[Roy Fokker]

In a 100-0 vote, the U.S. Senate passed the 2nd largest supplemental spending bill in the history of the nation. If that were not enough reason to question the common sense of our legislators, the Republican and Democrat leaders also passed the Real ID Act which was hidden within the spending bill.



With the passing of the bill, states will have to abide by federal standards for providing driver's licenses and I.D. cards to citizens. States will also have to link their citizen databases to federal systems in order obtain funding for the program.



Driver's licenses issued by states not fulfilling federal requirements will not be accepted by any federal agency. What does that matter? Here are a few scenarios that may occur if your state were to not fulfill the new federal obligations:

• Flying to see a relative in another state? Don’t forget your papers: Domestic travelers could not pass through airport security checkpoints without a passport or a "Real" I.D. card.
• Want to serve your country? Apply for a passport first: Prospective military enlistees could not meet identification requirements with only state issued identification.
• Want to get a job? Not without federal documentation: The INS I-9 form is a required document for all U.S. workers. Section Two of the form requires identification to be examined by the employer. As no federal agency will accept "old" driver's licenses, your I.D. would no longer be valid. Be sure to bring your passport along to your next job interview.

Aside from the authoritarian restrictions that will be implemented within the next three years (the bill is to be fully implemented by May 2008 as it has been signed into law by President George W. Bush), there are many other consequences of the bill.



The forthcoming database sharing will now put U.S. citizens in the same class as criminals. While the Social Security Administration tracks names and employment data, the federal government will now have access to at least your physical description, disabilities, and your photo. In the past, this level of detail was only offered to the federal government within criminal databases.


If you are comfortable with the above, please take the time today to send a "thank you" note to your Republican or Democrat senators. Be sure to let them know that you enjoy having your personal freedom and privacy stolen.

@ : http://www.lp.org/article_142.shtml

[Roy Fokker]

“Your Papers, Please”



John Gilmore, 49, is a philanthropist and software entrepreneur who made his fortune as one of the early employees of Sun Microsystems. He’s also a life member of the Libertarian Party.

On the Fourth of July, 2002, Gilmore attempted to board a plane to Baltimore at Oakland International Airport and was stopped by Southwest Airlines employees who demanded to see his “government-issued ID.”

Gilmore refused, saying, "It's Independence Day. It's a good time to exercise some freedom."

He worked his way up the bureaucratic chain as he tried to track down the source of the mysterious government decree. Eventually he was told that the requirement, issued by the Transportation Security Administration, is secret -- and that it is transmitted verbally rather than in writing.


Gilmore hasn’t flown in his own country since.



He later filed a lawsuit in San Francisco federal court on the ground that the ID requirement is unconstitutional.

"I believe I have a right to travel in my own country without presenting what amounts to an internal passport," Gilmore said in an interview with USA Today. "I have a right to be anonymous, (to not) be tracked by my government for no good reason.”

Gilmore predicts that his lawsuit -- Gilmore vs. Ashcroft -- will succeed, adding, “History shows that bad laws are seldom fixed until courageous citizens challenge them. This small lawsuit is such a challenge."

Gilmore is also co-creator of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit organization that defends civil liberties in cyberspace.



Read more about it at: http://papersplease.org/gilmore/facts.html

[VivaLasViejas]

Yep, this is real progress in the fight against terrorism: a bill designed to make it even MORE difficult for the average American citizen to get around.

When is this administration going to figure out that we cannot prevent another 9/11 by creating more hassles, more paperwork, and more long waits in line? My 19-year-old daughter went through some incredible contortions last year just to obtain a state identification card; it wasn't good enough that she had a student photo ID, a Social Security card, and a birth registration (which had gotten her admitted to school and was good enough ID for the food-stamp program and other federal assistance way back in the day), not to mention a mother who was physically present to vouch for her. Noooooo.......after standing in line for 20 minutes and then being turned away for 'lack of sufficient documentation of birth and U.S. citizenship", she had to go through the hassle and expense of obtaining a copy of her actual birth certificate from a faraway city, which took almost 2 weeks.

What was even more ridiculous was, if she'd had documentation of inmate status from the Juvenile Corrections department, she'd have had no trouble whatsoever obtaining her state ID card.

That's right: a young woman with valid student identification, a B average and plenty of proof that she was who she claimed to be---a young woman who was going into the Army to serve her country---could not obtain a state photo ID. But if she'd been a criminal, she would have been issued that ID without further ado.

'Nuff said.

[Roy Fokker]

Originally Posted by mjlrn97

a young woman who was going into the Army to serve her country---

It's even better with REAL ID - State ID is no longer enough. You need to have a passport.

But why are you complaining? You have nothing to hide, right?

