The Department of Homeland Security will move forward with plans to implement the REAL ID Act despite widespread opposition from citizens and state legislatures.
But DHS spokesman Russ Knocke said Tuesday that even the states which have already passed laws or resolutions against the act would eventually come around and implement the national identification standards, because the citizens who now oppose it would start demanding it.
A recent poll found that most Americans support a national ID, but only if it doesn’t contain biometric data such as fingerprints or retinal scans.
A broad coalition of groups from all across the political spectrum had come together to urge citizens to tell DHS to shove REAL ID, which they did in spades. The department said it had received over 12,000 comments during the 60-day comment period on its draft regulations which ended yesterday, and that the comments were mixed.
Comments at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday were more negative. The chairman, Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, complained that security rules were supposed to be “smart as well as tough” and predicted that state motor vehicle departments would not be able to cope with the requirements, which include verifying all documents presented by applicants. Even renewals will require birth certificates or other proof of legal residence. And the change will impose billions of dollars in costs on states and localities, Mr. Leahy and others said.
Mr. Leahy, who is a sponsor of a bipartisan bill to repeal the rules before they take effect, asserts that the department cannot even safeguard the personal information of its own employees. (Recently the department acknowledged that it had released the names and Social Security numbers of thousands of employees, including undercover sky marshals.)
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which has a clock on its Web page counting down the time until the law’s requirements take effect (368 days as of Tuesday), Washington and Montana have enacted laws pledging not to comply. In Idaho, the Legislature passed, and the governor signed, a budget specifying that expenditures for carrying out the law next year would be zero. Resolutions opposing the new licenses have been passed by one or both houses of the legislature, and in some cases signed by the governor, in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Michigan, North Dakota and Utah. — New York Times
States have until next May to begin to comply with the regulations, which of course haven’t been finalized yet, but they can file for an extension through December 31, 2009. Regardless, all driver licenses and ID cards must be compliant by May 10, 2013, according to the draft regulations.
The unmitigated gall of this bureaucrat. Not only does he say that states will come around and implement REAL ID, well, just listen to this guy.
“Understandably it’s going to create some burden in terms of cost for states,” he said. “But it’s righteous. And shame on us if we don’t take the steps now to address known vulnerabilities because the alternative is sitting back and hoping you get lucky.” — Washington Post
Righteous? The Third Reich was righteous, too. Or so said its leader.
DHS has previously said that the new system would not amount to a national ID (it will) and would not be an invasion of people’s privacy, (it will also) assertions that are absurd on their face and insulting to all Americans.
Of course, this isn’t really about terrorism at all, says the Wall Street Journal’s editors: “Real ID was always more about harassing Mexican illegals than stopping Islamic terrorists. . . . For unexplained reasons, immigration restrictionists are convinced that preventing illegal aliens from obtaining drivers licenses will result in fewer illegal aliens, rather than merely more unlicensed and uninsured motorists.”
That figures. “Illegal immigrants” come here to work, and DHS is determined to put them on the welfare rolls instead.
We need a national ID for this?
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Tropical WeatherLast week, in the wake of another uptick in the official unemployment rate, the administration continued to claim that their economic policies were working, just not fast enough. Not only does the administration have a funny way of ending a war, but now they claim their economic policies are successful. For whom, I wonder?
Gardner Goldsmith teams up with Brett Veinotte, of the excellent School Sucks Project and the School Sucks podcast. Gard and Brett discuss the impetus of the series and project, and why public education must be stopped.
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Dave Kisor
May 12, 2007
I strongly oppose a national ID. I’ve had my identity stolen once and this IDiotic thing would make it much easier to steal an identity. I’m all for disestablishing the Department of Homeland Security, as they were never needed before. We need to reconvert our Department of Offense back to the old War Department and institute the Department of Peace, so we might be able once again to reestablish the United States of America, instead of the Corporate States in which it is rapidly becoming.
Jeff
May 16, 2007
We have a National ID card already — it’s called a passport!
geri
May 16, 2007
The nerve of this guy. Not only is he telling everyone that they WILL comply no matter what but predicting that we will soon WANT, nay, BEG for this stupidity.
Yeah, only if they give me a lobotomy first.
