Posted on 07/03/2009 9:09:11 AM PDT by RogerFGay
Imagine a state in which you must register your name and address with the authorities, just so they can find you in case you break the law. In an age when bills vaunting protections for privacy abound, and when surveys of consumers rank privacy as a top concern, could that happen here? It is already happening. When we rely on the federal government to solve our problems, we invite it to intrude upon our privacy. We are asking Big Brother to come in and make himself at home. — How Big Brother Began, Solveig Singleton, Cato Institute
Changes in technology have left a nation confused about how the modern national ID system is implemented. Visions of passports with stamped pages need to be replaced with the modern reality of the computer age. Centrally located file cabinets filled with hand written cards have been replaced by interconnected databases in a huge distributed system.
It has long since been understood that safeguarding our freedom requires limiting the government's access to personal information. Where a legitimate purpose is served, government agencies have been allowed to accumulate limited information for specific purposes. Over the past decade a dramatic shift has taken place. The government has developed the ability to accumulate the maximum amount of information and provided central access to an army of low level bureaucrats. All signs indicate that this is just a beginning.
During the eight years of the Clinton administration, the federal government spent approximately four billion dollars developing a national database system for keeping track of intimate details of the lives of all Americans. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at enterstageright.com ...
Went in to get dad’s photo ID renewed yesterday. When they took his picture the told him not to smile...The state of Indiana will be implementing a new face recognition policy in the near future to keep folks from getting duplicate ID under various names as well as stopping other criminal activities....AM just curious if there is a downside to we legal folks.
If you read the article, you’ll notice that the downside is largely historical now. There was a fundamental shift from prohabitions against arbitrary invasion of privacy by the government, to a system in which so much detail as possible about citizens is collected and used for whatever purpose the government wishes. The fact that the information is shared by lots and lots of bureacrats all over the place means that information is going to spread - even into the hands of criminals. So, although promoters will advertise convinience for you, conviniences that do not require government to provide, what you have now is the most awesome systematic intrusion of privacy by government that the world has ever seen. The Chinese, North Koreans, etc., have nothing on the U.S.
The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign. The less they know about their citizenry the better off the citizens will be. This is the primary problem with national health care.
I did read it. It is historical, but face recognition being put in place in Indiana is current. ....
Have found nothing on the face recognition we are currently seeing being put in place....I agree I want the government out of my business....If you find any information on face recognition please ping me to it.
The illegals too. The ID will be for the effect of limiting our actions .. if we can not buy or sell without one ...
Then we are had.
Plus they can GPS us in moments.
Too much technology always works to trap us with our own inventions.
Anything ... but ... free. Illusionary.
The illegals too. The ID will be for the effect of limiting our actions .. if we can not buy or sell without one ...
Then we are had.
Plus they can GPS us in moments.
Too much technology always works to trap us with our own inventions.
Anything ... but ... free. Illusionary.
Coming soon to your state under Obama.
Massachusetts: Obama's Test Track
I forget how long ago it was (in the mid '90's, IIRC), but for the first time EVER in his life, my uncle was required, by state law, to get a photo driver's license in PA.
My uncle is a real cut-up and rather just roll over and comply, he went to the DMV with a comb, filled out all the paperwork, and while he waited to be called for the photo-taking, went to the restroom, combed his hair out to be all frizzy, unkempt, almost like he was wearing a clown wig, and gazing in the mirror, he fixed his facial expression to resemble a smiling demented clown.
He went back out and ignored the giggles and the stares and held that facial expression throughout the whole ordeal of waiting, having his picture taken, paying the fee, and then waiting for the document to be finished.
He was called up, and the moment he had the document in his hand, he completely relaxed the "demented clown" expression and said calmly to the woman, "Thank You" and walked out, combing his hair.
I wish I had a copy of the picture to post... it's an absolute riot.
I’m actually an engineer (Purdue + MS elsewhere) with a strong understanding of the technical end of the subject. Not sure why that’s your focus. Technology is one thing - your relationship with the government is something else. Do you have more reason to be interested in the technology?
It isn’t technology’s fault. I’m amazed that your comments discuss a couple of trees without mentioning the forest. The government isn’t supposed to keep such detailed personal records of its citizens. It violates the fundamentals of the relationship in what was once a free country.
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