States Race to Reject Real ID Act
On Jan. 26, 2007, Maine became the first state in the nation to pass a joint resolution demanding the repeal of the law. Similar bills are already pending in Montana, Georgia, Massachusetts and Washington.
Passed in 2005 by the U.S. Congress as yet another domestic deterrent to terror, the Real ID Act will require all Americans to produce one of the federally-approved photo-ID cards in order to do things like drive cars, board aircraft, enter federal courthouses and, oh yes... vote.
While state governments hate the Real ID act because of the estimated $11 billion it will cost them to implement it, and the infinite hassle it will cause their citizens, civil libertarians say the law is the clearest example yet of the erosion of privacy rights allowed by Congress under the guise of fighting terrorism.
As David Anderson, vice chairman of the Constitution Party of Yellowstone County, Montana told the Billings Gazette, "I will destroy every piece of ID I have. I will be hunted, I will move into the mountains and let them come for me."
Also See:
Real ID Act: Better Have Your Birth Certificate!
Real ID Act Could Costs States $11 Billion
Comments
It is amazing to me that people don’t think an ID should be required to vote. I am much more concerned with the very real problem of voting fraud than I am the truly modest inconvenience of producing an ID at the polling place.
Voting fraud is trumped up and virtually nonexistent. Regarding the REAL ID act, since the federal government now requires a passport to enter and exit the country, why another piece of identification? The cynics are right to declare this a civil rights erosion.
real id act is a money rip off by the gov. i have no objection if the card was free.
We already have state issued drivers’ licenses, complete with pictures. There is no need for a national ID card. The Real ID Act has nothing to do with voter fraud. If the federal government thinks a national ID card is imperative for national security, the federal government should pay for it. States should not have to take revenue away from schools, police protection, firefighting, housing, roads, or anything else, to fund a federal law. If Washington sees fit to pass a law, Washington should have the money to pay for its implementation.
IT IS NOT OK! “even” if it’s free, nor if a kiss from Ann Colter is thrown in….wait….NO!
I have spurned ALL my affilliation with the GOP. As Ronald Reagan said about the Democratic party he belonged to the GOP/Republicans have left me!
Thnk about MY following……
“When they took the fourth amendment, I didn’t speak out because I don’t deal drugs.”
“When they took the sixth amendment, I didn’t speak out because I’m innocent.”
“When they took the second amendment, I didn’t speak out because I don’t own a gun.”
“Now they’re taking the first amendment, and there’s no one left to speak out.”
The legislators who snuck this bill in are proclaiming the recommendation of the 9/11 commission report…like they have superior intellect. The terrorist were able to do what they did because of the laws that had been passed in sharing info between the FBI and the CIA. Some of those legislators that passed laws to tie the hands of these agency were on the the 9/11 Commission and refused to unseat themselves. This is no more than a ploy for the ongoing installation of World Govt. and our Constitution is in the way. ID everyone in this country with RFID Technology but leave the borders open…What? They must think the American people are to ignorant or lazy to care. If we are, then I am afraid we will lose this country and the freedoms our forefathers fought and died for.
I’ve been pestering the hell out of my State and Federal reps ever since it passed in 2005. I’m glad people are coming to their senses about all the problems with Real ID, but I hope they’re not too late.
hello everybody well a national id card would very much indeed do away with the need for having to indeed having a pass port indeed so i do not indeed see any problem with having to indeed have a national id card indeed other than having to indeed paying for a national id card indeed but that should indeed do away with having to indeed pay for a passport so what is indeed the difference?????? dale mustered-ottawa illinois
The Rush to Foolishness – Six Bad Ideas.
FIRST:Congress panicked and signed the Patriot Act but never read it.
SECOND: Congress panicked and voted for invading Iraq but never studied the idea.
THIRD:Congress signed the Patriot Act II when they HAD read it.
FOURTH: Congress panicked and mandated voting machines we know can be manipulated for voting fraud.
FIFTH:Congress panicked and passed the Real ID Scam to require 300 million law-abiding citizens to have a simple ID like the one everybody already has.
SIXTH: Americans think after this much panic and these many bad ideas from Congress that the next idea will be a good idea.
We can pass a law. But terrorists and criminals don’t obey laws.
We simply shrink the liberties of the law-abiding Americans.
No only would the Read ID act further infringe on our rights as US citizens, it also produces a HUGE personal security risk. You think ID fraud is a problem now, what until all of our most sensitive information is in a simple Federal data base. It’s bad enough that banks play fast and loose with our info, but I have even less confidence that the buerocratic behemoth that is the US government will keep our records secure. It’s not too hard to imagine some Federal employee forgetting a laptop somewhere. Plus, the ID is only as good as the documents that are used to issue them (birth certificates, SS cards, etc). Since these are easily forged, the ID is no good in the end anyway. And it would only be a matter of time before any electronic security that these cards do have are compromised by an outside party. What a terrible idea and colossal waste of money, not to mention a blatant infringment on our rights. If your state isn’t already against it, tell your local officials to get on the ball.
You Americans are out to lunch. Watch the movie Zeigeist. Maybe you will wake up.