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| Homeland Security Retreats From Facets of 'Real ID' |
| 2007-11-04 |
| In a recent meeting, DHS policy official Richard C. Barth told state officials to expect Real ID's price tag to fall by "billions of dollars" as DHS eases previous demands that the new licenses be renewed every five years, that expensive, tamper-resistant materials be used to create the ID cards, and that each state develop its own document verification systems, those officials said. The ACLU and conservative libertarian groups that oppose Real ID view it as a de facto national ID with Orwellian implications. Eight states have passed legislation to opt out of the program, nine others have passed resolutions in opposition, and more will consider doing so this winter. In 2005, Congress passed legislation mandating Real ID to standardize information that must be included on licenses, including a digital photograph, a signature and machine-readable features such as a bar code. Under the law, states also must verify applicants' citizenship status, check identity documents such as birth certificates, and cross-check information with other states and with Social Security, immigration and State Department databases. The new licenses must include features to thwart forgery and fraud, and drivers born after 1935 will have to present birth certificates or passports to obtain them. Supporters noted that all but one of the Sept. 11 hijackers acquired, legitimately or by fraud, IDs that allowed them to board planes, rent cars and move through the country. Congress approved $40 million in grants to states to cover some of the expenses this year. By comparison, the National Governors Association wants $1 billion next year as a down payment for states' start-up costs. |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #7 Fire the hack Chertoff. |
| Posted by: Phinater Thraviger 2007-11-04 16:32 |
| #6 Every Four years in Alabama. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-11-04 14:00 |
| #5 #2 This is just the governors digging into the sugar bowl. Illinois licenses already have all these things. The Sec. of State already checks these documents. There's no expense at our end, and I need a new license every eight years anyway. Dr. Steve.... You from Illinois? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-11-04 12:58 |
| #4 I just renewed my license in PA. Very interesting procedure where you can renew on line and pay by VISA (Get the $ up front). Then they mail a voucher to the address on the license or the corrected address for the new license. You take the voucher to the Driver's License Agent (NOT Dmv) and they prepare a new license with digital photo, compare to the old license and send you on your way. Of course there's no assurance you could pass the driver's test, but you passed it 40 years ago. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-11-04 10:52 |
| #3 If a national ID was tamper-resistant it'll make it harder for those illegal aliens to vote. Can't have that! Thus the ACLU lawsuit. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2007-11-04 09:42 |
| #2 This is just the governors digging into the sugar bowl. Illinois licenses already have all these things. The Sec. of State already checks these documents. There's no expense at our end, and I need a new license every eight years anyway. And any state that can't do a proper ID at a reasonable price should be required to out-source it to Halliburton. That would wake people up. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2007-11-04 09:32 |
| #1 The social Security number already works as an identifier nationally. It would be nice to get something a bit more difficult to hijack. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-11-04 09:02 |