IT'S HERE!!!! All 50 states agree to upgrade driver's licenses

Boston Globe Online ^ | 1/14/02 | Ross Kerber

[Jethro Tull]

Officials from all 50 states have agreed to cooperate on upgrading driver's license security features, giving momentum to efforts to turn the licenses into de facto national identity cards.

The state officials may also seek $70 million or more in federal funds to study issues like how they might include data such as fingerprints or digital photographs on the driver's licenses, which are carried by more than 200 million Americans.

[alpowolf]

I don't see what the LP platform has to do with it. As conservatives gleefully point out at every available opportunity, this platform has not been enacted and has little chance of being enacted anytime soon.

[backhoe]

Neighbor, I fought the "thumbprint id" on the Georgia driver's license until I was blue in the face. Wrote letters & mini-editorials, called talk shows, even made friends with a state Senator who was trying to get an exemption based on religion.... all failed miserably. Much like my effort on the state flag. It is sickening how easily citizens can be spun to give away their hard-won freedoms and privacies.

[alpowolf]

It would seem if the ID I now carry is good enough for the state to issue me a different ID, then there is no need for the additional ID

DING! DING! DING! That's the winning answer! No database is any better than the data that's in it.

[Slyfox]

No excuses for Clinton, but much of what you're complaining about is a function of state law, no?

It was state law filtered into the election code and conservatives were right in their assessments that it would lead to abuse, which it has, in spades. I've served as election judge for many years and I am gernarlly energized by my involvement but this last election was the very first which caused me to go home bone-tired and utterly disgusted with election matters.

[mikrofon]

At least several of the terrorists who struck on that day are believed to have fraudulently obtained licenses in Virginia and other states known for their weak license controls.

As if standardizing (do I hear "federalizing"?!) ID content alone will magically make things more secure ...

Also, as a computer guy of sorts, I found it strangely ironic that the man who penned this article re: security is named Kerber, Ross

[BOBTHENAILER]

This is too much. Letters and votes will probably not be enough. Closer and closer to the tatoo parlor.

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

I send a special "well done" to all Pubbies who supported America's (non) immigration policy and to their allies, the Libertarian Party, who include an open border policy in their party platform.

Why kudos to the Liberatarian Party?

Not a single one of them has ever been elected to federal office.

The fault belongs to the pubbies and demmies you elected.

[Navy Patriot]

You will be able to upgrade to "shackled slave" soon. Watch here for date and time.

[KC Burke]

Good article, JT.

You hit the true central crux of the event:

First government fails to perform one of its central duties properly, then....

Second, the citizenry is expected to sacrifice liberties to make up for the crisis</>

Thus the modern thrust of liberalism continues, both parties reflecting the populace and its disinterest in our form of republic.

[Dr.Deth]

everybody - even conservatives on FR - thought it was a good idea.

No, not everybody. Some of still understand the concept of Unintended Consequences.

[Harrison Bergeron]

Obviously, that was a rhetorical "everybody." But thosed opposed to the National Employee Database when I posted the info a few years back were outnumbered easily by a hundred to one. The comments were as predictable as "Well, if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear" and "If you're against it, you must be a deadbeat dad."

Now, are we going to hear refrains of "If you're against this, you must be a terrorist?"

[Jethro Tull]

#2: "Trouble is in Kalifornia you don't have to be a citizen to get a driver's license..."

...or for medical benefits, or public education, or welfare benefits, or food stamps, or public housing, or bi-lingual education, or midnight basketball...

[Jethro Tull]

#3: Absolutely!

[mysterio]

If the Libertarians ran things, you wouldn't be lamenting your lost rights and privacy.

[Don Myers]

Breaking down the national borders is a part of the agenda of these people. They allow unlimited immigration to do exactly that. When Bush said that he saw no use for a national id card, he was simply saying that he saw that his support of it would be unpopular. He did not say that it would not be enacted by other means. He is using the same method that the left uses to advance their agenda. If it is not wise to proceed in one direction, simply send up a smoke screen and proceed in another direction to accomplish the same thing.

We are losing our country and our freedoms. It is being done in incremental steps. So get used to it. The process will continue.

[mysterio]

Your papers, please.

[Fury]

Neighbor, I fought the "thumbprint id" on the Georgia driver's license until I was blue in the face. Wrote letters & mini-editorials, called talk shows, even made friends with a state Senator who was trying to get an exemption based on religion.... all failed miserably. Much like my effort on the state flag. It is sickening how easily citizens can be spun to give away their hard-won freedoms and privacies.

They have an actual thumbprint image on the driver's license?

[Jethro Tull]

"Cheshire-Puss, would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.

"I don't much care where----" said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

"---so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation.

"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."

[Jethro Tull]

RE: "National Employment Database"

Please tell us more about this National Employment Database.

To my knowledge, I'm not registered in it, nor are any members of my family.

[Jethro Tull]

"...too bad none of those who you blame are not in power to blame...

If the WTC towers hadn't crumbled on 9-11, Bush would have granted citzenship to untold millions of illegals into our country. Most of those who voted for him supported this decision.

As for the Libertarians, you can't have it both ways.

You either are a member of the party and support it's platform, or join those of us who think that should certain planks of their platform = more dead Americans...