I guess it's easier for some to stay asleep.
Posted on 02/09/2005 11:36:18 AM PST by kimber
The National ID card is back in the news, as Congress is getting set once again to debate the issue.
You will remember that late last year, Congress passed (and the President signed) legislation which starts us down the road to a National ID card. In the name of preventing alien terrorists from operating in this country, the so-called Intelligence Reform bill gave federal bureaucrats unprecedented new powers to force changes in state-issued driver's licenses -- including, possibly, the addition of computer chip technology that can facilitate the tracking of all U.S. citizens.
Now, the House will be debating new legislation, H.R. 418, that was recently introduced by Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI). In considering this bill, the U.S. House will vote on whether to empower the federal government to determine who can get a driver's license -- and under what conditions.
Since you need a driver's license to purchase a gun from a dealer, this will give BATFE the expanded ability to impose even greater forms of gun control -- something which it has long coveted. This will become even more apparent if an anti-gun Democrat like Hillary Clinton wins the presidency in 2008.
H.R. 418 is, unfortunately, supported by many Republicans who believe that repealing our liberties will somehow make us "secure." But GOA joined a large coalition of citizen-activist organizations this week in opposition to H.R. 418. In a letter to Congress, the coalition stated:
Standardization of driver's licenses has long been recognized as a bureaucratic back-door to implementation of a national ID card. With its required linking of databases and ability of the Secretary of Homeland Security to require a prescribed format, HR 418 takes us well along that road. Concerns are further heightened when the bill fails to even provide lip service to privacy concerns, and proposes to share all of our data on the driver's license database with Canada and Mexico.
Realizing government's tendency towards mission creep, no one should be surprised if this database grows to contain far more information than that which is relevant to driving. HR 418 requires that the database shall contain "at a minimum," all information contained on the driver's license as well as driving history. There is no limit to what other information may eventually be contained in the database -- something which should definitely concern gun owners.
H.R. 418 is being touted as a way of cleaning up some of the problems with the law that was enacted last December. But this bill is still an attack on states' rights. It still takes us down the road to a National ID card. And it would still do nothing to keep real terrorists from operating in our country.
as a portrait artist, I would say - one and the same
I guess it's easier for some to stay asleep.
NO ID'S! No centralization of power and information.
I will vote against ANYONE who supports a national ID plan.
And as a dumb a$$ right wing uniformed voter- I actually keep tabs on who votes for what.
http://www.vote-smart.org/
http://www.c-span.org/
Red6
Virginia already has a state law which is very similar to Section 202.
Fallout of NAFTA - do you really want Mexican truck drivers who have access to US roads to be able to hide their traffic violations in Mexico?
Besides, the state can opt not participate and therefor not receive funds.
Given the technology we now have, there is no reason why a thumb print, (or some other similar biological marker like retina scan), could be taken from every person who votes. If we tied the thumb print, (or other marker), to the ballot, and to the person voting, fraud would be very easy to prove.
Even the RATs would have a hard time carrying around a bunch of thumbs or eyeballs!
No ID card would be required.
Just a thought.
Support your local republicrat.
The national ID will be the final nail in the coffin of the dead Republic.
There would be something very eerie about having a machine examine my retina or thumb print before I would be allowed to vote (or buy and sell). Reminds me a little too much about marks on foreheads, etc.
No, thank you.
There is: the 4th Amendment, the right to be secure in one's papers and person. Demanding one's "papers" (to wit: national ID card) requires a judge-signed search warrant, not "card or cuffs - pick one" without cause.
The whole point of a National ID is proof of citizenship, instantly linking one to gov't records, on demand.
Actually, the premise of your comment is wrong: there is nothing in the Constitution granting the gov't the power to require identification papers of citizens. Congress can only do what the Constitution explicitly permits, and the 4th Amendment makes it clear a National ID is NOT one of those powers.
Just a few years ago, the phrase "where are your papers?" uttered by a gov't agent indicated the worst of tyrrany. Now, suddenly, it is considered by many to be an obvious social norm. WTF?
I understand your objection, and agree with it.
But, given a choice between a national ID card and giving a thumbprint or retinal scan, I'd have to go with the latter.
It's not like anyone is going to listen to us anyhow.
Both the extreme Left and Right want a National ID card, and they are just taking advantage of the current world situation to press their 1984ish agenda forward.
We are trapped in the Hegelian Dialectic.
Mike, sorry but I see your response something like this.
We complain because folks are running red lights and killing people, so the government reacts by taking our cars away.
No, we want stiff penalties on the offenders, so it will stop.
With regard to the border it's the same premise. We didn't bring this on ourselves. The government refused to stop illegal immigration. You just watch. There will still be illegal immigration after all is said and done, but the citizens of this nation will for all intents and purposes be plugged in 24/7 so the government will know every thing we do.
We either accept this, or we put the government on notice, that this s--t is going to stop. We have reached our limit with the level of intrusion that we will accept.
I think you took what I said a bit too far. We have been complaining and now we are seeing what some of those complaints are reaping.
Bureaucrats do as bureaucrats do.
I guess you havent worked inside the government before. This is how they think!!! It's a problem? Sure make a rule and enforce it so that although its only supposed to fix a certain problem that only affects a certain number of people, all people will be affected by this change.
This is normal. We did bring this on us somewhat. Certainly FR wasnt the only group complaining about illegal immigration, but it is one of the loudest.
Mike, I understand where you're coming from and I agree with your premise to a certain extent. What I can't do is accept the idea that we can't demand our laws be enforced, for fear laws will be enacted that will take our rights away.
This is punitive. It is unacceptable. And any government that is going to govern this way, is simply going to be sooner or later deemed to be abusive and eventually even illigitimate.
The current "Real ID" legislation *requires* that you have your National ID card prior to applying for any new job.
This means that *millions* of citizens are about to be required to go stand in lines that will make Driver's License cues look short in comparison before anyone can get a new job.
Politicians who vote for this bill haven't thought this thing through; no one wants to feel the ire of millions of potential job seekers, especially those rural red state workers who would not only have to stand in long lines, but also make a special drive into the city to get their new ID card.
well ummm hmmm :)
You got it there man.
just think about this one ok....there is a ton of money involved in this process...
some card company will get a contract with the government to supply the ID cards. figure probably a $1 a card right? Then after that, there are replacement cards. Then someone has to keep a database right? another contract....
think of the lobbyists and the special interest groups that really love this idea....that is what is driving this more than anything else. It's money for the bureaucrats and a way for the politicos to go out and say they are doing something.
and I dont agree with it either. and I am a contractor :)
Nope, not for me. I'll remain an undocumented legal citizen.
It's to stop illegal immigration, so supposedly, it is okay. Thus sayeth the Malkinbots.
Never mind the legitimate objections that are offered by conservatives.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.