"Your papers please...?" (Congress close to creating internal passports)

[scottxyz]

Via ´corrente´
http://corrente.blogspot.com/2004_10_10_corrente_archive.html#109781387501898467

• WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 - Following a recommendation of the Sept. 11 commission, the House and Senate are moving toward setting rules for the states that would standardize the documentation required to obtain a driver's license, and the data the license would have to contain.
  
  The Senate version of the intelligence bill includes an amendment, passed by unanimous consent on Oct. 1, that would let the secretary of homeland security decide what documents a state would have to require before issuing a driver's license, and would also specify the data that the license would have to include for it to meet federal standards. The secretary could require the license to include fingerprints or eye prints.
  
  The provision would allow the Homeland Security Department to require use of the license, or an equivalent card issued by motor vehicle bureaus to nondrivers for identification purposes, for access to planes, trains and other modes of transportation.
  
  http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/11/politics/11identity.html?oref=login
  New York Times, login required

For details on how such documents have been used in the past, google "Soviet Union" and "internal passports."

[iamjoy]

1. And Muslims Will Have To Wear A Yellow Crescent....

excuse me if that remark sounds crass.

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. My first thought was

a number tatooed on our arms. :grr: These people have to be stopped. We already have the advantage of knowing how Hitler came to be, we see it happening. We must stop them. We need an underground network. I kid you not. :scared:

[KoKo]

3. Hey....where are all the "States Rights First" Repugs on this? We've

heard nothing for decades from the Pugs that the Feds were trying to take away States Rights and Citizens Rights.

hmmm.....maybe a few "Libertarians" might have a problem with this, too.

But...so quiet...

[sleipnir]

4. My Papers, Comrade? I left them at home...please don't jail me.

Wow, here we go happily skipping down the road to Fascism!!! :)

[grasswire]

5. where is Kerry on this?

He said in the debate that he favored biometrics at the borders. I don't see how biometrics can be helpful there unless there is a database of iris scans or fingerprints on all Americans. Or maybe they'll digitalize one's DNA code.

[bpilgrim]

6. thats the signal...

welcome to the police state, enjoy the show...


peace

[sweetheart]

7. identity cards.... lets be honest

So finally, they've come on to the realization that with modern
computing the drivers licensing of the states is now redundant 49
states too many... one system is simpler and will better support
a nationwide identity scheme, which clearly already exists given
the passport system, social security, the IRS and voting records.

So the right to be without identity papers is to be shortlived...
hmmm. That is the case already in Germany. The UK has refused
so far, to be forced in to having such documents, as if you are
pulled over in the UK, you have 7 days to present your drivers
license, and don't have to show it right then.

Unfortunately given the police-state, it will surely be abused in
the US and should be resisted at every step.

[Kellanved]

8. Well, an ID card is a good idea

It depends whatever or not the data is stored centrally and who is allowed to access it.

Biometric data doesn't need to be "evil" either. If there is just a checksum stored on the card itself (and not in some department Computer system), to verify the card, then it is IMHO OK.
Of course from the civil rights perspective an Iris image is a lot better than fingerprints - one does not leave eyeprints everywhere.

[yellowcanine]

9. The Rapture folks will squash this like a bug. Slippery slope to implanted

identy chips - Mark of the Beast, dontcha know?

[Neshanic]

10. You have been to the "Blue states?" Do you think we do not know?

Please step out of the car. You have been tracked by EZ-Pass coming from the Disneyland? Do you have your Arizona papers?