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->
-> > Source: WorldNetDaily
-> >
-> > National ID card on fast track
-> > Transportation Department already making the rules
-> >
-> > By David M. Bresnahan
-> > Copyright 1998, WorldNetDaily.com
-> >
-> > Like it or not, the day is fast approaching when every
-> > American will carry a national identification card.
-> > Those who do not have one will be denied many basic
-> > services.
-> >
-> > Little notice was given to the issue in 1996 when
-> > Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and
-> > Immigrant Responsibility Act. One section of the act
-> > requires all states to make their driver's licenses
-> > comply with certain guidelines found in Section 656 (b)
-> > of the act.
-> >
-> > Federal agencies will be required to prohibit the use of
-> > state driver's licenses beginning Oct. 1, 2000, unless
-> > they comply with the federal standards. The new
-> > licenses must use the Social Security number as the
-> > driver's license number, for example.
-> >
-> > The act also calls for digitized biometric information to
-> > be a part of each license, or "smart card." This
-> > information will not be required initially. But later, the
-> > biometric information will include fingerprints, retina
-> > scans, DNA prints, and other similar information.
-> >
-> > Responsibility for the design and implementation of the
-> > cards has been given to the National Highway Traffic
-> > Safety Administration of the Department of
-> > Transportation. That agency has recently published the
-> > proposed "Driver's License/SSN/National
-> > Identification Document," which contains the guidelines
-> > which must be in force by Oct. 1, 2000. The "Notice
-> > of Proposed Rule Making" sets out the standards for
-> > each state to follow in the design of "identification
-> > documents."
-> >
-> > "These new National ID regulations violate every
-> > notion of federalism, because they force states to
-> > comply with regulations issued by the federal
-> > government without any constitutional authority to do
-> > so," says Patrick Poole of the Free Congress
-> > Foundation. "Nor are federal agencies empowered to
-> > force state to gather detailed information on every
-> > person in order to comply with federal mandates. The
-> > net result of the DOT's regulations is to establish a
-> > national ID system, which has been opposed by almost
-> > every non-governmental sector for the past five
-> > decades."
-> >
-> > Shortly after the passage of the act by congress, Utah
-> > state Rep. Gerry A. Adair introduced a bill to comply
-> > with the federal requirements. The level of opposition
-> > from the public was extensive, which Adair said at the
-> > time surprised him. The bill was defeated and was
-> > regarded as one of the most controversial bills of that
-> > session.
-> >
-> > States which fail to comply with the federal
-> > requirements will impose difficulties on their citizens.
-> > Without the new card it may become impossible to
-> > purchase firearms, get a job, board a plane, vote, cash
-> > a check, open a bank or investment account, purchase
-> > insurance, receive federal benefits, obtain a student
-> > loan, receive Medicare or Medicaid benefits, and
-> > many more basic services presently taken for granted
-> > according to Poole.
-> >
-> > Once the card is in use, Poole suggests that privacy
-> > will be a thing of the past. Information will be easily
-> > available about all aspects of every American's life.
-> > The information stored in each card will be held in a
-> > computer chip imbedded in the card, which may one
-> > day be injected under a person's skin. Experiments
-> > testing such an identification system have already been
-> > conducted on military personnel and for identification
-> > security at the Olympics.
-> >
-> > For those who point to the Tenth Amendment to the
-> > Constitution, Poole explains that President Bill Clinton
-> > recently signed Executive Order 13083 entitled
-> > "Federalism." That document effectively gives authority
-> > to the federal government to force anything it wants on
-> > states. No effort was made by anyone in Congress to
-> > overturn the Executive Order.
-> >
-> > Conservatives went to their legislators in 1995 to
-> > protest an effort by Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt to
-> > establish a Conference of the States to address the
-> > issue of states rights and federalism. Leavitt
-> > campaigned hard and pointed to a federal government
-> > that had overstepped its intended role and authority by
-> > imposing unfunded mandates on states. Conservatives
-> > succeeded in defeating the effort but have thus far
-> > remained relatively silent about the recent Executive
-> > Order 13083.
-> >
-> > Phyllis Schlafly, president of Eagle Forum surprisingly
-> > had no comment on the Executive Order. Leavitt could
-> > not be reached for comment, but he has been very
-> > outspoken on states rights in the past.
-> >
-> > The executive order apparently sets the stage for the
-> > federal government to dictate anything it wants to the
-> > states. Compliance will be mandated and states rights
-> > will be a thing of the past, according to Poole. He said
-> > he would not be surprised to see more mandates such
-> > as the national ID card forced upon unwilling states
-> > and citizens.
-> >
-> > There is still time for individuals to comment on the
-> > Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. All comments must
-> > be in writing and are limited to a maximum of 15 pages
-> > and must be received no later than Aug. 3, 1998. Two
-> > copies of your comments should be sent to Docket
-> > No. NHTSA-98-3945, Docket Management Room
-> > PL-401, National Highway Traffic Safety
-> > Administration, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street,
-> > S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590. Place the docket
-> > number on each page of your comments.
-> >
-> > Poole also suggests individuals contact their
-> > congressional representatives. "They passed this thing,
-> > and they can change it if they hear from enough
-> > people," he said.
-> >
-> > =A9 1998 Western Journalism Center
->
->
-> - --
<< end of forwarded material >>
--Give me back my bullets, put 'em back where they belong. ...Lynard Skynard
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