Real Bad ID

Wall Street Journal ^ | October 10, 2006 | Wall Street Journal

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

It's unfair to say that the Republican Congress has done nothing on immigration. In one respect, according to a new report from state officials, Congress made matters worse.

In May of last year Congress passed the Real ID Act at the urging of House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R., Wis.). It was yet another border-security measure, intended to thwart illegal immigration by denying drivers' licenses to undocumented aliens. President Bush signed the legislation in hopes that Republicans then would meet him halfway on comprehensive immigration reform. Didn't happen. We now know that the Tom Tancredo "enforcement first" crowd has no intention of ever compromising with Mr. Bush.

We doubt Mexicans willing to risk their lives crossing hundreds of miles of desert on foot care much about not being able to obtain a drivers' license once here. Nor is deputizing Department of Motor Vehicle officials going to force many illegal aliens already in the country to return home. The most likely result is more unlicensed and uninsured motorists, which means more dangerous U.S. roads.

Real ID gets worse. According to a new analysis from the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the law is also going to be costly and burdensome.

Under Real ID, all 245 million existing holders of drivers' licenses must apply -- in person -- for new, standardized identification cards. The report says that state motor vehicle department staffs will need to be more than doubled, and workers will have to be trained to verify copies of original birth certificates, Social Security cards and the like. Misplaced your Social Security card? Have fun getting a new one. We're pretty sure that voters don't elect Republicans to increase the size of their already bloated state bureaucracies.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

WSJ's take on our new National ID card.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

PING!

[Dog Gone]

It's not technically a national ID card, but I'm sure many conservatives would gladly go through the hassle if it means weeding out the people who don't belong here.

[Ben Ficklin]

And the LEO said to John Q. Public, "show me your microchip".

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Sometimes I think the MSM are afraid the rats could never win another election without the dead and illegals voting democrat.

[Carry_Okie]

Voters prefer the cost of verifying ID to the cost of providing illegals free education and medical care while many of them plot our destruction.

[Carry_Okie]

And the LEO said to John Q. Public, "show me your microchip".

Which is what it will take to fix the crises that will develop if this problem is allowed to get worse. Meanwhile, if it's chipping you're concerned about, then you're better off expending your efforts fighting NAIS.

[snowrip]

It has come to the point that the liberals actually count on widespread voter fraud.

[Ben Ficklin]

What's NAIS?

[caresistance]

"We doubt Mexicans willing to risk their lives crossing hundreds of miles of desert on foot care much about not being able to obtain a drivers' license once here."

Really.....why then has Gil Cedillo proposed a drivers license for illegals bill on 8 separate occasions here in California? Promising to do so again next year, after the latest failure. Somebody must care!!!!

[samadams2000]

I now filter out any WSJ commentary on the ILLEGAL ALIEN situation. Sometimes lately its like reading a lying DNC talking points memo.

[umgud]

The 19 9-11 terrorists, who were here illegally (overstayed visas) sure wanted and got numerous drivers licenses.

[supercat]

It has come to the point that the liberals actually count on widespread voter fraud.

IMHO, RINOs rely on it more than liberals.

[Alas Babylon!]

National Animal Identification System. Basically a government mandate (without providing funding) that ALL livestock have a Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) chip in them by 2008. This includes every cow, horse, sheep, goat, pig, chicken, turkey, duck, and llama. There will be severe penalties for non-compliance. Not yet spelled out what they are, but they're proposing multi thousand $ fines per violation.

So when Granny doesn't get her ole egg layer chipped, and doesn't have the $ for the fine, then send in Barney Fife's SWAT team to take Granny down!

Free Republic search page on NAIS

[Ben Ficklin]

Maybe Granny and the hen could use the same chip.

[Uncle Hal]

I am a long time subscriber to the WSJ. They have consistently taken a liberal view on immigration, both legal and illegal. I do not think they have had any writer in their editorial pages that is tough on illegals.

[Grut]

WSJ's take on our new National ID card.

They're probably right. But I remain convinced that their stand on illegal immigration comes from their having big lawns.

[Carry_Okie]

What's NAIS?

Oh boy. If you are concerned about chipping, you are in for a shock.

This is the foundation for the tracking database they'll need.

[supercat]

This is the foundation for the tracking database they'll need.

Which has caused more human deaths in the last 25 years: all livestock-borne diseases combined, or diseases which are spread human-to-human via intimate or blood contact? It used to be that humans with certain diseases were required to be quarantined. If one's concern is with controlling disease, does it make more sense to put in an unprecedented program to track countless millions of animals, or to follow precedent in tracking and quarantining a much smaller number of diseased people?

[SherrieG]

They are building a border fence I hope the make a full one. With any luck we can finally get our coubtry back from these people that have all but invaded us.