Question Of The Week, 6/3/07
Good morning. I didn't have to look any farther than my local paper to come up with an idea for this weeks question. The article even comes with a comment from one of the paper's reader's.
Guest rallies states against Real ID Act
Alyson Raletz
State House Reporter
The end of Missouri's legislative session didn't stop a regional politician's fight against a national identification system. He's taking his show on the road.
Rep. Jim Guest, R-King City, said he hopes to visit all of the continental 48 states by January 2008 to spread the word about the federal Real ID Act of 2005.
Mr. Guest this winter formed Legislators Against Real ID, a coalition made up of members from 47 states that oppose national driver's licenses and is trying to pressure Congress for a repeal.
"This is building huge support," Mr. Guest said.
Maine was the first state to pass legislation that rejects the law, while Missouri last week passed a resolution that calls for a repeal. And in the next three weeks, Mr. Guest expects 17 more states to push through anti-Real ID legislation, but Mr. Guest said he wants to keep up the momentum since Senate hearings on a possible repeal have started in Washington.
"People are tired of the federal government stepping into their private lives," Mr. Guest said.
The law requires states to issue uniform IDs that meet federal criteria by May 2008 in order for citizens to board commercial airplanes, enter federal buildings, make transactions at banks or apply for federal benefits, such as Social Security.
Supporters say uniform guidelines are needed for a more secure nation, while Mr. Guest and other opponents have raised privacy concerns.
Mr. Guest, who spoke to Oklahoma legislators Monday, is planning trips to Nevada and Virginia this summer and is working to raise funds for other trips. He's paying for much of the transportation out of pocket, but has formed The Committee for America's Freedom to handle donations.
Mr. Guest already is planning to file more legislation in the Missouri Legislature for 2008. His effort for Missouri to reject the Real ID Act didn't fly in 2007, so next year he'll file a bill that would stop Missouri from participating in any national identification system.
For more information about Mr. Guest and his coalition, visit.
Reader Comments
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Posted: Saturday, June 02, 2007
Article comment by: sarah
Representative Guest is to be applauded for standing up against his party's knee jerk rush to make this country "safe". However, if you take a look at your new licenses, you will never know that as you received your shiny new photo, your face was being entered in a national experimental facial recognition computer. Believe me, as a former conservative, the year 1984 is truly upon us.
This weeks Question Of The Week is. Should the Federal Real ID Act of 2005 be repealed?
I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.
Thanks go to:
The Saint Joseph News-Press
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
Guest rallies states against Real ID Act
Alyson Raletz
State House Reporter
The end of Missouri's legislative session didn't stop a regional politician's fight against a national identification system. He's taking his show on the road.
Rep. Jim Guest, R-King City, said he hopes to visit all of the continental 48 states by January 2008 to spread the word about the federal Real ID Act of 2005.
Mr. Guest this winter formed Legislators Against Real ID, a coalition made up of members from 47 states that oppose national driver's licenses and is trying to pressure Congress for a repeal.
"This is building huge support," Mr. Guest said.
Maine was the first state to pass legislation that rejects the law, while Missouri last week passed a resolution that calls for a repeal. And in the next three weeks, Mr. Guest expects 17 more states to push through anti-Real ID legislation, but Mr. Guest said he wants to keep up the momentum since Senate hearings on a possible repeal have started in Washington.
"People are tired of the federal government stepping into their private lives," Mr. Guest said.
The law requires states to issue uniform IDs that meet federal criteria by May 2008 in order for citizens to board commercial airplanes, enter federal buildings, make transactions at banks or apply for federal benefits, such as Social Security.
Supporters say uniform guidelines are needed for a more secure nation, while Mr. Guest and other opponents have raised privacy concerns.
Mr. Guest, who spoke to Oklahoma legislators Monday, is planning trips to Nevada and Virginia this summer and is working to raise funds for other trips. He's paying for much of the transportation out of pocket, but has formed The Committee for America's Freedom to handle donations.
Mr. Guest already is planning to file more legislation in the Missouri Legislature for 2008. His effort for Missouri to reject the Real ID Act didn't fly in 2007, so next year he'll file a bill that would stop Missouri from participating in any national identification system.
For more information about Mr. Guest and his coalition, visit.
Reader Comments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: Saturday, June 02, 2007
Article comment by: sarah
Representative Guest is to be applauded for standing up against his party's knee jerk rush to make this country "safe". However, if you take a look at your new licenses, you will never know that as you received your shiny new photo, your face was being entered in a national experimental facial recognition computer. Believe me, as a former conservative, the year 1984 is truly upon us.
This weeks Question Of The Week is. Should the Federal Real ID Act of 2005 be repealed?
I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.
Thanks go to:
The Saint Joseph News-Press
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
posted by David Schantz | 1:58 AM
4 Comments:
Yes, definitely.
Instead we should all be fitted with a GPS chip so that the government knows where we are at all times. ;)
David,
I have not looked closely at all the details. I don't know whether or not this specific law should be repealed. However, I do believe we need some sort of national ID system -- as long as they are distributed to citizens and only citizens. Legal non-citizens would have a different type of ID and both should be designed to make it very, very difficult for illegal immigrants to fake them.
That's my two-cents.
As for the states objecting to a national ID, that doesn't come as a surprise in the least. If Wisconsin is any type of example, then states have this nasty tendency to hide "taxes" in the form of fees for state IDs. It's a matter of taking away one of their forms of revenue. If there was a national ID, they couldn't charge whatever they wanted without recourse.
First I want to thank you for stopping by to answer this weeks question,"Should the Federal Real ID Act of 2005 be repealed?" Your papers please. Yes it should be repealed. I don't want to carry a tracking device in my pocket any more than I want to "be fitted with a GPS chip". I have to renew my drivers license in August, I have a feeling that this could turn out to be a nightmare. In case you didn't know I was put up for adoption at birth. My birth Mother named me. The name she gave me is on my Birth Certificate. My Adoption Papers show that name and the name my adoptive parents gave me. Because of the rule changes that came with the Real ID Act I'll have to take both of these papers in to prove who I am to renew my license. Should be simple. Don't forget when you renew your license now your dealing with the state and federal government. I'll post a message and let you know how it went after I go in.Maybe I should go in the morning I might need more documents to prove who I am.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines announced that they have introduced legislation repealing federal mandates for driver's licenses included in the REAL ID Act of 2005.
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