I do not nearly have the time I would like to explore this topic more completely, so here is the short version.
The border security bill currently under consideration in the House of Representatives contains language that would “requir[e] the Social Security Administration, Treasury Department and Department of Justice to study the concept of a machine-readable Social Security card with a photo ID.”
This is a bad, bad idea. Thanks to changes in tax law, most Americans get Social Security Numbers as babies. A photo ID Social Security Card will have to be renewed regularly to be used as identification. This will incidentally create a photo database of every American, perfect for feeding into biometric recognition devices. It is also clear — since it’s laminated — that it is intended to be the sort of thing that everyone will carry in their wallets all the time, presentable to any Government official who asks. Even the Social Security Administration advises against actually carrying your Social Security Card. This is beyond the concerns of the Liberty Coalition:
“Even setting aside concerns of intentional ‘blacklisting’ of innocent Americans, even a small error rate could mean millions of Americans forced out of work by computer mistakes,” said Liberty Coalition Policy Director James Plummer. “Homeland Security has a poor record of putting innocent Americans on secretive “no-fly” lists, and should not be entrusted with determining who is allowed is to make a living in this country.”
Let’s face it: the only reason this is being considered at all is that the States are balking and doing everything they can to keep from implementing Real ID. Good for them. Keep the pressure on your State Governments. And tell your Representative and Senators to kill this internal passport requirement.
In closing: real quotes by Tom DeLay.