The "Real" ID scam

This is an e-mail I received today that I thought might interest y'all:

May 12, 2005

Outrage of the Week: Senate Unanimously Passes the "Real ID" Act

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 if signed 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. Otherwise, choose to support the Libertarian Party, which will continue to follow principle and fight for your individual liberty.

To discuss the Real ID Act on the new LP Blog, see:

http://www.lp.org/yourturn/archives/000021.shtml

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And this is the amazing letter I received from my one of my two brain dead senators on the subject, apparently it was o.k. to sell out privacy and liberty because that was the price of funding the troops involved in the illegal war she didn't support. The mind wobbles.

Dear Mr. "free2smooze":

Thank you for contacting me regarding the inclusion of the REAL ID Act in the Emergency Supplemental Act. I appreciate hearing from you about this important issue.The Emergency Supplemental Act (H.R. 1268) is a critically important piece of legislation. This bill will ensure that our troops in Iraq, who put their lives on the line for us every day, are properly equipped and protected. It provides vital funds to support the emergence of a free Afghanistan, and it provides much-needed funding for tsunami relief. I supported the original Senate version of the Emergency Supplemental Act that passed on April 21, 2005. Unlike the House-passed version, the Senate version did not include the amendment that reflected the goals of the REAL ID Act (H.R. 418). In fact, the Senate-passed version included an amendment expressing the sense of the Senate that Congress should not delay critical funding needed by U.S. troops around the world by conducting a debate about immigration reform. While we have long recognized the need for comprehensive immigration reform, this debate has no business taking place as part of an emergency spending bill. The REAL ID Act is a complete overhaul of our immigration laws that would, amongst other things, impose complicated new driver's license requirements on states, make it harder for refugees at risk of persecution to be granted asylum, and suspend all environmental laws along the U.S. border. Legislation of this importance deserves to be the subject of focused study and serious debate. Passing REAL ID without careful consideration is reckless, irresponsible, and a disservice to the American people.However, the conference committee, which reconciled differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions of the bill, included the REAL ID provision in the final version of the Emergency Supplemental Act brought before the Senate for consideration. I supported the final version of the Emergency Supplemental Act that passed the Senate on May 10, 2005, even though I strongly oppose the REAL ID provisions that were also included. I supported the legislation because I recognize the immediate need of emergency funding to our troops. I hope that the Senate returns to the issue of comprehensive immigration reform as soon as possible and that stand alone legislation is introduced that better reflects our national priorities.Thank you again for contacting me to share your thoughts on this matter. Finally, you may be interested in signing up for my weekly update for Washington state residents. Every Monday, I provide a brief outline about my work in the Senate and issues of importance to Washington state. If you are interested in subscribing to this update, please visit my website at http://cantwell.senate.gov . Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

Maria Cantwell

United States Senator