That would leave my kids out in the cold then, because they only use prepaid phones because the 'paid' phone charges are too high for them.
Besides. What makes you think that if they were banned the 'drug dealers, prostitutes and Al Qaeda' wouldn't just use phony I.D. to buy the 'paid' phones?
I don't think restricting our rights, just to stop these people from getting pre-paid phones, is the right the way to go. Seems to me law enforcement has a handle on it now.
Hence the 'busts'!
Let me put it this way: If there was a way to TRACK the phones, I have no problem with anyone buying them. They should all be subject to the same rules as regular cell phones . If it saves American lives, why not?
the busts have been lucky. how many haven't been caught. the companies should disable all of of the pre-paids and require that ID be shown in order to re-activate them. each phone represents a potential bomb detonator. this is a war. i'm sure you'd have no problem showing ID to validate your kids phones.
I don't know how my generation survived without cell phones. sheesh! My kids never had them growing up and I still don't own one. When does the nation's security trump personal convenience? NOW, in my honest opinion. This isn't about "freedom", it's about national security and dare I say, commonsense. Why would someone whine about not being able to buy an untraceable cell phone because it's cheaper when we have terrorists wishing to use those same phones to blow up our families? I'd rather my child have a more expensive cell phone plan, or none at all, than be blown to smithereens on some sidewalk in downtown USA.
It might crimp their style if they had to come up with thousands of fake ID's.... Anything that slows down the terrorists is good...