Congress Considering National ID Card

The American Conservative Union ^ | October 18, 2004 | aculistmanager@laptoplobbyist.com

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

 

 

Dear Friend of the ACU:

Kiss your civil liberties and right to privacy goodbye!

Do you believe that you should be compelled to carry a National ID Card that is imprinted with your fingerprint or your DNA imprint or other highly personal and private information?

Do you believe that you should be required to produce this ID card on demand -- when you go to the grocery store or cross state lines or pay your taxes or at the whim of some petty government bureaucrat?

This is not science fiction folks -- nor is it a scene out of a futuristic "B-movie" -- the technology exists and if Congress gets its way -- it's going to be a reality.

Unless -- of course -- you join with me to take a stand today and urge the Senate and House Conference Committee to kill the National ID Card provisions from S.2845 and H.R. 10.

 

Use the hyperlink below and join with me in sending a personalized Blast Fax message to the thirteen key Senators and the nine key House Members who will be considering this legislation.  Tell them that any National ID Card provisions must be stripped from H.R. 10 and S.2845. Tell them that no amount of security is worth turning the United States into a Police State.

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Show Me Your Papers Please

"We beat the Germans in World War II. We don't want to be a show-us-your-papers kind of country."  Those are the words of author David Kopel.

But perhaps Congressman Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) said it best.

"The much-hailed 9/11 Commission report released in July recommends a federal identification card and, worse, a 'larger network of screening points' inside the United States. Does this mean we are to have 'screening points' inside our country where American citizens will be required to 'show their papers' to government officials? It certainly sounds that way!"

Paul goes on to say, "A national identification card, in whatever form it may take, will allow the federal government to inappropriately monitor the movements and transactions of every American. History shows that governments inevitably use the power to monitor the actions of people in harmful ways. Claims that the government will protect the privacy of Americans when implementing a national identification card ring hollow."

I don't know about you -- but the prospect of being told to produce my papers evokes visions of living in the former Soviet Union and -- even now -- I have a hard time believing our Congress is seriously considering it.

 

Use the hyperlink below and join with me in sending a personalized Blast Fax message to the thirteen key Senators and the nine key House Members who will be considering this legislation.  Tell them that any National ID Card provisions must be stripped from H.R. 10 and S.2845. Tell them that no amount of security is worth turning the United States into a Police State.

http://www.laptoplobbyist.com/acuid.html

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What Is Congress Saying?

In case you still don't think National ID Cards are a reality -- Here's what some Members of Congress are saying ...

 

Rep. Mary Bono (R-CA) said, "I think people are going to have to recognize that some of their conveniences are going to be gone...  I'm glad to show my identification where I need to go."
 

Rep. George Gekas (R-Pa.), chairman of the House Immigration Subcommittee, has told the press that "proposals to mandate national ID cards should not be dismissed out of hand."

 

These are REPUBLICANS  -- the folks who are suppose to take our civil liberties seriously!

 

Ron Paul in criticizing the measure said, "Congress has embraced the 9/11 Commission report uncritically since its release in July. Now Congress is rushing to write each 9/11 Commission recommendation into law before the November election."

 

Use the hyperlink below and join with me in sending a personalized Blast Fax message to the thirteen key Senators and the nine key House Members who will be considering this legislation.  Tell them that any National ID Card provisions must be stripped from H.R. 10 and S.2845. Tell them that no amount of security is worth turning the United States into a Police State.

http://www.laptoplobbyist.com/acuid.html

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National ID Cards Have Several Disadvantages

Proponents of the measure say that a National ID Card is essential in the wake of 9-11 and an increased terrorist threat. But that argument is simply a red-herring.

Of the 25 nations that have been the most frequent targets of terrorists attacks, 80 percent of them have a national identification card.

Furthermore, a National ID Card tells law enforcement nothing about a person's intent.  Timothy McVeigh, the D.C. Beltway sniper and a host of other criminals and terrorists would have no problem obtaining a National ID Card.

The program will cost billions of dollars; money that could be spent on tightening border security or beefing up law enforcement.

Identity theft will literally go through the roof.  Many of us have experienced the unfortunate situation of having a credit card or a Social Security number stolen.  Imagine what would happen if someone stole your entire identity.

Is a false panacea worth giving up your civil liberties? 

 

Use the hyperlink below and join with me in sending a personalized Blast Fax message to the thirteen key Senators and the nine key House Members who will be considering this legislation.  Tell them that any National ID Card provisions must be stripped from H.R. 10 and S.2845. Tell them that no amount of security is worth turning the United States into a Police State.

http://www.laptoplobbyist.com/acuid.html

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If the hyperlink does not work, please copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser.

