I’ve been ranting about the Real ID Law (since Bush signed it on Wednesday) around here. Many may not think this is a big deal, but I think it is. We have, for the first time in this country, a nationwide identification card, which will be needed to travel (via airplane, bus, train, or car). To me, that sounds like an internal passport, almost identical to those used in the Soviet Union. And that just ain’t right.
Sorry if you’re not concerned about that. I did include some other links below, but I think this is one of the bigger issues of the day, and will probably continue to rant about it for a while.
- The National ID Battle Continues, as many governors are threatening to fight the bill. If you happen to be from Wisconsin, remember that it was James Sensenbrenner who wrote this one and then inserted it into an appropriations bill that was signed into law on Wednesday. [wired]
- Bill has an Open Letter To President Bush on the Signing of the REAL ID Act. Claire says we should Stay angry about Real ID. Here in MN, SSNs weren’t tied to driver’s licenses until now, so this is even a bigger change around here, which is maybe why I’m angrier than many. Whether the law is good or not, the Achilles’ heel in ID Act is fraud and theft at the various departments of motor vehicles. Finally, hitting the point I touched on above, Colby Cosh asks what the difference is between the REAL-ID law and the Soviet Union’s internal passports. [endwar, claire, and colby cosh]
- In local news, Joel says it Looks like today is the day for the MCPPA to get voted on. There are some problems, such as an amendment attached that would require fingerprinting of applicants (which if you think it’s reasonable, think about how you’d feel about having to get fingerprinted to receive welfare, which isn’t a right guaranteed by the constitution), but hopefully this will pass in its original form. [mitch]
- Huh. The Bitty Browser is like picture-in-picture for the web. Interesting, but I can’t think of a use for it around here (yet). [boing boing]
- Hoo boy. Lileks takes on the Minneapolis Public Library and makes me laugh. But he also invokes Godwin’s Law, so perhaps the discussion is over and he’s already lost? [lileks]