But to explore further your position, was driving a horse cart also a privilege?
The thing is, to further explore your position, should a person who simply cannot operate a motor vehicle be allowed to operate one?
The privilege thing is a big deal. You do not have to get a license to have the God given rights protected in the constitution. But operating a motor vehicle does take certain skills and abilities. There need to be minimum standards. However, once developed, they can’t be used in a discriminatory fashion. That is, the rules should apply identically to everyone. But there do need to be rules.
No they shouldn't. The government does have a legitimate interest in verifying that someone is capable of competently operating a potentially dangerous vehicle.
This is a very different thing from saying the government should have veto power over demonstrably competent people operating motor vehicles.
The privilege thing is a big deal. You do not have to get a license to have the God given rights protected in the constitution. But operating a motor vehicle does take certain skills and abilities. There need to be minimum standards. However, once developed, they can’t be used in a discriminatory fashion. That is, the rules should apply identically to everyone. But there do need to be rules.
I have no objection to requirements to demonstrate competency. I *DO* have objections to the usage of a "license" as an imminent threat to coerce "state approved behavior" or the presumption that they are doing you a favor by allowing you to exercise your right to use the public roads.