May 16, 2007
Social Security card to be national ID - Homeland Stupidity
Anonymous
Jun 04, 2007
MARK OF THE BEAST! FACE IT KITTIES, WE ARE THE REVELATION GENERATIONS. THE MOST BLESSED AND MOST CURSED OF ALL TIME IN HISTORY. GET READY TO ROCK! WE AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET
Escalus Drax
Jun 05, 2007
After 9/11 when the national ID was first brought up as existing for the purpose of weeding out Islamic terrorists, I was for it. But what is this piece of crap we now see proposed here? Just an implement of demise to Americans themselves. For one thing, it will eliminate ourselves (the people) as individuals and convert everyone into a file system within a giant database. If the people are divided, then they can be conquered and pose hardly any threat to future government “solutions for supremacy”. Next, it will grant more control to the government over American people and maybe, eventually, the nation will become the Union of Soviet Socialist America. Where does the initial ‘protection’ come into play? And what the hell happened to the Mexican-American boarder? Nothing obviously.
JOSEPH
Jun 17, 2007
The nazification of the good old USA has been underway for more than three decades . The corporate propagandastic mainstream media has served its masters well.
The segment of my fellow countrymen i call the sheeple has been on vacation since then and is well entertained with mindless shows but has yet to be offered an exposee about the North American Union and proposed currency the amero
Mexico Canada and the USA are going to be such a union.
The illegal immigration debacle has been created for the purpose to bring it about (can`t deport them right? gaps along the border, high level official abrogating INS laws by providing safe communities for such people is all part of the plan.
The NID card and implantable chips are the solution that the governement has had in place all along . The terrorist threat i fear most is not foreign it is domestict .
The PNAC document that was draghted by a think tank of neocons and requested by Cheney and Rumsfeld to name a few is not exactly entertainment,most american don`t have a clew that it even exists and has existed for nearly a decade , the 90 page document is literally a blueprint that is being followed to the very letter insofar as world events are being shaped by our nation.The motive is “Peak oil” on page 51 of the document it is written that America will not buy into the world Dominance imperialistic agenda that will serve this nation and it would be a hard sell “Save for a catasrophic and catalyzing event such as a “New Pearl Harbor”
does any body remember this utterance following 9/11?
The sheeple were only too eager in obliging the “Terrorist by giving up the very possessions for which they suppsedly attacked us for “freedom and rights in order fro our government to better protect us . If anyone is till delusional about the 9/11 fraud there is no hope for our nation. The country needs to fuel its military equipment and the persian gulf is where the last abundant source of cheaply extracted oil is ..peak oil is a reality and most people do not undersatnd it ..so in order to occupy the region and secure the oil , establish military bases in the region all 27 of them and get the american sheeple aboard on an undeclered war the had to be scared witless and so it was done ..all too easily because the average citizin is dumber than dirt , more preoccupied with the antics of Anna Nicole , the ending of the Soprano tv serial and the whole bloody mess of the mindless tv shows that the mainstream media servig the corporate masters is only too willing to shove down their throats ad naseum . Most of my fellow countrymen/women aren`t bright enough to understand the lethality of the domestic enemey for its ways are sublte because it is still capable to keep them delusional about the free country they live in when infact the nazification is underway, soon it will be too late and once accomplished we will have no voice at all , not even this type of forum.
The sheeple are forever lost , those of us who can still think have choice , either leave this country or petition for change by voting out of office systematically any politician who blatantly refuses to enforce the immigration laws already on the books and secondly challenge the nazification of our beloved USA. As far as identification of citizenry is concerned we do have all the means we are ever going to need already .
I hope against hope that it is not too late .
Benjamin Franklin said it best when referring to a tyrannical govenrment`s aim to subjugate its people by taking away its freedoms and right ,, he said those who would give up right and freedoms to a government in exchange for protection deserve neither . Hitler poved this as did Mussolini
joseph
Jun 18, 2007
I am disappointend somewhat that my comments about the National ID card and the electronic chip implant were not fit for this forum as they have yet to be posted . Irrespecitve of that condition they remain truths that the american people are probably either not yet ready to accept or in a state of denial inacapable of contemplate. Be that as it may .. if them the cursory position of the american people is to adopt the philosophy of “it cannot happen on this soil “because by sme miracle we will be saves from oppression ,or more akin to an ostritch burying his head in the sand hoping the danger will go away.. i say this .
