Kulongoski Getting REAL About Driver’s Licenses?


The Oregonian speculates about whether the Governor will get support from the Legislature to fulfill his campaign promise to bring Oregon in line with the federal id standards.

But the legislature is concerned about the impact on migrant labor and the big brother implications.

If they don’t get on board will we not be able to board commercial airlines without a passport for id?


11 responses to “Kulongoski Getting REAL About Driver’s Licenses?”

  1. There are enough states screaming bloody murder about it–and passing laws literally to block REAL ID–that I think Oregon would be safe in presuming that the Feds aren’t going to block our licenses anytime soon. The deadline has been extended another couple of years, and I expect that whatever national standards for the card itself that develop, Oregon can follow.

    Disappointingly, my sense from talking to people like Sen. Metsger a while ago was that the Leg DOES want to go ahead and make the DMV into a branch of Customs, checking citizenship before licensing. I’m glad to hear that other legislators are not so sure, although I’m still betting that part passes…

  2. GOOD! I hope they do make the driver’s licenses harder to forge. While they’re at it, they should fingerprint everyone, too. These I.D. fraud and illegal Mexican problems have to be quelled before it gets even more out of hand than it is already. The only people who need to be concerned about “big brother” are the criminals!

  3. this is very disappointing. georgia, of all places, just completely rejected it. if georgia can do it, so can oregon.

  4. Why *SHOULD* we reject it? So we can give enable the criminals even more than we already have? This discussion is beyond belief.

  5. If an illegal “resident” gets in a car wreck, and the insurance company that they allegedly have to cover their losses decides not to cover because they have no legal standing anyways, who’s at fault?

    I’m sorry, but if someone wrecks my car (and I’ve unfortunately been in a car wreck) I will make sure that my losses are covered, and not by my insurance carrier. I don’t think DMV should have to act as Immigration; but I also don’t think that anyone who violates the law and enters the country illegally have ANY rights or privileges, nor should have any expectation of such.

    Where’s my “get out of jail free” card? I’m sure these “illegals” will have no problem allowing me to freely break a law of my choosing for which they will be a victim, and they will extend to me the same rights that they are demanding.

  6. If an illegal “resident” gets in a car wreck, and the insurance company that they allegedly have to cover their losses decides not to cover because they have no legal standing anyways, who’s at fault?

    What are you talking about? These folks lack proper work visa’s, their insurance companies still have to pay their claims the same as anyone else.

    I also don’t think that anyone who violates the law and enters the country illegally have ANY rights or privileges, nor should have any expectation of such.

    Thankfully that is not the case. We still prosecute people for murder if they deliberately kill someone who lacks a work visa.

    Do you feel the same way about tax evaders and speeders? Do they lack “ANY rights or privileges” too? How about the criminals who fail to get a proper building permit and live in a house with their “illegal” repairs? What about all those contractors that do “illegal” repairs without permits using “illegal” workers without permits?

  7. In most states the illegal immigrants, (and repeat drunk drivers and terrorists and commercial truckers and people under 21 and pretty much everyone else,) simply bribes a DMV employee to give them a license anyways. The only thing that is special about our state is that we give licenses to illegal immigrants without a bribe, (as long as they pass a drivers test.) Given that the state doesn’t see any of the bribe money anyways, and it is better to have drivers that know what they are doing out on the street, that seems like a good policy to me…

    But I fail to see how the “new” federal standards are going to make DMV employees more resistant to bribes. They are human, there are a lot of them, and they know that the odds of getting caught are very low, but a trucker with a few tickets against him will pay a couple grand for a good fake license… Mainly this act it is just going to be a pain (both from the cost issue, and the amount of paperwork/time it will take to get a license,) for those of us that don’t bribe the DMV in the first place…

  8. The only thing that is special about our state is that we give licenses to illegal immigrants without a bribe,

    Until the federal law most states simply tested people’s driving and gave them a license if they qualified. We are rapidly getting to the point where having ones papers is going to be necessary for travel anywhere in the United States. Of course there will be a big business is counterfeit papers and bribes to get real ones if people can’t get them legally.

  9. I think they should fingerprint and DNA everyone at birth and have a set of those attached to the birth certificate records at Vital Statistics. When someone needs to get an I.D., Passport, get credit, etc. then those records are called up and verified with the person’s fingerprints. It’s too easy of a solution and would never pass. Sure it’s giving up our liberties but what’s the alternative? Illegals and criminals abusing our gracious systems? It seems our elected officials would rather have the criminals run free than do anything that makes people accountable.

  10. 36 employees at 6 New Jersey DMVs formed a crime ring in 2002:
    http://www.state.nj.us/lps/dcj/releases/2002/dmv0624.htm

    Here are some choice quotes:
    The indictment alleges a scenario involving a single clerk at the Wayne-46 Agency who allegedly produced more than 3,000 fraudulent licenses and permits at $50-$100 per document. It is further alleged that this clerk received in excess of $100,000 cash over a six-eight month period.

    The investigation revealed that, in some cases, “brokers” would arrange to steal the legitimate identities of licensed drivers and after the licenses were obtained, the “broker” would produce counterfeit pay stubs, W-2 documents, photo identification cards and similar documents as further proof of identification. Once the various forms of identification were assembled, it is alleged that certain “brokers” would go to automobile dealerships and purchase/lease vehicles with little or no money down utilizing the stolen identities of real persons. The investigation tracked the fraudulent purchase of at least ten, late-model, expensive automobiles valued at more than $415,000 accomplished through the identity theft scheme.

    (That was one of 23 crime rings that were caught that year in the DMVs of 15 different states…)

  11. Do you feel the same way about tax evaders and speeders? Do they lack “ANY rights or privileges” too? How about the criminals who fail to get a proper building permit and live in a house with their “illegal” repairs? What about all those contractors that do “illegal” repairs without permits using “illegal” workers without permits?

    Tax evaders can go to jail and forfeit property.

    Speeders can get tickets, and if the offense is severe enough lose their license and/or go to jail. Get enough tickets, and your insurance rates go through the roof.

    Contractors who build illegally can lose their license to build, face civil and criminal lawsuits, be required to repay losses, and in some cases go to jail for fraud. And do you think an unlicensed contractor is going to get insurance? Do you think a “medical professional” without the appropriate training is going to receive malpractice coverage?

    The punishment fits the crime. If someone enters the country illegally, they do not enjoy the privileges of the country. Plenty of people bust their asses going through the hoops to enter this country legally; and plenty of people have had a long lineage of family in this country who did work their butts off. Why should one group of individuals get a “get out of jail free” card? Unfortunately because of this group, and our government’s unwillingness to govern, we have to come up with stupid things like drivers licenses that contain citizenship data.

    Maybe those who support the legalization of illegal immigrants should step up, and allow the “illegals” to take over their jobs and homes first. There isn’t enough jobs, room, or money, for all of us. Some of us have waited in line for a long time; others are cutting in line.

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