The majority of Americans, it seems, support the idea of a national ID, as long as it doesn’t contain biometric information, according to a recent UPI/Zogby poll. But a large coalition of groups from every part of the political spectrum has gotten together to oppose the REAL ID Act as a threat to Americans’ security.
According to the poll of 5,932 adults, conducted from April 13-16, 2007, 70 percent of Americans support the REAL ID Act, which would require states to issue driver licenses and identification cards that conform to federal standards in order to have those cards recognized by the federal government. Only 24 percent were opposed to the act. But 52 percent said they would oppose a national ID that contained biometric information, such as fingerprints.
The poll has a margin of error of 1.3 percent.
Over 50 organizations have joined together, from gun owners to gay rights groups, to urge people to oppose REAL ID. The groups include Downsize DC, Gun Owners of America, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Young Democrats of America, and many more.
“Make no mistake, this is a national identification system that will affect your everyday life,” said Melissa Ngo, Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center’s Identification and Surveillance Project. “Critics of the REAL ID scheme are called anti-security, but it is not anti-security to reject a national identification system that will harm our national security and make it easier for criminals to pretend to be law-abiding Americans.”
On Tuesday, Homeland Security held a combined online/real world town hall meeting where it heard from opponents of REAL ID for several hours.
Throughout the four hours of questions and criticism, three Homeland Security officials kept their cool and stuck to the script that driver’s licenses needed to be upgraded and that identification in the hands of a terrorist is a weapon.
Assistant Secretary Richard Barth, flanked by Jonathan Frankel and Darrell Williams, denied they were building a national identification card, and tried to emphasize that the proposed requirements were intended to keep terrorists off airplanes.
But afterwards, Frankel told Wired News that applicants for Real ID licenses won’t be compared against the government’s centralized terrorist watchlist unless states choose to do so, a policy choice made to prevent people from feeling a heavy hand from the government. — Threat Level
Isn’t that nice of them?
You have until May 8 to submit comments to the Department of Homeland Security, which you can do through the EFF’s secure portal. You can also send a message to Congress urging them to repeal REAL ID through Downsize DC.
Finally, Jim Babka at Downsize DC asks that people ask the media to give more coverage to the growing revolt against REAL ID. “Congress may not always care what citizens think, until they’re forced to, but Congress always cares what the media thinks,” he says. “We need to get the media to cover the nationwide revolt against the REAL ID Act.”
Downsize DC has chosen MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto, and CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer as the first people to receive your requests that attention be paid to the growing REAL ID revolt. You can send them messages at Downsize DC’s web site as well.
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Dan
May 02, 2007
It would probably make my life easier. I do a lot of Rent a Cop work and having all those various licenses at big events slow me down. Plus, I have no idea what an Idaho license looks like, how am I supposed to know if its fake?
As for privacy issues… I don’t trust the State just as much as I don’t the Feds.
Verbos
May 02, 2007
Gee, looks like 30% of their hand picked 5,932 poll participants (of the millions available) copped out on them.
Michael Hampton
May 02, 2007
Miller Brewing Company publishes an annual Driver License Guide showing what IDs look like across the 50 states and Canadian provinces. Your local police department or beer distributor can get copies for you.
Javarod
May 02, 2007
I’ve no real issue with a Federal driver’s license, after all, ifn my memory is any good, the Federal DOT sets the standards by which you’re tested. Throw in the fact that there’s now a central database for DL info shared between the states, all this does is streamline things.
I’d really not want to wind up in a situation where I need a DL, a Federal ID, Social Security Card and passport (throw in a green card ifn you’re an immigrant) depending on why I need ID.
John R.
May 03, 2007
This is how bureaucrats think:
“It works like a national identification card because it will be used for identification purposes by the national government. It acts like one database because all the databases are linked. The standards are uniform across the nation. But, believe me, its not a national id card.”
A little honesty and a lot less double-speak would be refreshing.
Verbos
May 03, 2007
Your Papers Please!
Leeela
May 03, 2007
This is just incredible. History is repeating itself. One more step closer in our personal invasion.Remember how easy it was for Hitler and others like him to have access to the citizens records.Illiminating individuals based on their “supposed” lifestyles or political claims.Our politicians do not care whether or not we are safe.They think we are stupid and need to have decisions made for us. “Fear Mongering” is a political move to get you to comply.If you do not agree, they will find out and eventually eliminate you.Remember Hitler didn’t come into power over night.He gradually ate away at civil liberties.
