Virginia’s General Assembly rejects REAL ID provisions

Very good news here.

"You're ID, Please." -- Required at a County Dump Site

Yes. It actually happened.

I was with my family on a short vacation in Florida. We had accumulated some garbage in one large bag. So I took a trip to the county dump. (We call them "convenience centers" where I live.)

The lady working there noticed that I wasn't from "around" there. She came out to see who dared to throw a bag of trash in the bin.

She asked me for ID.

I said, "You've got to be kidding."

She wasn't. Apparently there was a problem with people from other counties throwing there trash away there.

Thank goodness I passed muster and was "allowed" to throw away my trash--at a DUMP.

It's getting to be crazy out there.

If we have to show ID in order to throw away our trash, you can bet that society will ask for ID for just about anything.

We have survived as a society without this ID obsession for many years. We don't need to lose our minds (or our freedom) now.

This is just sheer lunacy.

Good for Sarah Palin!

A short comment embedded in this article reveals that Sarah Palin signed a law against the REAL ID Act.

Good for Sarah Palin.

These are interesting political times.

Family Security Matters: REAL ID = National ID

Jim Harper of the Cato Institute has written a post entitled Family Security Matters: REAL ID = National ID.

There is a lot of back and forth about REAL ID that goes like this:

"It's a National Id Card!"
"No, it's not!"
"Yes, it is!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"

But Harper's post reminds us that the argument ends up on "Is too!"

Governor signs bill to keep Arizona out of `Real ID'

Arizona stands against the REAL ID Act: For more, go here.

Missouri also joins the fray.

Anyone in Washington listening?

What Say Ye, Arizona?

State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Forty-eighth Legislature
Second Regular Session
2008


HOUSE BILL 2677



AN ACT

AMENDING TITLE 28, CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 2, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 28-336; RELATING TO THE REAL ID ACT OF 2005.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 28, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 28-336, to read:
28-336. REAL ID act; implementation prohibited without legislative authorization

A. THIS STATE SHALL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REAL ID ACT OF 2005 (P.L. 109-13, DIVISION B; 119 STAT. 302) UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT IMPLEMENT THE REAL ID ACT OF 2005 UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE AND SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE ANY ATTEMPT BY AGENCIES OR AGENTS OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO SECURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REAL ID ACT OF 2005 THROUGH THE OPERATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

B. THIS SECTION DOES NOT PROHIBIT THIS STATE FROM ESTABLISHING A STATE SECURE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM USING APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY AND STATE DATABASES.

Sometimes standing for freedom can be simple, straightforward, and free from fanfare.

All you have to have is courage, clarity, and will--every day.

For more, go here and here. (Tucson Citizen news story.)

National Security Presidential Directive and Homeland Security Presidential Directive

I've always been a Republican because I believe in limited government, freedom of the individual, the Bill of Rights (all 10 of them--the 2nd along with the 4th...and especially the forgotten 10th), and the Constitution (the spirit and the letter).

So when Republicans morph into another big-government, big-brother party, I have to cry foul. I never would have voted for Al Gore or John Kerry, but I have to say that George Bush has been a major disappointment in several key issues. (He's been strong on several key issues as well--for which I am grateful, but he's certainly a mixed bag. The net result is disappointment.)

A key disappointment is his support for surveillance over American citizens and control structures like the national id card called The REAL ID Act.

This link also shows his misplaced obsession with biometrics and the collection of personal information of innocent citizens.

When the Republicans undermine the nature of America by these kinds of measures, I wonder why I should be a Republican.

I've heard talk about smaller government all my life from this party.

The Republicans may have slowed down the rate of growth from time to time, but I've never seen the government become smaller.

Obviously, its all talk.

I guess George Bush's conservatism is "big hat, few cattle."