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.
What a concept. Don't mind if I join you, do you?
There will be a new tax added to the American paycheck. It is the clean air tax. You will be charged for the air you breathe.
Laugh, scoff, deride, orwellian? Time will tell.
I scoff. The country is becoming more conservative, not less.
In some way's I'd agree with you. I'm not optimistic about what's taking place at the federal level. I know some things look pretty good. There are other things that don't look good at all.
Open borders...
Massive spending...
Massive increases in the Department of Education Budget...
Massive new programs promising even more services to special interest groups...
More and more oppressive security...
While we and some others talk a good game, it's what is being instituted that will haunt us for decades to come. I wish I were as optimistic as you are, but there are dark clouds on the horizon.
The government will always continue to spend more, if for no reason that it has more citizens every year to spend it on. I am uncomfortable with the increase of growth in spending, and I wish we hadn't added increased benefits to medicare and passed a preposterous farm subsidy bill. Bush's new budget proposal looks far better, especially in regard to the latter.
The DOE budget is also troubling, in two regards. It's a lot more money, and if money solved the problem, California would have the best test scores in the nation. In fact, they're pathetic.
The only place I find security oppressive is at our airports. It's absurd. I don't notice it anywhere else.
I think the nation is becoming more conservative, yet I think the measures we're taking during the Islamic Jihad for our protection are making a lot of conservatives nervous.
You and I will disagree about our borders. I understand. I doubt we could stop everyone, but 25,000 is far better than 1-3 million. What is taking place now isn't right.
I pretty much agree with the rest of your comments, with one caviot.
Government never releases power. It continues to accumulate power. This is like a group tug-o-war, where one side has a place to tie off, the other having to expend energy every moment.
When the other side gets tired, the group with the tie off takes another big tug, and ties off again. They other side wears themselves out, and the process repeats until the side with the tie off wins.
The government is setting up the foundations for some massive problems later on. I do not like what I see with regard to a national ID or networked state IDs.
Everyone can sign on to this if they like. I do believe this is the one key to pulling together a number of related problems regarding abuse of power. I'm not going to convince anyone, but that's my take on it. And that's why I say some of the things I do about conservatism and what's down the road.
No ID card of any type will stop a terrorists. The only thing that stops terrorists will be militarizing the border and killing the terrorists before they can act, and keeping our 2nd Amendment rights.
They are already doing that. While the VeriChip is "only" for medical purposes, it is no doubt the leftists have gotten some nasty ideas.
Somthing I would never do. My security is the 2nd Amendment.
Well Its not out fault. I and sdeveral others here have been calling for MILITARIZING THE BORDER. Not this ID crap.
There's no need for a "verification slip" when there's Verichip! Constant 24/7 monitoring, plus all your data.
What's there to lose? .....
Bulls-eye, you nailed it. Excellent assessment.
I am dismayed that some morons will unquestioningly trade liberty for temporal convenience. These dolts line up like sheep willing to be sheared. Many of these people don't know how to manage significant financial assets, so they foolishly want all the financial, banking, shopping and other data to be managed for them.
These clowns who wish to delegate their own personal authority to manage all facets of their lives adversely impact those who are responsible enough and quite content to manage their own personal paperwork, multiple checking accounts, stock accounts, business transactions, personal real estate, etc etc. We all need to make damn sure that this country is not taken down a totalitarian Soviet path. The problem is that the hordes of irresponsible mindless DUmmies are the ones that will accept all Verichip, bar code, finger, retinal and other scanning, tracking and surveillance technology, hook, line and sinker. Law abiding Citizens do not need to be treated as cattle or as government property or property of someone in the "private sector."
Rock on!
(C)R.K.B.A.
BTW, what gives with having an "EX"-Soviet general advise us on anything? He should not be welcome here... Who invited him to "advise" us on our internal systems? We don't need any advice from Russia or ex-Soviet military personnel.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
There is no way that four prohibts against securing our borders and preventing aliens from voting by having a national id card.
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.
I know. 700 Club has had a couple of shows about it. It's scary. I don't trust government to run MY life.
LOL. Thanks!
That should be funny but somehow, it's sad.
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