Singel notes:
Paula Arcioni, the information security officer for New Jersey's Office of Information Technology, envisions the identification cards eventually morphing into smartcards that can be used by the government to help authenticate people and deliver services over the internet.
I thought the purpose of REAL ID was to fight terrorism and restrict illegal immigration. But human nature is predictable. Paula Arcioni's statement shows that whatever "purposes" REAL ID initially had, many more imagined uses are desired--and the law hasn't even been executed yet.
Arcioni, who emphasized she was not speaking on behalf of the state of New Jersey, says what she calls "scope creep" will be welcomed by citizens.
Not by this citizen.
Anyway, digital professional Dan Combs goes on to say:
"Most of the really strong support for Real ID comes from people like me who see the promises in an ID system," Combs said. "Once you get a system like this in place an awful lot of government becomes easier."
And that's the problem.
The other edge of the two-edged sword called convenience is a massive increase the power and size of the government.
The spirit of our American heritage has raised important inconveniences to government for the purpose of limiting government. But it seems that Americans are ready to discard that heritage--not even for the sake of security, but simply for the sake of convenience.
It is interesting to note that many articles discussing the REAL ID Act do not mention the issue of biometrics or concerns over the 4th Amendment (that little addition to the Constitution knows as the Bill of Rights designed to inconvenience government...)
Where are all the conservatives that should be "conserving" all 10 of the Bill of the Rights?........................... (I hear crickets....)
Read the rest of Singel's well-written article here.
Because we can does not mean we should.
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