Posted on 10/10/2004 8:54:25 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger won his first legislative victory last year after the California Republican Party contributed $400,000 for a ballot signature drive that forced Democrats to repeal a law intended to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.
But as state Sen. Gil Cedillo prepares to introduce his fifth license bill next year, the governor - who recently vetoed an Assembly version - and the GOP are distancing themselves from a ballot measure that could put the issue to rest.
The constitutional amendment would bar the Legislature from granting licenses to illegal immigrants, and cut off their access to professional or commercial licenses and higher education subsidies.
--snip--
Likened to Proposition 187 - the 1994 measure that would have denied public benefits to illegal immigrants but was gutted by the courts - the new measure has reignited debate between moderate and conservative Republicans.
Proposition 187 was overwhelmingly approved by voters, but some moderates say the blurring of legal and illegal immigration during the emotional campaign drove away Latino voters.
Conservatives like Mike Spence, president of the Los Angeles County-based California Republican Assembly, counter that the new measure accurately reflects public disgust with illegal immigration.
Schwarzenegger supported Proposition 187, but the Republican governor has dismissed the new measure as "old hat" and cautioned that "we should find ways to work together rather than to find ways of going the other way."
Karen Hanretty, a spokeswoman for the state Republican Party, said the GOP "has nothing to do with the current petition" drive and does not think it's necessary.
"As long as there's Democrats in the Legislature, they can continue to thwart the will of the people and pass legislation the people don't want," Hanretty said. "And as long as we have a Republican governor, he'll veto it."
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
The state legislature used to be run by adults.
For years the state was very conservatively run,, now we have a Gub.. who earlier supported Prop 187 saying..
"we should find ways to work together rather than to find ways of going the other way."
regardless of what the other way is (how kerryesque, imo).. which in aRnie's case is as long as the illegal has a "thorough" background check AND a special mark on the license , he approves of giving them licenses.
W.A.S.S.
The people of California don't need a constitutional amendment, they need to vote their legislature out of office this November. In one stroke a multitude of problems would be solved.
We need it. I don't care what the RINOs say - the truth is illegal immigration is bankrupting California. Its time to stop the gravy train.
Good luck in driving Democrats in gerrymandered strongholds out of office next month.
Not necessarily.. We'd still have a GReeno as Gub. ;-)
Thanks for the reminder. is anyone even trying to do anything about that? ;-)
California will continue to go down the tubes until the legislature is run out of Sacramento. You can't run a state on constitutional amendments and vetoes.
The astonishing part of this article, IMHO, is that so-called "representatives" "of (we) the people" are ARGUING about whether to continue ignoring law breaking, felonius foreigners and to GIVE THEM some (more) of our money! Like a waking nightmare.
That "blurring" is on purpose. Whenever this issue comes up, notice that the people who oppose any curbs on illegal immigration always shift the argument to be one of pro/anti "immigration." The word illegal just disappears, and that's a deliberate strategy on their part to paint their opponents as xenophobic racists. Any time they do this, it's important for us to get in their face and shove the "illegal" part right back at them.
Why the @#!& would we elect more of you if all you're going to do is throw up your hands and say, "There's nothing we can do"? What a contemptible surrender on the part of the GOP in California. Grow a spine and fight for your beliefs, assuming you have any, you freakin' wimps.
The next step is to pass an initiative that fixes the redistricting process. If we can get both the Republicans and Democrats out of safe districts, they'll be a lot more responsive to us. As it is, neither side has to fear the electorate and therefore aren't forced to take strong positions that might tick off some pressure group or campaign donors.
Girlie man.
The new federal terrorism bill that the house passed last week could put a halt on these state government traitors repeated efforts to undermine our countries sovereignty.
The 9/11 bill that would outlaw licenses for illegals & limit consular IDs and now needs to pass senate and Bush has to sign, therefore we need activism to put the pressure on, because this is most important bill to keep sovereignty in the hands of legal citizens of the United States AND to deter terrorism at home.
The bill calls for a crackdown on driver's licenses for illegal aliens, easier deportations and limits on the use of foreign consular identification cards. The White House initially signed off on these provisions, which House leaders and some September 11 family members endorsed.
Our senators must hear from us all on this one :
http://www.senate.gov
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1239489/posts
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20041006-125536-4078r.htm
Oh, no, no, no - "we should find ways to work together rather than to find ways of going the other way."
".... Gil Cedillo prepares to introduce his fifth license bill next year,...."
We need a referendum that mandates a three strike law or something, three tries to legislate the same bad law and the proposition should be disallowed on the floor ever again!
what a waist of tax payers money to have to debate this 5 times, at the minimum Gil Cedillo should be sued by the citizens of California and made to be financially liable to pay for his bad judgement in wasting our resources on issue that has already been turned down by the laws and procedures of the State government 4 times!
Because Arnold hasn't been giving him a clue - at least not the right clues. He's made it clear he's not opposed in principle to giving licenses to illegals; he just wants to make sure it satisfies the concerns of his Department of Homeland Security (yes, apparently Kalifornistan has its own home-grown DHS).
"One of the most important duties of the governor of a state is to protect its citizens," Schwarzenegger wrote in his veto message. "Determining the true identity and history of an individual is a key component of that protection. This bill does not adequately address the security concerns that my Department of Homeland Security and I have and I cannot support it," he wrote. SourceSoon enough, Senator Cedillo will pass a bill that meets Arnold's "concerns".
An excellent idea. But it seems like it would be easily circumvented by simple rewording.
Better yet, go to SaveOurLicense.com, download the petition, and start gathering signatures. That's what I'm doing. Once we pass this initiative, that's the end for Gil's driver's license scheme, plus a lot of other nonsense like honoring Matricula Consular cards.
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