Good Bredesen News

While Governor Phil Bredesen is working to raise business taxes by $75 million (See Bill Hobbs for more.), he is doing one good thing. Next week, he'll propose much tougher driver's licensing laws.

The amended version of Bredesen's plan will offer two types of driving documents. One is the regular driver's license, available to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The other is called a "driving certificate" that cannot be used for identification purposes. It will document only that the holder is qualified to operate a motor vehicle and will look distinctly different from a driver's license.

The certificate will be available to two kinds of noncitizens: People who are legally but temporarily in the United States and those who can prove only their identity and their residence in Tennessee.

It's hard to argue with this, as it gives both sides of the argument what they want. Proponents of State and national security, and those not wanting to aid and abet illegal citizenry, get limits on availability. Proponents of getting illegals to learn driving laws get that. It's a win-win.

One funny bit in the article, though. It mentions a Williamson County raid that netted 25 illegal aliens at a driving school. In connection with the national security concerns mentioned in the rest of the article, it's not wrong to think "Arab Muslims." But you have to read all the way to the last paragraph (which may get cut if other outlets trim this AP story for space reasons) to learn that the 25 were from India! Oh my.