From DC Indymedia, we'll note Selina Musuta (of Free Speech Radio News) and her article entitled "National Drivers License: A Possible Future:"
Applying or renewing your drivers licence may get more difficult in the next three years if Congress votes yes to a national identification system that would force people to bring more information to their local department of motor vehicals. The legislation requires that U.S. citizens bring their birth certificates, a photo ID, proof of their Social Security number and a document with their full name and home address. For documented and undocumented immigrants, the requirements get longer and more difficult.
[...what the drivers license provision of the real id would do is to create a three tiered id system...]
Traci Hong is the director of immigration at the AsianPacific American Legal Consortium. Hong says that many people believe that this law will only affect undocumented workers but that is not true.
[...so one situation that we are really afraid for instance is for elderly U.S. citizens who may not have access to their birth certicificate that proves their citizenship they may have a very difficult time getting access to drivers licenses or identifications and for particularly naturalized citizens that have lived here in the United States for a very long time one of the documents that may have to use is their birth certificate from their native country but they would not be able to do that...]
States will have three years if the bill is made into law to comply or their drivers licenses will not be recognized by such places as airlines, train stations,and all federal institutions. Proponents of the legislation say that the possibility of U.S. citizens being safer outweighs new hassles at DMV counters.
Former Congressman, Bob Barr does not agree with that.
Nationalizing the U.S. id system will not make the United States any safer from terrorism according to Barr, a member of the American Conservative Union.
This has passed both houses and now the two versions of the bill need to be reconciled. We can still make ourselves heard on this.
Note that there are three years until states have to be in compliance. Those who are concerned about "Real I.D." (I am) should begin contacting their representatives. This would include your two U.S. Senators and your House Rep. But you can also contact your governor, your state's attorney general, your state reps. If you're outraged, you need to express it now.
State's aren't going to be thrilled with this either. Another unfunded mandate. We're seeing states fight back against No Child Left Behind. If your state reps receive enough complaints, it will make a difference.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
