder how many will even bother to get a license at all. Having ID sets you up for other things they want to avoid. Being able to be traced, having a permanent address. Tax collecting implications.

They are still illegal after all. Someone could find them. So the address that is given could very well be bogus. This is just speculation on my part. I haven't heard a good argument yet for doing this.

fealola, I could be wrong; and it won't be the first time. But, when I look at this issue from what my imagination allows, I don't see very many positives (if any) coming from it. Why would any governer give illegal immigrants legal rights to drive in our state? Even our children must go to driver's school in order to get a driver's permit, and that's with a whole lot of restrictions. An illegal can go get a driver's license, because they are illegallly here. Doesn't make any sense to me. c.i.

???????????????????? I'm just baffled. I've always been a liberal democrat and I feel like there is something wrong with me for not understanding. And why is this a liberal cause. I don't know what I am anymore. Please someone convince me this is a good thing.

Getting your first license isn't that easy -- a birth certificate is required for one thing and border agents I don't believe are letting anyone across with only one ID. I'm sure that will become even more stringent at California borders. I believe the license is for one year only but I'd have to read the bill (dang things are so long a time consuming to find out any information it's almost impossible). You can't get the license with a promise you will get insurance -- you have to have insurance.

But people let insurance expire and drive without it all the time! I know you can be legal and do that too, but let's face it. Insurance is generally much more a financial burden for those that come here illegally.

I'm not debating, Light. My questions and challenging is only to get knowledge.

Then driving without insurance is a problem of all drivers not that you're an illegal. I was hit by an uninsured motorist who just became a citizen so I guess there's no cure for it except perhaps a police state. I'm just curious whether Davis actually thought it would bring him any Hispanic votes -- they also get in car accidents with uninsured drivers.

He probably thought so. I hate all this lableing of Hispanics. Hispanics: Liberal, Illegal, Non caucasian, poor, Mexican, Spanish speaking- etc. etc.

I'm so sick of the politicians sucking up to "Hispanics" as if they all the same. I was really disgusted with the pres. debate last week. One big suck up.

The republicans and demos will say anything to get the Hispanic vote. I wonder how many they will alienate by stereotyping them all that way. Looks like Davis may have. Feh.

How many illegals are now driving a car around anyway - without drivers license? Wouldnt it make traffic a whole lot safer if they were to get their drivers licenses too? I mean - thats the one obvious advantage I could come up with.

Tho, yeh, it'd be greatly unsure whether they would go get one, anyway, considering as illegals they dont want to be registering too much.

Over here you need a passport to travel, by the way. A driver's license is for driving, a passport is for travelling. That in re: to c.i.'s indignation that this measure might now force Californians to, gasp, get a passport if they want to travel to Canada.

Don't blame it on the "Hispanics" they can't help it. The politicians have certainly muddled this - and today, it is even muddier. The neocons hate Bush on this one, but are so hypocritical they make it only a Dem problem!

No way am I blaming Hispanics!

I'm still not convinced nimh.

Is there any other country where foreigners can walk in and get a licence?

What about international licenses. How does that work?

(God I hate trying to spell that word.)

Huh. Wrong country to ask about - the Netherlands are top of the rank in the policy of "tolerating" what formally are offences (you know of our drugs and prostitution policies, I'm sure ;-). I don't know about drivers' licenses, but until 5 years or so ago it was possible for an illegal to get a legal job, pay taxes, send his children to school, and apply for social security. A whole category of so-called "white illegals" was given citizenship in an amnesty law back then because they'd legally worked and paid taxes here for five or ten years or longer ("white" referring to legality rather than skin colour, obviously). They clamped down since, though. Interconnected some databases. So most of that's not possible anymore.

nimh, now you've inspired me to read your election thread!

Like Bush never kissed up to the Hispanic voters.