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Posted on 02/14/2005 9:43:53 AM PST by jmc813
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a national ID bill last week that masqueraded as “immigration reform.” The bill does nothing to address immigration policy, however, nor does it propose deporting a single illegal alien already in our country. It does nothing to address the porous border between the U.S. and Mexico, which is the fundamental problem. In reality, the bill is a Trojan horse. It pretends to offer desperately needed border control in order to con a credulous Congress into sacrificing more of our constitutionally protected liberty.
Supporters claim the national ID scheme is voluntary. However, any state that opts out will automatically make non-persons out of its citizens. The citizens of that state will be unable to have any dealings with the federal government because their ID will not be accepted. They will not be able to fly or to take a train. In essence, in the eyes of the federal government they will cease to exist. It is absurd to call this voluntary, and the proponents of the national ID know that every state will have no choice but to comply. Federal legislation that nationalizes standards for drivers’ licenses and birth certificates creates a national ID system pure and simple.
It is just a matter of time until those who refuse to carry the new licenses will be denied the ability to drive or board an airplane. Such domestic travel restrictions are the hallmark of authoritarian states, not free republics.
This bill establishes a huge, centrally-coordinated database of highly personal information about American citizens: at a minimum their name, date of birth, place of residence, Social Security number, and physical and possibly other characteristics. The bill even provides for this sensitive information of American citizens to be shared with Canada and Mexico! Imagine a corrupt Mexican official selling thousands of identity files, including Social Security numbers, to criminals!
This legislation gives authority to the Secretary of Homeland Security to expand required information on drivers’ licenses, potentially including such biometric information as retina scans, finger prints, DNA information, and even Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) radio tracking technology. Including such technology as RFID means the federal government, as well as the governments of Canada and Mexico, could know where American citizens are at all times.
What will this mean for us? When this new program is implemented, every time we are required to show our drivers’ license we will, in fact, be showing a national identification card. We will be handing over a card that includes our personal and likely biometric information, information which is connected to a national and international database. This will further degrade our precious privacy, which is the hallmark of a civilized society. As Ayn Rand said, the “Savage’s whole existence is public.”
A national ID card will have the same effect as gun control laws: criminals will ignore it, while law abiding people lose freedom. A national ID card offers us nothing more than a false sense of security, while moving us ever closer to a police state. The national ID proposal should die a well-deserved death in the Senate, and it should be denounced as authoritarian and anti-American.
Probably because we all know that the SSN is really a national id and our governments want to know everything about us just in case they can use it against us at some time.
If I recall correctly, if you have a medical condition that causes you to black out unexpectedly, you are required to take certain medication or your doctor is legally required to report you to the state DOT so they can suspend your licence. I'm sure they use SSN for that. Nice, huh ?
Otherwise, no reason I'm sure. In reality, a birth certificate should be all that's necessary to prove birth date.
Sure, they can't get one legally. If they're here illegally, you think they can't find someone to sell them one ?
Why are you so fearful of a dedicated supporter of liberty and the founding principles of our country?
Also, Article X (Information Exchange) , "B" of the DLA states:
The licensing authority of a member jurisdiction shall report to the licensing authority of the Jurisdiction of Record within 30 days of receipt each conviction and administrative action as designated in the DLA Code, as well as failures to comply. Such report shall identify the person involved and shall include any other information as may be specified in the rules.That is a far cry from someone in Mexico logging into a database and pulling John Q Publics driving record, or any info for that matter.
That's why 'most' illegals who do work, don't have a DL. The phony SS card they bought would be spotted in a NY minute by the DMV (or Sec of State like in IL).
I'm against it for reason 2. I don't really care if RP is right or wrong. This is federal nanny-stating. If they were patrolling the border and ports properly, this wouldn't be an issue.
This particular provision is bullshit:
"(10) Limit the period of validity of all driver's licenses and identification cards that are not temporary to a period that does not exceed 8 years."
I have an Arizona license that's valid until 2035, and I'm not giving it up until they force me to. There's no reason for the federal government to force me to pay the state again and again for the privilege of driving on roads my tax dollars paid for.
2035? Holy .. 'cow'. But isn't that an unrealistically long time? In thirty years your appearance will be a lot different than today. Which makes your DL pretty useless as a photo ID, doesn't it?
I don't want an SS card, I don't want my offspring to have an SS card, I don't want to use my SS card for anything other than SS.
If they really need proof of citizenship, my birth certificate or passport is enough. Don't make anyone sign up for a federal welfare plan just so they can drive.
In other news, I'm a human yet I breathe air and eat food. ;-)
No SS card?
Then I assume you don't file a Federal Income tax return, or have a job, as an SS number is required for both. And if you do have offspring and they don't have a SS number you can't take their deductions 'if' and or when you do file a tax return.
Why don't they just tatoo our forehead with our SS# in barcode and be done with it?
Timothy McVeigh agreed with you. He even went farther than words and actually struck the "enemy".
You are kidding yourself if you think such a defacto database doesn't exist already.
Hey jmc. Hope all's well.
Once again Rep. Paul nails the issue, and we sit here wondering how far Sensenbrenner Jr. is going to push with his now apparent lust for control. Control of states' databases, control over states' ability to control driving priviledges, control over the citizens' ability to work in the future when this morph's into a requirement for employment, a child support database, gun registration and more. I've worked for a company that builds and maintains massive databases, the swipe cards of the future will hold megabytes of info on each individual. It's a disturbing possible future ahead.
You are "misinformed". The Driver License Agreement covers all 50 states and any territory of Mexico or Canada.
"our government is our worst enemy"
Govt is the only entity that can exercise force with impunity. As such, we must restrict the size and scope of the govt. The Founders understood that. The Democrats and Bush Republicans don't.
Interesting.
Do they have a web site too?
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