Pennsylvania residents might soon need new IDs for federal buildings, flights

[TexasTowelie]

Pennsylvania residents likely won't be able to use their driver's licenses as identification to get into federal buildings or board planes for much longer.

Starting in January, Pennsylvanians may need an alternative, more secure form of identification to enter federal facilities. And in 2018, current state licenses won't be sufficient for boarding commercial flights.

The problem is that Pennsylvania licenses and state IDs don't meet the requirements of the federal REAL ID Act, which was enacted in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks and sets standards for secure identification cards.

A Pennsylvania law passed in 2012 bars the state from participating in REAL ID. The state has been granted several extensions for compliance in the past, but the Department of Homeland this week denied PennDot's latest request.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real-time/Pennsylvania-residents-might-soon-need-new-IDs-for-federal-buildings-flights.html

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. I don't live in Pennsylvania, so this doesn't apply to me,

but I'm glad I have a valid passport for this crap.

Not that I've been in a federal building in some time. But still.

[TexasTowelie]

2. This will probably be a larger concern for those that fly frequently.

Having to carry multiple means of identification will be a significant inconvenience for some.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Yes, absolutely.

I'm in a rather privileged position in that I have a passport as well as the passport card that's good for entry to and from Canada. Mexico, and the Caribbean. I'm privileged (and I do understand this is a privilege) in that I had the appropriate documents as well as enough money to get the card and the regular passport.

But it shouldn't just be people like me. It should be EVERYONE who is a citizen. Every single one of us should be able to show up at a polling place on Election Day and cast a vote.

How do other countries handle this? Do they make their citizens jump through similar hoops? Do they try as hard to restrict voting?