National ID Cards on the way! Don't leave home without it!
 

Laugh. And you thought just those middle eastern looking guys will be fingerprinted -- think again... I suppose I will be paying my LA parking tickets after all...

http://www.time.com/time/nation/arti...191857,00.html

What can you do about this? Supporty the EFF --
http://www.eff.org/alerts/20020116_e..._id_alert.html

"So it's more of a national ID system, a linking of Departments of Motor Vehicles ? and the records they keep on you ? across state lines, with some extra on-card security measures thrown in. For terrorists on the run (and other criminals, too, but nobody worries about them any more) the plan means that a state trooper in California would be able to pull the records of a driver from Georgia ? and be certain that those records were the driver's, and not an innocent lookalike he stole the card from.

For the rest of us, this wouldn't be so different than what's already in place. The standardized databases would save the California state trooper a phone call to Atlanta; he'd be able to run a nationwide check from his car. And the smarter cards, "hardened" with biometric data, would make identity theft much trickier, at least in person. (Georgia, incidentally, already uses thumbprints on its drivers' licenses.) "

"Even though this is not legislation, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) is already working with the Justice Department and the General Services Administration to set up the system. This non-official organization asserts that it has the "responsibility and obligation" to eliminate the lack of uniformity in state driver's licenses, and is demanding $70 million to close the "loopholes."

The pushers of a national ID card are trying to ride the wave of worries about the September 11 tragedies. But there is no evidence that a national ID card would have prevented the hijackings, since all 19 hijackers had visas issued by government officials, most of them had Social Security numbers, and several had legally issued driver's licenses.

Americans already have experience with the Federal Government giving everyone a number. When Social Security was instituted in the 1930s, we were promised "This card is not to be used for identification."

Demands that we provide our Social Security number are now so ubiquitous that identity theft has become big business. Before we even talk about new national numbers, the government should clean up the mess it has already created by allowing Social Security numbers to be used for non-Social Security purposes. "

It's so difficult - and yet, neccessary - to stop this stuff happening.
I've lived in a police state and it truly sucks.

ya gotta do what ya gotta do, whatever it takes to keep us safe within reason....

Well I hope they make them waterproof so I can go to the beach...

kman - it just doesn't work. Northern Ireland has had photographic id for over15 years. Think it stopped any terrorism?

It's about friggin time too!

In the USA, during my life time, our freedom, as well as our values, have been deteriorating. I am glad that I have already lived most of my life because our country is on the decline. In another twenty-forty years the country will not even resemble what it was when I was young and that is a shame.

It isn't. If a cop asks you for identification or a bartender asks you for ID to buy a drink, the SS card is not acceptable, because anybody can get one, copies are easy to make, and it's widely counterfeited.

You're wrong. Without a social security number -- you can't even GET a drivers license...

Here's the story of one crazy man's struggle to exercize his right to not have a social security number -- you wouldn't believe the hassle this guy goes through!

http://www.cjmciver.org/free.shtml

But pretty much the point is that the law says only certain government agencies are allowed to require a social security number -- but the SS# has been exploited by businesses -- and every time you provide this # you lose your privacy -- your personal information can be linked together and sold... By law businesses can't require a social security # to provide service but they try to anyway -- and most people are too nieve or too lazy to be cautious with their SS#.

- that was good reading :thumbsup

you're not alone there.:1orglaugh

I agree....lately, I'm at a point that I don't care anymore if India and Pakistan want to start a nuclear war...George Orwell was about 20 years early on his estimate.......I'm just so sick of this chisselling away of civil liberties and worse, the people who would give those up willingly...maybe we need a sickle and hammer on our flag? All I know is my father got his fucking brains scrambled fighting for another country's rights while he has to sit back and watch his own rights get taken away....

as for the adorable and extremely sexy feds who are monitoring this communication, I fully back you in stormtrooping peoples homes and fuck their rights, you are gods amongst men and they are shit...

september 11 as death of cynicism, my ass

I can't wait to find out how much our intelligence REALLY knew about the attacks.....and let's look back at what really could have prevented the events...but by the time that comes out, most of those in power will be retired/dead and we'll be happy that Big Brother is taking care of us........

12miss:

Gays and AID's is a deadly mix so....

How do you know it didn't stop SOME of the terrorism? Obviously, it didn't stop all of it, but I can tell you there is one HELL of a lot less Norther Ireland terrorism now than there was when I was in college 30 or so years ago.

You'd be surprised.. There isn't actually much happening in the way of Terrorism in Northern Ireland for the last few years.. Most of it is plain old thugery and extortion. From both sides i might add..

ID cards won't work because the only people that will have them are law abiding. unless incentive (or law) is forced upon businesses and everywhere else to not do business with people without cards... it's a completely useless idea. sure, it helps tie people to crimes across states (if they have a card) - but the simplest way is to just ditch your card or never get one. then you effectively don't exist and the processes developed to track you down (which have been modified since then to use ID cards as the main lead...) would have an even harder time tracking you down.

:2 cents:

we all need tags on our ears -- like cattle...