Some of you may have heard about the REAL ID act, which will require all US citizens to have a National ID card, equipped with a RFID chip, which will enable those with access to the system to track a person's every move. Not only is the REAL ID invasive, but it makes identity theft much easier for tech savvy hackers. For a comprehensive breakdown and up to date news on the REAL ID goto http://epic.org/privacy/id-cards/ EPIC is the Electronic Privacy Information Center and they work to ensure Americans have the privacy and freedom that they deserve.
While the government wants to implement the REAL ID by May 2008, they have allowed extensions to states that can't adjust in time. Nevertheless, the goal is for every American to have a REAL ID by 2012. If you value your privacy and freedom, resist the REAL ID at all costs. The government has been using the threat of terrorism to restrict the liberties of American citizens and the REAL ID is the perfect example of the mind games the government plays to keep American citizens in check.
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A REAL ID won't do anything to prevent another terrorist attack. Hell, there's enough evidence now that shows that fairly accurate intelligence was presented to the administration prior to the 9/11 attacks and that information was ignored--just as intelligence in regards to Pearl Harbor was ignored. Now why that intelligence of the attack was ignored is up for debate. Incompetence or ulterior motives on part of the administration, but terrorism CANNOT be defeated. Many former CIA operatives as well as other members of the intelligence community will agree that the "War on Terror" is a war that cannot be won. Also, the ability to track and catch criminals will be no different than it is now because in order for the card to track a person it needs to be in their possession. No person who is on the run from the law is going to knowingly carry a tracking device on them.
Additionally, the RFID chips in the card pose a serious threat to identity theft as they are not as secure as contact strip cards--and independent studies have shown how easy it is to steal information stored on RFID chips. If you think that the REAL ID will "save lives" you are being incredibly naive. The government has always tried to used events such as 9/11 to increase their power and strip citizens of basic civil liberties. We should be wary of our government always. Any informed person will know that they cannot be trusted with things such as the REAL ID, which gives them incredible power to literally shut down a person's life.
Look up Operation Northwoods if you think our government cares for our best interests. Declassified a few years ago, it detailed plans by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to carry-out "fake" terrorist attacks on US cities to gain support for a war in Cuba. President Kennedy turned it down and some now believe that is why he was assassinated. Look at the recent CIA "Crown Jewels" documents--a lot of which is still classified--which offer a sad glimpse into the underhanded tactics our government employs. And if that's not enough, research the North American Union. Much like the European Union, African Union, and Asian Union it is an effort to remove borders and introduce a universal monetary system to used by Canada, the US, and Mexico. The REAL ID acts to lessen the role of states and increase the pull of the federal government. Once that happens they can systematically strip you of more and more rights until you literally have none. Also, the REAL ID is just the beginning. Many of the proponents of the REAL ID want to eventually put these bad boys in newborns http://www.verichipcorp.com/
In fact, some people have voluntarily been "chipped" already. Technology on the surface appears to make things simpler, but it has only made life far more complex when everything is taken into consideration. The REAL ID will have similar effects. So before you think the REAL ID is "awesome" take the time to research it thoroughly. The EPIC link I posted has plenty of objective reading material for you to sift through. You can either read their breakdown and analysis or scroll down and read one of the hundreds of national news articles on it. I'm for National ID cards so long as they don't use RFID technology and don't reduce the role of States, but that's why we have Passports.
To add an entirely new element to the system will only make us more susceptible to problems. Instead, we should work to enhance the current processes that we use to identify people. Curbing illegal immigration is not a hard thing to do. In fact, I fully support the idea to issue ID cards to illegals, which have an expiration date that coincides with the expiration date of their visa. If strengthen our border security, there is absolutely no need to further regulate legal citizens.
Nevertheless, terrorists are not as big a threat to us as we are led to believe. If they were you would hear about mall shootings and other small scale terrorist attacks in the US regularly. The goal of terrorists is to fulfill the religious prophecy that the world begins in the Middle East and it ends in the Middle East. The reason we are their enemy is because we have a vested interest in making sure they don't succeed--those interests being resources vital to our daily life.
Again, the solution to the problem is not an ID card. Instead, it is a comprehensive reform of the current policies and systems we already have in place.
A side note: the REAL ID Act of 2005 was earmarked to a bill that was meant to fund the troops in Iraq/Afghanistan. That is the only reason it passed because no Congressman would dare to vote against the troops. Even the means used to pass the REAL ID Act are shady.
One more note, I said illegals and visa in the same sentence, which is a contradiction since illegals don't get visas. I meant immigrants. We need to impose a quota on how many immigrants can enter the country per year. Additionally, we need to actively pursue and deport those who enter illegally. Again, we don't need a National ID card to do this.
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