Blogs > It's Time To Take A Stand

Being a business theatre producer has allowed Brian the opportunity to meet and work with some very fascinating people from a variety of backgrounds which, in turn, has helped shape his knowledge and his opinions. His blog will not always be political, it will be about a lifetime of subjects, and nothing is off limits. “Few people have original thoughts, we are shaped by the people we know and meet” he says.



Friday, August 27, 2010

Driver's Licence, Michigan Style

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get a driver's licence in Michigan?

While recently transferring a car registration at the Secretary of State Office in Wixom on a Wednesday night, they are open until 7:00 pm, I was waiting for my number to be called. One of the employees was attempting to prescreen the people in order to speed up the process and make sure everyone who was waiting had the right paperwork. Listening to this employee speak, I was somewhat surprised to hear what was required to obtain a driver's licence.

The conversation went something like this:
SOS employee: "What are you here for?"
Customer: (in very broken English): "Want driver's licence."
SOS: "Do you have two pieces of identification?"
Customer: "No, nothing."
SOS: "Do you have any bills with your name on them? Maybe a phone bill or a utility bill with your name and address on it? Maybe a gas card invoice with your name on it?"
Customer: "No, I don't think so."
SOS: "Do you have any at home, where you live?"
Customer: "I don't know, how do I find out?"
SOS: "Go home and find a bill or even a letter addressed to you at that address. Do you have a bank account with your name and address on it?"
Customer: "No, I come with nothing."
SOS: "OK, here is what you need to do to get a driver's licence. Maybe open a bank account, you don't have to put much money in it, when they send you a statement, you will have one piece of ID. Or apply for a gas card. You just need two pieces to get a driver's licence. Find someway to get another piece of ID and then come back."

I sat there with my mouth open. It is that simple to get a Michigan driver's licence. The guy next to me was just shaking his head in disgust. You can use any name as long as you have two pieces of mail with a name and address on it. She didn't ask for any proper ID or if she was in this country illegally. She just wanted two pieces of very poor ID. If your licence has been revoked, you just pick up anyone's mail from his or her mail box and bring them to the local SOS office and voila, a Michigan driver's licence.

It is time we enforce our laws or change them to have a common sense approach to proving who you are. With a driver's licence, you can get a voter's registration card, collect welfare, get a SS card, credit cards (well maybe not credit cards, most people can't get them these days).

Where does it stop? We need new requirements for licences. Tat s my stand, what's yours?

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

and people want to know whats wrong with america you said it all.

if we went to there country we would be put in jail and never let out without id and money. we need to start at the goverment and thats our problem and this person makes how much 12 to 15 dollars per hr to put us in harms way

September 21, 2010 at 8:26 AM 

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