Libertarian Corolla!
May 13, 2005 at 01:05 AM | categories: liberty rants | View Comments
In part, because of my outrage at my current government, and part in celebration of my new car... I decided that enough was enough....
Senate passes 'REAL ID' measure 100 to zip.
May 13, 2005 at 12:18 AM | categories: liberty rants | View Comments
I've been wanting to write down some thoughts here for some time, and I can't think of something better to start off with then something that really pisses me off:
On February 11th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R 418 the so called "REAL ID Act" with a vote of 261 to 161.
Two days ago, May 10, 2005 (5:50pm), the U.S. Senate unanimously passed bill H.R. 1268 - Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005.
Yesterday, The measure was on the desk of President Bush, where he signed it and it became Public Law No (109-13).
So many things about this really get to me:
- This is the second largest supplemental spending bill in history ($82.04 billion). Not to mention that the Defense department has already allocated this money and will not be enough to fund future regimes.. er.. programs. An additional $50 billion is already promised to them for 2006.
- There are so many things crammed into this bill, it has prevented the due care (and separate voting) each issue should require. This is supposed to be a spending bill, i.e. congress allotting money for various programs. In addition however, they sneak in new items such as:
- The 'REAL ID' Act: This act requires every state to maintain a database of drivers license information, at a minimum containing the following information:
- The person's full legal name.
- The person's date of birth.
- The person's gender.
- The person's driver's license or identification card number.
- A digital photograph of the person.
- The person's address of principle residence.
- The person's signature.
- And that it be in a common machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements.
- The state is to provide electronic access to all other States to information contained in the motor vehicle database.
- This is a non-funded federal (common incorrect definition of federal that is) mandate, so why is it in a emergency spending bill? It appears in section 204 however that if the Secretary (Homeland Security??) feels generous he can forward funding to certain states.
- The 'REAL ID' Act: This act requires every state to maintain a database of drivers license information, at a minimum containing the following information:
- Section 102 allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to ignore (waive) any laws he sees fit in order to construct barriers at (national) borders. Also, there can be no judicial review of those actions, unless the claim involves a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution is an awfully small document, it contains for instance no environmental protection laws. furthermore, all claims against the Secretary are void if made 60 or more days after the act.
So why does all this bother me you may ask? The amount and quality of information that will be contained in this database, was previously only obtained for criminals. Apparently, Congress sees us in the very same category. I personally see congress in that category, not me.
- Ryan
links:
bill summary press release:
http://appropriations.senate.gov/hearmarkups/05-03-0505SuppConference.htm
final bill
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.1268:
local copy: (thomas doesn't want to give me a permanent link, wonder why?):
http://www.enigmacurry.com/tiki-view_blog_post_image.php?imgId=3
A very informative article on the subject
By Bruce Shcneier
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2005/05/real_id.html
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