DENNIS HORTON
May 04, 2007
TO PROTECT AN INDIVIDUALS CIVIL LIBERTIES, WE MUST FIRST PROTECT THEIR IDENTITY WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LIBERITY OF ALL. THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY THIS IS POSSIBLE AND THAT IS THROUGH BIOMETRIC SCANNING OF EACH INDIVIDUALS,IRIS,FINGERPRINT ECT.THIS SHOULD BE HELD IN A SEPERATE DATA STORAGE SYSTEM, NOT ON A CARD, AND SHOULD BE USED TO ID THE PERSON IN ALL FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS. WHEN SOMEONE CAN STEAL YOUR IDENITITY, YOU HAVE LOST THE MOST IMPORTANT CIVIL LIBERTY OF ALL. WHEN SOMEONE CAN TAKE MY IDENITY THEY ARE INFRINGING UPON MY LIFE TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE. THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFRAID OF IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES BY HAVING THEIR FINGERPRINTS ON FILE HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE, THOSEARE THE ONES I WANT TO BE THE FIRST TO BE SCANNED. OUR SIGNITURE HAS BEEN OUR ONLY PROOF OF IDENITY, AND EVERYONE GIVES THAT WITH OUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT, TO BAD BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONE THAT IS STOEN THE MOST. WAKE UP AMERICA PUSH FOR A BIOMETRIC ID SYSTEM SO AT LEAST NO ONE CAN INFRINGE ON OUR MOST IMPORTANT LIBERTY, OUR IDENTITY!!!!
Not Dan
May 06, 2007
Dan, while I understand your concerns, the fact of the matter is that having homogenous ID cards will not allow you to tell whether or not a card is fake or unmodified. Believe it or not, the fancy plastic cards used for drivers’ licenses, etc., can be duplicated with commodity hardware already.
Anonymous
May 08, 2007
We’re screwed, people, we’re screwed. The government is just taking our money and doing whatever the f**k it wants.
May 09, 2007
DHS: You’ll take a national ID and you’ll like it - Homeland Stupidity
geri
May 16, 2007
This is the first step. Even if no biometric information is placed on this now it opens the door to doing it in the future. Once they get Americans to okay a national ID with a national database (this in itself should be scary enough for everyone to enthusiastically yell “NO!” at the top of their lungs) then they can lull them into one more step which they will say is an ‘improvement’ to the card that everyone has already approved of. Then another ‘improvement’, and another until, slowly, we have lost our liberty, our privacy and everything else that makes us Americans.
eagle
May 23, 2007
Michael Hampton , thank you for allowing me to have space on your web to vent some of veiws, will keep you informed on the REAL-ID when it becomes a reality, ddh
Beckweth
May 24, 2007
From what I’ve found looking into the REAL ID Act. No thinking person would EVER accept that bag of trash. Forget the bogus polls they are put out there to brainwash everyone else into buying it. The way the law is written, FATHERLAND SECURITY can change at a whim what biometric info will be required on these hackable ID’s (very hackable). IT WILL WIND UP INCLUDING EVERYONE BEING RFID CHIPPED(Radio Frequency ID).
It is all about tracking the masses. The RFID chips are radio frequency devices, THEY CAN BURN YOU. And when you become a useless eater, they can turn off your chip, and you are a non-person. Look into it – BIG BROTHER wants you!
Go for it!!
May 28, 2007
A proper form of ID that cannot be abused would help lower crimes such as identity theft, murder, theft and so much more crime. There is enough crime already. The ID would be great if it were like a bar code. No one could turn that on or off. It would simply be used as a form of ID. No one could falsify it. This would also help the immigration issue. It could not kill you either. They could use vegetable dye and you could choose the color. This is only an idea.It is not meant to harm but, to help.
Chew on this....
May 28, 2007
Each person has an individual formula. What about a formula ID that could be put into a device??? Or what about using DNA such as a piece of hair, dead skin or ect?? by putting it into a device???? This could solve a great deal of problems and also help Law Enforcement ID criminals ect…
Jun 11, 2007
Supporting the Electronic Frontier Foundation - Homeland Stupidity
Heather
Sep 04, 2007
I do not see why everyone is having such a fit over this ID thing.
There are already databases that contain more information about you then you would beleive. The credit card companies!
So why is everyone so agienst the idea of a simple, uniform method of identification? It would seem to me that if everyone is that fearful of goverment then something bigger is wrong then just an ID card!
whoaaa
Oct 11, 2007
whatever. its a good idea