Stupidity is fostered better in a forum that allows complaints for their own sake and lead to blind alleys when in reality the truth is plain to see , and if one dare to stares at it squarely in the face one realizes how late the hor really is. Bitching about anything motivated by one`s own understanding is ok but solves nothing . A cohesive effort motivated by a principled common goal peoduces a change.Positive or negative it make not a differnce . But if this forum is about stroking one another with like minded ideas that lead nowhere it is just that a bitch session and you know people ?! including the host , it isn`t enough to provide a forum in thr context of what is politically correct , one must adhere to truth and sadly the people that make up america are about politically savvy as a raccoon aspires to be an astronaut. By the time their skins thicken to resist critiscism enough it will be too late and this beloved country of mine , the bastion of principles , the incoparable light of the world , the emissary of good will and good intention … will be reduced to an abomination and more precisely a perversion of its founding ideals.
So if americans are too scared to stare down what is being done to them and unwilling to face it and even give up liberty and life to defend it beacuse a six pack and a silly show is more important to them . Then be sheep lead to slaughter as were many other example of people who lived at various times throughtout history ..gutless in defending what was handed to them paid for in blood ,,and become a footnote of another chapter of history ,,not to worry ,, in doing so you will have the good company of every other people who failed to do what american people should do.
MAKE THE RULERS HEAR YOU FOR REAL . THEY CANNOT EAT NOR BE POWERFUL WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL
There is no god who will save america from itself and it is delusional to think otherwise .. it is up to us all as it was in the days for those whom sought to create it out of the cluthched of oppression in 1776.
Long Live the america i love , the land of the courageous
the land of people of intestinal fortitude the land of those who understand that freedoms and rights are the only real war worth fighting for .
Every other endeavor is akin to a blind alley every other aspiration is serfdom.
Good luck fellow friends and citizens in less than five years we will no longer be americans we will be north american socialist citizens … and checkpoints at all borders will repalce freedom of travel so long as your implanted chip is fuctioning properly to say nothing of passports national id cards and god knows what else .
State not your voice ,take no serious stand and by majority you will impose on the remainder a life of serfdom
Reality is but perception .
Laura
Jul 09, 2007
The last step before biometric implantable computer microchips is in the air. Beware freedom lovers everywhere. The final goal will ultimately be for “the powers that be” to monitor and control the movements of every person on the face of the earth. Don’t laugh, this is our reality. Joseph is right: It will start with a national ID then progress to North American Socialist citizens, then to world citizens. Get out your bibles and read Revelation about the mark of the beast. It’s coming, folks. Read Revelation 13 verses 16 thru 18 : “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom: Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six.” I’m not some religious fanatic either. I am just a realist that can discern what is coming. If you are wise you will not scoff at what I have written, but do some research of your own. Look up spychips on the internet. Find out for yourself.
Cynthia
Sep 27, 2007
I am blind and use my passport as a form of legal identification as it is issued by the United States of America or so I was told when I received several years ago.
I do not feel the need to go and attain an independent state identification when they will accept a passport to present a state identification. This is suppose to be a free country and yet we are steadily becoming the product of imperialism, facism and communism combined.
I agree that a passport is a national ID and when consumers attain one unless they drive this should be sufficient. If the members of the beauracy were to open their eyes and adapt to the freedom our constitution presents then we would not fall prey to what Bush accused Sadam of in the first place. Hitler tattooed Jewish citizens during WWII, US Government interred Japanese Americans or anyone with a similar resemblence and now they want to MARK every citizen in one fashion or another. In addition to being blind, I have a religious conviction that would not permit me to submit to other forms of identification. I pay my taxes, obey the law and demand the freedoms and rights to which I am entititled too. Just like the proposed laws to deter youth crime in washington arresting and placing a child in jail for eating in a public place takes away from the childs rights and sends the remaining children a message that will lead to more violence, and ailienation from societal conformity.
Find a way to respect the citizens not imprison them in the very country that they were born in. Stop so much immigration and this will decrease some of the terrorism. Our own government is guilty of terrorist activities with these proposed laws to treat the citizens as if they were criminals.