Sgt. Duane Fletchall - endorser

For too long our legislators have taken it upon themselves to make decisions that have very serious implications for all Oregon residents.

When the Oregon Legislature passed Oregon Senate Bill 833 they opened the flood gates for extremely negative consequences for all Oregon residents and the residents of every American city.

I'm not writing this to make friends or to be politically correct. I'm writing this to make a profound statement.                                                                That statement is:  Why would a group of Oregon Legislators push a bill through that negatively affects all Oregonians? Is it possible they merely did this to further their political careers and not for the safety of Oregonians.

I was hired in 1976, and during my career I saw a dramatic increase in crime by those who came into America illegally. We often hear people say they just want a better life. Well, I know that many of these people don’t want a better life, they came to America to commit crimes and for no other reason. Let’s be realistic, if people coming into our country really wanted to be American citizens they would obtain their citizenship as so many legal immigrants have in the past. Why bend the rules for just a certain segment of people?

Let me give just one example to quantify my stand against this bill. Recently, I spoke to an undercover narcotics officer. He told me that meth labs are on the decrease in Oregon. I asked him why. He said because methamphetamine is being made in Mexico and transported up Interstate 5 to the Willamette valley and north. He told me it’s cheaper to make it down there and it makes detection by police much more difficult.

Don’t we have enough problems with crime? Putting special driver licenses in the hands of cartel drug runners only makes their life easier!

Allowing driver cards to non citizens has serious implications for our national security, as well. If Oregon Bill 833 is allowed, people from foreign countries can come from South America into the northern hemisphere obtain a driver card and in reality do whatever they wish. In many cases we wouldn’t even know who they are? Why risk it.

I’ll close by saying our history has shown we are more reactive than proactive.

For example; the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the destruction of the Twin Towers. If people want driver cards, then make them go through the hoops like everyone else; become an American citizen first.