House approves electronic ID cards

CNET ^ | February 10, 2005 | Declan McCullagh

[tbird5]

The U.S. House of Representatives approved on Thursday a sweeping set of rules aimed at forcing states to issue all adults federally approved electronic ID cards, including driver's licenses.

Under the rules, federal employees would reject licenses or identity cards that don't comply, which could curb Americans' access to airplanes, trains, national parks, federal courthouses and other areas controlled by the federal government. The bill was approved by a 261-161 vote.

The measure, called the Real ID Act, says that driver's licenses and other ID cards must include a digital photograph, anticounterfeiting features and undefined "machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements" that could include a magnetic strip or RFID tag. The Department of Homeland Security would be charged with drafting the details of the regulation.

Republican politicians argued that the new rules were necessary to thwart terrorists, saying that four of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers possessed valid state-issued driver's licenses. "When I get on an airplane and someone shows ID, I'd like to be sure they are who they say they are," said Rep. Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican, during a floor debate that started Wednesday

[azhenfud]

U.S. Passports are our friends.

[BellStar]

Thank God. It is about time. My mothers Military ID I trust my gardeners New Mexico drivers license I don't.

[stainlessbanner]

aimed at forcing states

bah

[international american]

BUMP

[azhenfud]

"Its just like a passport."

Well, no federal or state authority better require any type of ID to superceed a U.S. passport for proof of U.S. citizenry - if they begin doing that, we're headed for a heap of trouble.

[mysterio]

This kind of incrementalism is unacceptable from any political party. Let me guess : in a few years, we will be required to have the card on us at all times and be forced to present it to any LEO for any reason. And in 30 years, our kids will have the NEW AND IMPROVED(tm) card, which is actually a biometric chip that reports positional data to a government satellite. And all of the apologists will scream down the opponents, saying "if you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about," and calling them tinfoil hatters. Maybe we don't deserve freedom or privacy. We certainly don't value either. At least we'll be "safe," though.

[Blue Jays]

Hi mysterio-

Yup, we're in agreement. See my post# 51 on this thread.

~ Blue Jays ~

[sauropod]

Honey, I don't display my idiocy all over the forum.

[mysterio]

Exactly. It's impossible to teach the safety statists about incrementalism. Luckily, our friend the government is teaching an applied course for them. And oh, how they will howl when it finally drills into a freedom that they value. History has proved us right, and the future will as well. We will at least have that satisfaction. However, our children will have to pay for the statists' mistakes.

[LauraleeBraswell]

What are you all afraid of? The government can already track you down.

This just makes it easier.

[LauraleeBraswell]

And I'm not your honey.

You started it.

[DaiHuy]

"Hyperbole is *not* your friend. I'm as against a national ID card as the next guy, but what passed today was not an electronic ID."

No, but it is just another brick in the road to what will eventually lead to mandatory chipping of everyone.

[kenth]

So when the next crazed democrat gets into power, it will be comforting to know that they won't have to expend a lot of energy should they decide to track you down, eh?

[BellStar]

Go out now without ID in all but I think 2 states you can be locked up if you can not show your state ID or drivers license now!

[Darkwolf377]

I'm talking about FAKE Driver's IDs.

[TigersEye]

This merely makes it a lot harder for an illegal to get a driver's license,...

I'm sorry, it didn't sound like you were talking about FAKE IDs. Anyway, it will still be just as easy to fake the documents necessary to get the REAL driver's IDs. Then they can go anywhere they want, no questions asked.

[Darkwolf377]

I don't know, I think a national ID will be a bit tougher to fake--I mean, the proliferation of fake driver's licenses isn't going to be so easy with anticounterfit materials incorporated as we do with currency on a national level. To me, this is a way to flush out the system on a most basic level, and I think fake driver's licenses will be pretty tough to achieve especially immediatelly--and while we're always looking for a permanent fix, I don't think there IS one, we just have to keep playing whack-a-mole as these issues emerge.

I found it amusing how an Arizona democrat (think it was AZ) called the state's attempts to stop illegals from getting driver's licenses a racist Republican plot--the requirement was that all drivers must show proof of residency. Wow, how racist.

[TigersEye]

I don't know, I think a national ID will be a bit tougher to fake--...

How? All you have to do is fake the documents that they require to get the driver's license AKA national ID. Mexico has already demonstrated that they are willing to assist their citizens in that effort ie. consular IDs.

[AD from SpringBay]

In High School and College I always thought the idea of the "Student Government" was silly. They had no authority and no real power. In retrospect that was an ideal government (but I digress).

Governments, in lieu of any products or services people will buy, tend to impose their services upon the people. This is one more thing we don't need imposed upon us. But unlike something that's just annoying (like seat belt laws) the potential to abuse this is tremendous. Maybe we should try to look past the current administration.