National Identity Card (Part II) - An opposite view point
A reader offers these opposing views on National Identity Cards (see #263 (05-24, below.)
"I'm afraid this is an issue on which I must respectfully disagree. In fact, rather than having the notoriously inefficient states upgrade drivers license application procedures on their own to require real proof of identity, I'd like to see the federal government simply move to national id cards for all citizens and legal aliens.

"Admittedly, I do not think that such a card would lead to the catching of many, perhaps any, terrorists directly. However, it would make their evil purposes much harder if they were unable to purchase plane tickets and establish bank accounts and get drivers licenses. Such a card, which might well replace traditional passports, would also make it much easier for those who travel legitimately to cross our borders, while deterring terrorists.

"The border crossing issue would be a great benefit of such a card. For too long I have listened to politicians, primarily Republicans, speak of securing our borders against terrorists and illegal immigrants. The simple truth is that they have seen to it that border security remains under funded and inefficient to provide a source of cheap labor for their businesses. Requiring a national id card to work, combined with real penalties for businesses that did not comply, would be a great step toward ending this problem. I admit that some lessening of profits and cost adjustments would occur as we moved toward a minimum wage on which legal workers could actually live but these might well be accompanied by a lessening of the tax burden legal workers and their employers, large and small, now pay to subsidize the illegals and their employers. Some of the savings might even be diverted to actually adequate border surveillance and catching some terrorists..

"I realize that many, particularly those with memories of World War Two and the ways of the "Iron Curtain" states, have very negative feelings on the matter of national id cards here. The simple fact is that we have long had them, as financial institutions and state and local agencies have forced our social security cards to become something they were never intended to be. In our technological age, a real id card would lessen our liberties no more but provide the benefits I have mentioned."

Sincerely,
JRH Garden City Beach SC
#264 (05-25)
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