Real ID vs Passport
Previously posted on August 26 at: http://spaces.msn.com/members/evandodds/Blog/cns!1phaOgcvNsBxzvBN9Zpx1vbQ!173.entry
I’ve been hearing a bit lately about this Real ID Act of 2005. This is the bill (passed by the house) that pushes for a national ID card to replace state driver licenses, state IDs, etc. This is both a noble goal, and a scary one. Our current system is broken, in that it’s not at all difficult for illegitimate folks to get a bankable ID made. That said, nobody smart really wants a required national ID. The privacy implications are terrifying!
But through all that, what I want to know is: don’t we already have this?
I have a passport. I’ve had a passport for years. Anytime I need to “prove” who I am for travel, employment, etc — all I have to do is bring my passport!
Why not let states continue to issue driver’s license that is not intended to be used as an authoritative ID card, and let the federal government continue to issue passports that are (intended to be used as authoritative ID)? Then, the only change is that driver’s license would need to be explicitly disallowed as ID for anything where a library-card-as-ID would not also do.
Problem solved.
