Brits allowed massive video surveillance and now they are alarmed by ID cards? With every new layer, it becomes more and more difficult to unwind the tyranny and insults to liberty. Libertarians and the Bible do not call the State a Leviathan, a beast with its own personality and appetite for power for nothing.
Having lived for fifteen years in Europe...I as an American...have a unique prospective on this mess.
Every single European country requires some type of national ID card (besides your drivers license). Once issued...they are generally good for ten years and cost less than $20. None have any connection to the national social security program of their country, and each features one unique number.
You want a bank account...you produce that card. You want a credit card...you produce that card at the bank as you apply for it. You want to buy property or a vehicle...you produce the card. You want to vote...you produce the card. You get stopped by the cops....you produce the card. You want employment...you produce the card.
Bogus ID cards out there? Pretty rare...they actually lock you up for years for counterfeiting any ID card...with no pay-off to a political party or judge getting you out of jail. Stolen identity? I can’t recall a single case of such in the fifteen years here in Germany. Illegal voting? Doesn’t ever happen....you walk in and register in your town and know precisely where the voting booth is located...you show the ID before you vote...no ID-—no vote....with no chance of doing it two or three times or playing absentee in two different states.
Tyranny works like a dual-sided blade. I now have well over 200,000 Americans playing stolen identity games...with my credit ratings and my life. We are fairly sure that at least 500,000 votes (various sources are suggesting this high number) are being cast as a double-voter or as illegal alien votes.
Our votes are becoming more worthless...and our strong effort to have a clean financial record are heading in the same direction. Should I just settle back and accept all of this...and be happy that I am so “free”...or should I finally stand up and clean up the mess. Being “free” in such a republic...doesn’t mean much unless you protect what you have earned.