National ID: An Idea Whose Time Should Never Come

Here's an article from the Cato Institute in 1995:

A National ID System: Big Brother's Solution to Illegal Immigration by John J. Miller and Stephen Moore

The leaders of virtually every libertarian, conservative, and civil liberties organization in America have denounced the computer registry as "misguided and dangerous" (see appendix). Nonetheless, the Clinton administration has endorsed the proposal, as have two key Republicans in Congress. Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.), who chair the immigration subcommittees of their respective chambers, are working on legislation to create a registry. Earlier this year Senator Simpson introduced S. 269, which would mandate the creation of a national verification system within eight years. Representative Smith introduced H.R. 1915, which would have a national identification system running in 1999."

I heard one man on cable news say that ever since such ideas were proposed, America has rejected them. So now, after so much time has passed, we should move forward on ideas like REAL ID.

How does the mere passing of time justify any idea?

A lot of blood has been shed to grant us our freedoms, we should not throw them away because we "now" live in "new day" where these ideas "have come into their own."

We don't ever have to do anything stupid.