Sunday, March 25, 2007

The ACLU and STRIVE/Gutierrez-Flake

The ACLU has criticized the STRIVE Act (aka Gutierrez-Flake) because of the inclusion of a national ID card:

Sadly, Title III of the bill attacks privacy by creating a national ID card. Creating a national ID card under the guise of a ‘secured’ Social Security card is not only financially and logistically daunting, it creates the possibility that we will become a society where ‘your papers’ will need to be presented at every turn.

This puts the ACLU right in step with many Republicans, who have argued against the Real ID Act, which presumably would be issued alongside the new Social Security card (or perhaps one would replace the other). Both argue that the Real ID Act and other national ID measures are almost certain to compromise constitutional rights. The state of Maine, in fact, passed a resolution in January refusing to comply with the Real ID Act.

McCain-Kennedy passed the Senate with an ID component, so this may not be an insurmountable obstacle for Gutierrez-Flake (that doesn’t have a ring to it either, but much better than STRIVE). On the other hand, as the Real ID deadline looms in 2008, opposition could very possibly gain momentum.

It comes down to whether people like the idea of a considerable amount of personal information in an ID card.

3 comments:

Anonymous,  10:02 AM  

I don't understand the ACLU or the Republicans in this case (and I have never understood the objections to national ID cards). We have the right to carry a loaded gun but there is objection to carrying an ID card. Unless you're up to no good, you have nothing to worry about. What's the big deal?

Greg Weeks 12:35 PM  

I don't understand why people are willing to accept generally bogus rationale about why they do not deserve the right of privacy. Whether or not you are up to no good is not relevant.

Anonymous,  9:35 PM  

Privacy is one thing. But carrying an ID card is not really an invasion of one's privacy. Besides, if your wallet is stolen, you can kiss your privacy goodbye. One more ID card (in addition to all the credit cards, driver's license, membership cards, photos, home addresses, etc etc) wont make much of a dent in losing privacy.

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