Put Drivers Licenses for Illegal Aliens to a Vote? (car rental, rental)

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

It's too important to not let the citizens have their say via initiative petition.

BTW, I've heard Maureen Maloney speak. That crime happened in Milford.

It's a tragic incident, but how does the illegal status of the one who caused the accident factor in? Don't we have hundreds more tragic deaths caused by drunk drivers who are US citizens?

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

Is anyone naive enough to believe illegals are going to start paying for insurance? This is nothing but a “they have IDs, let them vote” scheme in the works.

What a vacuous argument. Do you realize that international students, temporary foreign workers on H-1/L-1 status, and green card holders can all be fully licensed today, and have been able to for decades? Yet they cannot vote because they're not citizens!

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

It's a tragic incident, but how does the illegal status of the one who caused the accident factor in? Don't we have hundreds more tragic deaths caused by drunk drivers who are US citizens?

While we’re at why not just let mature 12 year olds get a license. Why not! There’s already hundreds of US citizens creating problems on the road. Let’s just add more incompetent people to the mix. If someone can’t be bothered to go through the process of being here legally what kind of a person do you really think they are ? My guess is lazy, sneaky and irresponsible. Not someone who gives a **** about being sober at the wheel.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by msRB311

While we’re at why not just let mature 12 year olds get a license. Why not! There’s already hundreds of US citizens creating problems on the road. Let’s just add more incompetent people to the mix. If someone can’t be bothered to go through the process of being here legally what kind of a person do you really think they are ? My guess is lazy, sneaky and irresponsible. Not someone who gives a **** about being sober at the wheel.

The whole process of licensing these folks, vs. continuing the status quo where they can drive around without a license and driver's ed, should decrease and not increase the number of "incompetent" drivers out there. Isn't that obvious?

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

The whole process of licensing these folks, vs. continuing the status quo where they can drive around without a license and driver's ed, should decrease and not increase the number of "incompetent" drivers out there. Isn't that obvious?

I agree, in theory at least. I'm curious as to how many people would actually take advantage of this? There's a good deal of skepticism among people who are here illegally of anything that could potentially cause them to be tracked/easily identified.

Either way, I support the measure as I think it would be a positive from both a competence and accountability standpoint. But I'm very much in support of putting this decision in the hands of Massachusetts voters.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by lrfox

But I'm very much in support of putting this decision in the hands of Massachusetts voters.

I understand the arguments both for and against the proposal, but I'm not a big proponent of "putting the decision in the hands of Massachusetts voters". I think representative democracy makes sense, both in terms of outcome and in terms of process, at the state level.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I understand the arguments both for and against the proposal, but I'm not a big proponent of "putting the decision in the hands of Massachusetts voters". I think representative democracy makes sense, both in terms of outcome and in terms of process, at the state level.

I feel similarly on many issues. Particularly when it comes to rights for minority populations. That said, as much as it's a cliché, I do believe driving is a privilege, not a right. And I do think that licensing people who are here illegally potentially impacts all of us to a degree. My personal opinion is that the impact will largely be positive, but I do think it's reasonable to allow individual voters to weigh in on this particular issue.

[mdovell]

The other thing I point out with this is that in many respects there are people here that are not citizens that can drive. It's not as if cars only exist within the United States. So if your concern is driving I don't think they're going to be introduced by an automobile the first time by sneaking into the United States. I think with some people fear is that if they've got a driver's license that somehow they can do other things with it like about which we know they can't or board an airplane which again they can't. The real ID does become a factor and they will not be able to board an airplane with this form of identification.

There is an interest in identifying people because without ID it makes it much harder to have actual records on anybody unless you're looking at just what someone looks like which again is much harder to pin down without some type of name. The City of New Haven for example has issued its own local ID so that locally they've kind of know who you are without having the need of a license or passport. Now it's not valid for everything outside but at the same point it does help keep track of Records. If somebody is homeless and they don't have a car they could probably get a state ID but then that still cost a fair amount of money at least of them and they might not get that much of a benefit. If someone's over the age of 21 there are liquor IDs to prove that somebody is over the age of 21 and wishes to purchase alcohol.

As mentioned before you cannot ensure an illegal activity. Let's suppose Anil legal gets into a car accident and they have to go to court are they actually going to show up in court fully knowing that they can check other things? Probably not

The other thing I'd also point out as well is that this does not mean by any means that they're able to pass the eye test or the dexterity test or the road test. If they fail the road test it doesn't matter if there is illegal or not. Remember what it was State Police that did the driver's test? What if they simply do that again is part of this? How many illegal aliens would be willing enough to go into a car fully knowing that there's a State Trooper right next to them?

[Lampert]

There isn't going to be of any real positive impact because people that drive illegally already know how to drive and typically they are licensed in another country. They would be allowed to drive legally if their were tourists and you are ok for up to a year from your last entry on a foreign license. If you are permanently residing after a certain amount of time you are required to geta license.
None of this bureaucratic stuff has any impact on the ability to drive of those people. SO no, they aren't going to become better drivers magically simply because they have a piece of paper issued in Boston rather than Tegucigalpa.
I know plenty of people that drove in the US for a long time, sometimes years! On foreign driving licenses.

This is a) a way to keep track of the illegals (I am sure plenty will not apply for this, once you are in the system they know about you and you don't know who is going to be in power in the future) b) it's a fell-good thing for progressives, since they know a reform of the immigration system is not going to happen.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by Lampert

There isn't going to be of any real positive impact because people that drive illegally already know how to drive and typically they are licensed in another country. They would be allowed to drive legally if their were tourists and you are ok for up to a year from your last entry on a foreign license. If you are permanently residing after a certain amount of time you are required to geta license.
None of this bureaucratic stuff has any impact on the ability to drive of those people. SO no, they aren't going to become better drivers magically simply because they have a piece of paper issued in Boston rather than Tegucigalpa.
I know plenty of people that drove in the US for a long time, sometimes years! On foreign driving licenses.

This is a) a way to keep track of the illegals (I am sure plenty will not apply for this, once you are in the system they know about you and you don't know who is going to be in power in the future) b) it's a fell-good thing for progressives, since they know a reform of the immigration system is not going to happen.

"Incompetent" probably isn't the right word, though driving in the U.S., as well as rules and regulations here are different than other countries. I certainly don't think taking drivers ed. here in the U.S. is going to suddenly make a bad driver from abroad a good one here, but it doesn't hurt. More importantly (to me, anyway) - an unlicensed driver is also an uninsured driver and if you're hit by an uninsured driver, it's not much fun. Especially if you don't have uninsured motorist protection or collision coverage. But even if you do, you're still on the hook for your deductible and a potential rate increase. Potentially reducing the number of uninsured drivers on the road is certainly a positive in my eyes.