Posted on 11/04/2004 8:47:30 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday spelled out a key concession he is demanding from Democrats before signing any resurrected legislation that would give illegal immigrants the ability to obtain driver licenses.
"I've already made it very clear that it has to be a different color driver's license so it's very clear it says foreigner or immigrant," the Republican governor said.
Schwarzenegger's demand for a different-colored license could be troublesome for Democrats who feel it is discriminatory. They have reluctantly explored less-visible ways to distinguish licenses, such as a different sequence of numbers, a code embedded in the magnetic strip on the back of the license or a simple extra letter.
But the governor made it clear that he will accept nothing less than a completely different license so that it is immediately identifiable and could not be used for any other purpose.
The governor's edict comes as leading Democrats on the issue appeared to be edging apart on whether to acquiesce on a specially marked license.
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, seems to favor delivering a bill that satisfies the governor. But Sen. Gil Cedillo, a Los Angeles Democrat who has made the issue a crusade, is reluctant to give in since the issue was not a decisive factor in any legislative race this year.
Schwarzenegger recently vetoed legislation that would have cleared the way for up to 2 million illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses if they provided adequate identification and passed background checks, among other requirements. The Republican governor said the bill lacked safeguards to prevent fraud.
Undeterred, Cedillo pledged to introduce a similar measure on the first day of the new legislative session, Dec. 6. The measure's final form probably will not be settled until after additional talks with the governor.
Cedillo, author of several similar bills over the years, has resisted any identifying mark, calling it discriminatory.
"My proposal is for the safest, strongest bill in the most nondiscriminatory manner," he said in responding to the governor.
But Assembly Speaker Nunez appears more agreeable, apparently concluding that a different license is better than no license at all.
"Put a star on it. I don't care. We'll do it," Nunez said. Supporters of the measure have compared the mark to the star German Nazis forced Jews to wear.
Cedillo said Nunez's stance does not reflect his views.
Schwarzenegger said an easily-identifiable license is important to ensure that fraudulent licenses are not used to open bank accounts or board planes.
Cedillo disputes that contention, saying forged documents can be cheaply bought on any street corner in Los Angeles. A license, he said, would allow those here illegally to be tested and buy insurance, making roads safer.
Cedillo said he suspects Schwarzenegger vetoed the most recent bill to give Republicans a chance to use the issue to capture more seats in the Legislature. Those gains never materialized, Cedillo said, because the issue doesn't resonate in Democratic districts.
"The anti-immigrant hysteria is not any louder than the AM dial," he said, referring to conservative talk radio hosts who hammered away at those who backed his bill.
A color code, huh?
How about 'Recall Red'? ;-)
Stuff it, Schwarzenegger.
Funny. I didn't give color-coding much though. I would have thought that, if driver licenses for illegal immigrants were implemented, this would be a matter of course. Too obvious I guess.
What is wrong with discriminating between the citizens, non-citizens and illegal aliens?
If we can't keep them out of the country, for God's sake keep them out of the voting booth. A color coded driver's license could be a good start on that.
The small-l libertarian in me says a drivers license is like a fishing license - it should be a matter of no consequence to get one.
So either a driver's license should no longer be a valid ID, or it should be clearly coded to prevent misuse as an ID.
Just a silly question...I heard there was such a thing as an "international drivers license"...is this true? Why not have illegals just get one of those before they do the skip across our border?
because it is not about having permission to drive, it is about having an ID that gives them access to social services, the vote, and about having an ID that they can use to re-enter the country should they travel to Mexico
Color code?
Is this a joke?
I was thinking the same thing on Tuesday. I was wondering if maybe a field denoting "country of citizenship" rather than a color code would work. I think illegals should be chucked out on their ear but non-citizen legals probably get licenses here and shouldn't use them to vote with.
LQ
International licenses are mostly used for Europe and Asia. They are not used in Mexico. They are recognized here as some form of competence in driving. The US only trusts international licenses from the UK and Canada for reliable information on past driving accidents and information.
Since we can't seem to kick their asses out of the country, this actually seems pretty reasonable.
Oddly, these very same Latino politicians seem to see no problem with illegal aliens identifying themselves as illegal aliens when thet use their Matricula Consular (Illegal Alien) ID cards to do their banking and to apply for various public services. If illegal aliens aren't discriminated against when then show their Illegal Alien ID Cards, why would they be discriminated against because there is a mark or a different color on their driver's license to indicate that they're illegal aliens?
Cedillo is such a passionate racist.
Mexican-on-Mexican discrimination is just fine with them, but when it's Gringo-on-Mexican "discrimination", that is just not acceptable
ping
And both are suppose to be Republicans.
You don't want to go there. This is just the camel's nose under the tent strategy. One more inch on the road to the whole mile.
The opposition to this should be fierce and unrelenting. Any sign of weakness will be a sign to the Reconquista Front to push harder and harder, towards their ultimate goal of political domination of California.
Marco Firebaugh on licenses for illegals:"This is a right that I want to give to the people of Mexico".
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