Or they get the license by showing proof of insurance and then let the insurance lapse. There are plenty of uninsured drivers out there.

BTW, if the worst-case scenario happens in the Delta area of California and the levees should fail due to earthquake or heavy rains or whatever, I'm all for helping those people out who are affected. If the government fails in its responsibility (there's that word again) to repair and strengthen the levees, then I would feel that it is the government's responsibility to come to the aid of those people when catastrophe strikes. Same goes for the poor, unfortunate people whose homes and lives were ruined when Katrina struck.

There were warnings about the levees in New Orleans before Katrina and there are warnings about California's Delta region now. The government has a responsibility to protect its citizens. If it fails to do so, it (the taxpayers) should pay. Simple as that. In this case, the burden should not be on the individual; nor should it be on the insurance companies (who then just pass the costs on to others by raising their premiums).

Once again, I strongly recommend reading "A Dangerous Place" by Marc Reisner.

Barbara