crossposted from RochesterTurning.com
Under our noses, some elements of the federal government are about to impose a national ID card system on our fair nation. The deadline to submit comments to the Department of Homeland Security regarding the disastrously invasive REAL ID act is ends at 5:00 pm EST, May 8th.
What does the REAL ID act do? It will require state drivers licenses to conform to certain standards, and all ID information be stored at a massive federal database. These new national ID cards could possibly be required to gain access to federal buildings, planes, and cross state lines. Not only is this act Orwellian, it was attached to the Katrina relief bill, and passed without much debate. Furthermore, this legislation would cost the states a projected $17.2 billion to $23.1 billion.
A mandatory national ID system is wrong. Did we not criticize the Soviets for the very such thing during the Cold War?
But you don't have to take my word for it.
Learn more from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, PrivacyCoalition.org, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, the Stop Real ID Now coalition blog or the ACLU.
Once you've learned enough about the issue, please use this handy EFF action page to email the DHS before the filing deadline. If you're feeling especially patriotic, feel free to tell your congressman exactly how you feel.
Please, folks. This is a patriotic issue we have on our hands, not a partisan one. The REAL ID act threatens the basic liberty and privacy of every American. Take two minutes to save your own freedom.