All in the same state
As many of you know, one of the reasons I like New Hampshire so much is that we're willing to go the distance to preserve every last scrap of liberty.
This has its good sides and its bad sides, of course. Recently, on this very blog, I took some hits for coming out against a bill to ban smoking in restaurants. My opposition to the bill was not because I love to smoke, of course, but because I think the government has no business regulating something like that. In the same vein, I was against a bill that mandated children to wear helmets while riding bikes.
But for every bit of 'out there' libertarianism like the kind named above, we come up big when it counts. Witness our opposition to the federal Real ID Act (link via Boudicca)!
The opposition comes from pretty much every quarter of the state's Republican Party - the religious say the card reminds them of the Mark of the Beast - and I'm happy to see it. Now let's see some other states follow our lead!
posted by Joshua @ 8:15 PM
15 Comments:
I gotta agree with Prometheus here, I don't think that article was informative enough to explain why the Real ID is bad. Using the computer chip as a radio frequency/GPS chip sounds a little creepy, but other than that... eh. I don't know about any of the rest of you, but I already had to show 5 forms of ID and proof of address to get my NY state driver's license, and I don't feel like I got my civil liberties taken away by doing that.
Also, a computer chip? I mean, it's a form of ID. We live in the computer age. Doesn't it make sense that your ID would have something that can be read by computers? Your passport already does. Anyway, if there's more to it than that, please let me know.
Oh, I'll take 'the bait,' don't worry. Just you wait!
I'm with the republicans on this one (of New Hampshire, I mean). I do not need the federal government to know anything more about me than it already does. I don't even like riding in a car with GPS in it.
"What rights are you losing by carrying around a simple card?" - Prometheus, above
"The right to privacy," - Tacitean, just now
One of the fundamental conceptions of the free society is that the individual has the right to say "what I do is my business, not yours."
I think this Real ID foolishness would/will have the effect of limiting that right, replacing it in part with the scarier "if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to be afraid of" concept.
Let me give you a hypothetical. Say we have a religio-conservative Republican Administration in Washington. They pass Real ID through. Everyone has to get a nifty card. You don't think some opposition politicians' sins will be made really public really quick through pro-government data-mining?
Let me also deconstruct the 'driver's license' analogy which is so popular. Driving is not an inherent right. A license, therefore, is granted as a privilege and is subject to revocation on bad behavior. The nice man in the blue uniform asks you for it (and registration) when you drive too fast to determine if you're driving your car (again, a privilege) and if you're a good driver or not. Generally there's no liberty lost here because, well, you've freely chosen to enter the world of car-driving and have accepted the limitations.
Being you, on the other hand, is a right that is pretty darned inviolable. It's your right! Real ID says, "nope, until we say you're you, you're not." Count me out, buddy.
To change the issue a bit back to the more general idea of the government banning things that are bad for us - smoking, unhealthy food, etc. - read this delightful bit of how Scotland is considering banning Scottish food. Good call!
Nice! Where you get this guestbook? I want the same script.. Awesome content. thankyou.
»
Greets to the webmaster of this wonderful site. Keep working. Thank you.
»
Hmm I love the idea behind this website, very unique.
»
I'm impressed with your site, very nice graphics!
»
I love your website. It has a lot of great pictures and is very informative.
»
Hmm I love the idea behind this website, very unique.
»
Very pretty design! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
»
Looks nice! Awesome content. Good job guys.
»
Interesting site. Useful information. Bookmarked.
»
Nice! Where you get this guestbook? I want the same script.. Awesome content. thankyou.
»
Post a Comment
<< Home