What do you guys know about "REAL ID"?

[funflower]

[Tigress DEM]

1. It's a slippery slope ...

HR 418 - section 102 is the one I worry about.

It talks about giving the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to suspend all laws without the possiblity of judicial review in order to build border barriers.

Unfortunate wording I'm told that matches pretty much what Hitler used to build his concentration camps.

Maybe that's just a coincidence, and maybe the whole national driver's license and get in your life real cozy like pieces are worse, but all in all, it says the legislation is designed to keep imigrants out, but once that mission is accomplished, I just have to wonder if the Sec of Homeland Security would simply find another crises as a reason to keep his unassailable power in tact.

I mean if they just let the news cover the truth about what is going on in this country most imigrants would gladly go back to their country of origin. Why spend all that money on fences and updating our databases?

[funflower]

2. Ha!

I've always hated the name of that new department, "Homeland Security." Creeps me out.

[Tigress DEM]

12. Especially since their dept names are dripping with sarcasm...

I can't think of the all the exact examples because I have repressed them to the traumatic memory area of my brain...

But I know there is some division that deals with "Clear Skies" and actual enables polluters to increase their output... or cut down the forests.... so either it's a "Clear Skies" (NOT!) joke or it's a "Clear Skies" (yeah, aren't you glad we cleared all those towering trees out the way, now you can see the sky clearly. sigh.

[lala_rawraw]

3. Everything... what do you need to know?

I have been covering it since it was birthed out as HR 418. Google my byline and "HR 418" and that should get you up to speed.

[funflower]

4. Thanks!

And your byline is "lala rawraw"?

[lala_rawraw]

5. lol, no

That is my DU nickname. My byline is Larisa Alexandrovna.

[funflower]

6. Thanks, Larisa.

Nice to meet you.

:hi:

[lala_rawraw]

8. you too:)

I assume your name is not funflower?:hug:

[funflower]

17. No

but they were these great rubbery toy flower things we used to make when I was a kid.

[Gormy Cuss]

20. What do you know about H.R. 98?

I first heard of this yesterday in a SF Chronicle article. Rep. David Dreier is behind a move to create 'secure' Social Security cards that would be MANDATORY for hiring. The cards would have picture IDs and a code strip with other information linked to a national employee database. Employers would be required to swipe the card through a reader to verify that an applicant has the right to work in the U. S.

Isn't this just another charming way to wear down resistance to a National ID? Any picture ID needs to be updated occasionally, so you'll have your REAL ID and your SSN card to update, not to mention your passport. Ultimately, people will buy the convenience argument for a national ID instead.

[Selatius]

7. It's attacking civil liberties in the name of "national security"

I know that the US Constitution isn't a suicide pact, but on the same token, what's happening in the world is not an excuse to rip the document to pieces either.

[lala_rawraw]

9. What is happening in the world

Is what we have created in order to get rid of the Constitution. My 2 cents anyway.

[blogbear]

10. In the eighteenth century people of know how came together because

they had to. The leaders were compelled to make correct decisions and their lives hung in the balance along with the lives of their people. Things obviously have changed here over the centuries. Selflessness has given way to selfishness. The constitution is being threatened because WE are being weak about defending it..

[FreedomAngel82]

14. I haven't read too much on it

but isn't it to where every citizen has to have an ID?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Also it will cost the states a fortune to impliment

It is really a national ID card that the Feds don't want to pay for, so they'll put it off on the states. NY Times was saying today that the extra cost would have to come from somewhere-maybe fewer safe driving classes, etc? Or more expensive licenses? And is this really going to stop terrorists? Does a suspended license or no license stop drunk driving (no-we fired a guy when we found out his license was suspended-he'd been driving his and the shop trucks for a month before we knew)? Terrorists will get fake IDs. Just like the next terrorist is less likely to look like Ali than Al, the blond headed boy next door....

This just is another step towards having to carry identification all the time. I'm surprised the government just doesn't require a number to be tatooed on the forearm....

[Tigress DEM]

13. on the forehead maybe?

[DearAbby]

15. "May I see your papers please"...to travel, to buy necessities

be seen by healthcare, to rent an appartment, be hired.....

[Tigress DEM]

16. Yeah. Scary isn't it? What does Stephen King have on *ush co?

Reality is such a trip, but thank God we aren't to that point yet and hopefully will never be.

[G_j]

18. I read the new Florida license will

have 17 layers of information.
I wonder if the individual has the right to see that information?

[DrDebug]

19. Some part of the info is known

That's the part of the magnetic strip and that's a lot of information as well, but the secret part is unknown. Technically speaking that information ought to be available - at least what the field structure - as part as the Freedom of Information.

Name
Address
Second Address
Date of Birth
Height
Weight
Sex
Eye Color
Hair Color
Social Security Number
Organ Donor Info
Medical Indicators
Alias Name, Address, Date of Birth or Social Security Number
Electronic Image of Your Signature
Your Electronic Photo Image (KY)
Digital Fingerprints (DC, GA, HI)
Facial Recognition Template (TN)

Especially the stuff about Electronic Image of your signature is scary, because that means that can duplicate your signature simply by pulling the card through the scanner.