[tw]

Originally posted by jaguar
Actually - yes [EasyPass] does its a tradeoff people make for ease of living. I'm quite sure, as a similar system was implimented ehre on a smaller scale (less tollroads) and many choose again'st it for the exact reason you are saying is non-existant. To argue that it will be volantary is an absolutle crock of shit. THe fact it that for govermental urposes the system msut require nealry everyone with any degree of mobility around society to have it if it is to serve a useful purpose to law enforcement. It will be similar to a social security number. ...

TO full steal an identity you ned an array of documents that is not all that eeasy to eachieve and christ, you think and NID is going ot be totally secure?? What are the going to sue? Magstrip? Smartcard? all are pretty hack-up able.

It must be a government trap to collect information on us. IOW a fear of NID is, in part, because one doesn't know how such a system would work and therefore only assumes the worst. My god. Should we also fear the arrival of a Godzilla movie?

If government wanted to make a system mandatory (as fears insist), then EasyPass would be a required of all drivers. However EasyPass exists. Therefore the fearful do not emotionally fear that system. It already exists. EasyPass is now only "a tradeoff people make for ease of living."

Another silly assumption - that a National ID verification system must have everyone's participation in order to work. It does not matter how many other people are in the system. A verification system is only a secure, encrypted verification of one person and his confirmation data. Is that system threatened or non-functional because the guy who lives on the corner does not participate? Of course not. It is that obvious!

Embarrassingly obvious is that a verification system is not compromised by the non-participant. Why then would one claim an NID system could not work without mandatory participation? The erroneous claim must be made to justify the original fear. It is fear, only, of a National ID verification system that is the only reason to deny others those benefits.

Identity theft is easily conducted as the Passport office lady repeatedly proved. Just get a birth certificate. Today its even easier. Computers that routinely counterfeit driver's licenses and older $100 bills can easily counterfeit 1950/60 birth certificates. Furthermore, the counterfeited document cannot be verified. But birth cerifiicates are considered sufficient and acceptable as ID - in a country that has no ID confirmation system and that most needs such abilities. Having a birth certificate is sufficient to get other ID documents such as a Social Security number. Currently, Russian mafia routinely operate with handfuls of social security numbers and other IDs so as to constantly change their identity. Why do they fear a National ID system? Same reasons?

Now we have sufficient counterfeit documents for a driver's license. Driver's license - which is the most secure form of ID verification. Identity stolen quite easily. A largest growth market for the Russian Mafia or any other enterprising thief - stealing identifies.

Stealing another's ID is easier than counterfeiting money! Most of the violent offenders in the Madi Gras, South St riot had counterfeit ID - leaving many innocent people with bench warrants for their arrest. To say ID theft is difficult or non-existent is to be an ostrich.

One would claim that ID theft is not a problem because only 1/2% of the nation currently suffers? How convenient to forget the pizza shop example - the canary in a coalmine. It did not affect me so I should deny everyone else a system to protect themselves? This type of reasoning is so common among those so worried about their rights and so negligent of their responsibilities to others.

A friend notes that his credit rating, one of the highest ratings seen, is necessary to conduct business quickly. It took him generations to build that rating so necessary for his business. But one theft of his ID can destroy that entire rating in a week. Why? We have no identity protection. And yet here we are, those who fear government will decree that he does not not need ID verification and protection?

Its a funny thing about people. We have been under regular attack since 1990. But it took a WTC collapse before people realize that those attacks existed. Well, the world has changed in other ways. Identity theft is a major problem and will only become worse. Once any kind of check could be cashed anywhere. Even with a driver's license, grocery stores will no longer cash even a corporate payroll check - because identity theft is now that common. Liberties restricted because we have no National ID verification system. Hardworking, honest people threatened because we have no National ID protection system.

How much have our liberties been restricted? You cannot even cash a corporate payroll check at many banks unless you have sufficient funds to cover that check. More liberties lost because identity theft is so common.

Why deny others the protection? Two reasons provided. One, the government could track a person's movement - conventiently forgetting that it only is possible if one uses the NID. Two, government would, no doubt, absoutely, because it is so evil, require everyone to carry and to use an NID - even though that same government does not require everyone to use EasyPass and Smart Cards.

Where is the logic behind this reasoning? Fear. Supporting reasons are only based upon an emotional fear of all government. Again I must expand the arguement to address the reasons for those fears. It is not about an evil National ID vefication system. It is really about the emotional fears of its opponents.

No one can track a person's ID if that ID is not used. There are ZERO logical reasons provided for government to require everyone to have a National ID. In short, these are emotional and not logical based fears. They are based only on the assumption that government is 'out to get me'. An obvious reason to so excessviely fear - that person may be criminal. Honest people do not fear systems that protect them.

A government that is 'out to get me' would not waste time subverting woefully insufficient information in a National ID verification system. Such an evil government will instead 'get me' through Smart Cards, EasyPass, security cameras, and Swat teams. And yet one does not FEAR those existing measures? Why? Reasons for fearing a National ID are, in part, because a National ID does not exist. It is the classic mentallity of the anti-innovative. Anti-innovative people fear change.

Understand why one would fear a National ID. It is not about liberties - which will be threatened without a National ID verification system. Fear of a National ID is directly traceable to an anti-innovative, and therefore anti-American attitude : to fear of change. If not fear of change, then outright denial of reality.

We know this much. We know that American liberties - especially everyone's good name - is threatended without a National ID verification system. We know that this may become the fasting growing crime in the next 50 years as electronics commerce and communication only increases. Oppurtunities for such crimes are as specatular and as fast growing as the Internet. Without access to a National ID verification system, a person will have less protection, more violation of privacy, and therefore less liberties. Those who fear change are welcome to not take advantage of such a system. But those who fear change are admonished that their fears are not justification to deny others who require a National ID verification and protection system.

This need to force fears upon all others sounds so much like the religious right extremists who would force their beliefs, fears, religion, and morality on all others. You don't like a National ID system - then don't participate. But don't force your fears - like religious zealots - on everyone else. If there is a problem with a National ID verification and protection system, then first provide a logical reason for the problem. So far, only emotional fears of a big, evil, snarling government are provided. Government might find out what my face looks like. Oh nooooo, my rights have been violated.....