 

 

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[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

If one of the most liberal organizations of the country, and one of the most conservative, are on the same side, which side is right?

Could it be possible that they're...*BOTH*...right?

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

We already have national IDs... Social Security numbers and drivers licenses (while drivers licenses are state-issued, the data -including your digitized photo- go into a national data bank).

Oh, great. I guess we're already well on the way...

[Chemist_Geek]

Where is the proof that we will be required to show ID at grocery stores or crossing state lines?

There isn't any in the bill; that rhetoric is in there just to get people riled up.

[Chemist_Geek]

We haven't tried simple steps yet - for example, just enforcing existing visa requirements in force at the time would have kept most of the hijackers out. If we apply straightforward approaches and they still fail, then maybe we can talk about a national ID card. But we have to exhaust other possibilities first.

But realize the inherent dangers in my position - that failure of straightforward approaches may be defined as a successful terror attack.

I appreciate your post. It's well-written and clear, and cogently makes reasonable points against national I.D. proposals.

I'm not sure I agree - I still lean towards it - but your argument here is quite good.

[Fixit]

And only 44 responses before ad hominem attacks began.

Where, Mr. Junior, do you find authority for a national ID system in the constitution?

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Not until government bureaucrats start asking for it at checkpoints. Then it violates your Fourth Amendment right to be secure from unreasonable searches, as far as I'm concerned."

Whay would they? They do not do it now.

[EQAndyBuzz]

And that is why you make it so it cannot be counterfeited.

[BufordP]

Thanks for the heads up.

[KC_for_Freedom]

If we issue passports to every US citizen, and require foreigners who are here legally to produce theirs (which they must have had to get in, right?), then the problem is solved, right?

Right, I agree. Just got back from a foreign trip, passport was accepted everywhere. Upon return, customs proved no big problem. Was searched alot at airports, they would have found weapons had I been carrying. Procedures in aircraft seemed good too. Whenever the cockpit door was opened, the flight attendants knew in advance and cleared the area and ran interference for the crew coming out to use the potty. I was impressed, they were taking the thing seriously.

PS, the ID card issue is a done deal (that is, we already have it) except for computer tracking which is still a ways from usefullness. Will it catch bad guys? Some I would bet, (the lazy ones) and it will make tracking the bad guys in reverse much easier when they are identified.

[lilylangtree]

No, no way, no how, no chance.

[wku man]

Those advocating a national ID will point to the oft-abused "necessary and proper" and "interstate commerce" clauses for Constitutional justification. They'd be wrong, of course, but that hasn't stopped any power grab in the past. I fear this is a foregone conclusion, and just another step closer to the edge of the cliff.

Scoputs Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Doctor Stochastic]

And that is why you make it so it cannot be counterfeited.

How do you propose to do that? You will be betting your life on the efficacy of your proposal.

[wku man]

That's the problem with yeller-dawg Pubbies and yeller-dawg 'Rats...neither party can bring themselves to admit that sometimes the other guy is right.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Marine_Uncle]

"Oddly enough, the ACLU is fighting this, too. Strange bedfellows, don't you think? I guess the ACU is just one letter different from the ACLU."

I mispelled ACLU.........in earlier post reply. Sorry!

[Junior]

Never said anything about the authority for a national ID system, did I? I simply pointed out that the first "Jesus is coming! Look busy!" post showed up fairly quickly. These types of threads always attract end timers with their quotes from Revelation and their assurances that, even though they've been guessing wrong about the Second Coming for the past two millennia, this time they know they're right.

But nice attempt at changing the subject.

[Marine_Uncle]

What the hell am I saying! I am loosing my mind!

I meant ACU ..................aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
Hang in their folks!

[Doctor Stochastic]

The ID would be inserted into a machine with a national database that could bring up a photo and other pertinant info.

How does this help? How do you keep the database up-to-date? What about those who lost or damaged their ID?

How will an undercover cop (who will necessarily have a false ID) be allowed to vote?

[Chode]

"Does this take away any of our freedoms? No. Violates our civil liberties? No."
Not until government bureaucrats start asking for it at checkpoints.

remember guns don't kill people... people kill people!!!
if they are to the popint of setting up check points... your plain old DL will work just as well for their purposes as a Standardized License will

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

There isn't any in the bill; that rhetoric is in there just to get people riled up.

And some President in the (near?) future might think: why have a National ID if we don't make use of it...