But to be honest - privacy rights have been under serious assault - oh from right around 1988 I believe. IIRC, that's when ID became required to travel (even though the cause of that crash was mechanical failure - not terrorism). It became a definite requirement following WTC 1991 - even though many people openly said that IDs wouldn't do squat and that it was a mere eye-wash.

I've been drinking in this country since I was 18. If a not yet graduate college kid can forge IDs, how will it deter any potential terrorist with financial backing and training?

[Roy Fokker]

By the way, I forgot to mention the joys of RFID technology.

One chip implanted on the card and people don't even have to ask you for ID. Concealed scanners can read the information of the card as you pass by.

Having fun yet?

[Thunderwolf]

It's interesting that George Lukas of Star Wars has developed his movie series out of his concern in how a democracy can evolve into a fascist state...this is from the words of Lukas himself from an internet posting that I read regarding his newest movie. I think we, as a nation, are beginning to see this transition. Folks, like Arnie in California and Bush in the Big House, may be setting up our country for a major fall down the road. A fall from "democratic" grace. We, as a nation, have to key an eye on the trends that they set. Let us hope are newer leaders are mindful of this and push our country back in the right direction.

[Roy Fokker]

I wish to point out that from all that I've read, this nation wasn't founded as a democracy but as a Republic. A Federation of Independent States.

People with political persuassions similar to mine sometimes scoff at Democracy simply as "Tyranny by the majority"

It isn't just a simple Democracy here....

The threat that this nation (or any nation) will dissolve into a fascist (or any other kind of) government is real enough - but it's not a "new" threat. This threat has existed since the conception and inception of the Republic. One just has to read the "Federalist Papers" to realise that.

It is also wrong to assume that "it'll never happen in America!" Such thought process is along the likes of "Elect anybody else other than Bush!". It's the same mentality that got Germany in trouble 70 years ago....

When all is said and done, if people took the time to read through it all - most will realise that the rights of the individual have been under attack since ages.

The State exists only to protect Rights and to ensure the free expression thereof. The State does not give or grant any citizen rights or priviledges - these are enshrined in the Constitution - which itself recognises that these Rights are inalienable and that the Constitution itself merely acknowledges them and that these rights would exist even if the Constitution did not.

Assigning blame to one party or the other is moot - they are both equally responsible for the sorry situation that exists today. It's wrong to assume that "Well we don't really have a choice!" I'll be damned if a citizen of the United States of America doesn't have "choice"! We can have a choice between 2 dozen different varieties of toothpaste, but we can't have a choice more than just two candidates for office?!!

Hold your elected leaders responsible - how have their furthered the cause of your individual rights? How have they protected and respected that precious commodity that is "liberty"?

This past week NewsWeek scandal has opened my eyes - when news reached our shores that the Afghans were rioting because of news reports detailing the desecration of the Koran, I've heard many calls (not one or two, but many) saying "How ungreatful! We remove them from the yoke of the Taliban and this is how they repay us! What ingrates!"

I'm overwhelmed by the irony. So the point of "liberating" the Afghans was just so that they can stay subservient to our interests? According to the people I quoted above, the answer ought to be a resounding "YES!"

Unless people start to realise that liberty is more than just removing tyranny. Tyranny comes in many forms and shapes. One must be ever watchful. Liberty is most pronounced in the presence of disagreement, not in agreement. "I maynot agree with what you say but I will defend to death your right to say it" is more than just a cliche, ladies and gentlemen.

It's a way of life itself.


So what is the point of this long drawn out, sermonising spiel of mine?

Nothing much I suppose. Other than read your history, think for yourselves, hold people and yourselves responsible for their actions, don't throw up your arms and say "what can one man change things?!".

This is your country - win it back.

*I'll get off my soap box now*

[Thunderwolf]

Roy, you make a good point.
Like I said in previous posts, Thomas Jefferson had a hell of a time with the Federalists in his day who wanted to subdue the rights of citizens. Heck, Jefferson even believed that it was citizens' right to overthrow the government if the government attempted to take the rights of citizens away. In his time, the Federalists were much akin to our current Corporate influenced Government. Thomas Jefferson was probably one of our best presidents of all time...looking out for the rights of the common day , average citizen. People need to go back and read our nation's history regarding those days. Our country would have been in a sorry state without him then.
And again, Roy, you are right...we are rooted in being a Republic...by definition, electing leaders to speak for ourselves and to look out after OUR interests. A democracy is "a government BY THE PEOPLE". We just HOPE that our elected leaders carry out OUR (democratic) will. But as you see, it often falls short at times...especially when corporate lobbists bastardize our system.
Thanks for the article Roy.

[pickledpepperRN]

Identity theft!

[CHATSDALE]

in august of 2001 i went to post office and got a passport . . less than 3 wks later came 9/11..panic/paranoia ..haven't used passport yet but this summer i have some tentative plans to go to iireland..
how ever i am more afraid of terroists than i am of demo/repub pols