This actually makes it much more difficult to steal someone's identity. Right now it just takes an SSN and address and there is little checking or cross checking for prevention at all. Plus, once stolen it's tough to reclaim. This simplifies that, too.
What states rights does it infringe on? The right to individualize data and allow disparate databases to protect kiddy rapists? Maybe left wing people like that, but most Americans do not care, and do not see any liberty infringements.
It adds no new government controls to the populace at all. There are no civil liberties infrigned on, although it'll be tougher on criminals which I know liberals hate.
It does not increase government tracking. If anything it lowers overall government costs because standardized steamlined processes allow for ease of services and less government intervention.
In the long term it saves time and money, simplifies government, prevents ID fraud, and helps prevent kiddie rapists from slipping through the cracks.
The big negative is that state transformation costs are high, which is valid, but after the initial change it'll save a lot of cash.
It's a good idea, but it'll be killed by propaganda most likely and by things that have nothing to do with it and are false.
Yamori wrote:Just my 2 cents worth...
1)Theft/Abuse:
Having ALL of your important government-based identifiable information in a single centralized computer base is an enormous risk for identity theft. It WILL be hacked - if unscrupulous DMV employees don't peddle your identity to someone first.
At least as things currently stand, if you're the victim of identity theft, at least it's usually a singular thing (ie, SSN), and damage control is much easier to do. With centralized information, it won't be.
No, its not. A person with your ID can take your credit cards, bank accounts, and run up enormous debt. Worse, you have to prove you are really you again. The system is screwed which is why it needs to be consistent cross state. Not centralized, just using the same consistency.
First, your information is already located in a central database, with just your SSN and address. It already is ridiculously simple to have ones ID stolen.
The new system includes your picture and hooks to make it MORE difficult to steal an identity. Plus, it allows you to more easily get your ID back since it isn't just a number and address.
Also, if someone in Alabama steals your identity, you are screwed in your current state. This system helps you fix that easier, and allows for those attempting ID theft to be flagged and caught immediately. Something that is not being done, because of the weak and easily manipulated system.
Your arguments are exactly why we need a centralied streamlined Drivers License system, not why we don't.
2) Costs:
This project is (if I remember correctly) going to be a total bill of somewhere around 11+ billion dollars. The Federal Government won't fund it - they are expecting the states to foot the bill.
In other words, you're likely going to have to hash out $50-$100 (which will be nasty for the poor) and waste a shitload of time at the DMV all for rather nebulous benefits.
The costs are indeed an issue, but most DMVs have outdated geriatric systems that need to be updated. This can be done in a proper way, and the Feds should foot some of the bill, IMO. Very valid point.
3) Government Employee issues:
Since these are drivers' licenses, everything will be done through the DMV.
The DMV will be a gigantic swamp of bureaucracy as every person with a drivers license will need to come back to get a new one - WITH their birth certificate, a utility bill, SSN info, immigration papers (if applicable), ect on hand. The DMV already has a shitty reputation for being agonizingly slow --- do the math.
And as mentioned before, it will place sensitive personal information at very easy access to underpaid government employees. An unscrupulous person can do serious damage.
The DMV is already a gigantic borg swamp of nastiness. This really will not change anything. In many states, you already have to bring in your SSN, Passport, etc to get a new Drivers License. Hey, this will help prevent many illegal aliens from continuing to break the law, too. But we can't have that, can we?
The DMV people already have access to all your info, so the latter point is invalid. DMVs have stringent quality control in place, and the new system will prevent them from abusing the system with out of state people moving here, which is GOOD. It prevents that fraud you suggest would be more rampant.
Immigration will be an especially nasty aspect. If you are an immigrant, you'll have to be under closer scrutiny in the process of getting an ID (since immigration law is very complex), and low level DMV employees will end up having to make important decisions that effect peoples' lives/legal status - something way out of their range of knowledge.
Hey, no they won't. The new process actually makes this simple and consistent 'cross state'. So that those immigrants who are here legally will have less paperwork and will be able to get a drivers license if they move cross state without waiting for weeks. This also will cut down on many, many DMV hours as they try to extract information from other states or from the Feds that they currently cannot but will be able to rather simply.
Also, it'll allow those criminal people to be immediately flagged versus spending a few months getting flying lessons before the Feds or anyone important even knows they are in the country.
4) Big brother:
I'm not gonna get into conspiracy theories here, but there are some disturbing problems.
The biggest red flag is that you would not be allowed to open a private bank account without one of these IDs. This is a huge step is major government control over the private sphere on a highly personal level.
You can't get a bank account right now without ID. You aren't really raising any new point or Big Brother flag. Big Brother is not going to be sending the Gestapo after you, or changing any civil liberties. they are just going to have the information already on file on disparate systems multiple times be easier to coordinate, track, and simplified so that all the problems currently in place due to the inability of systems to interoperate will disappear.
Re-read the bill please and see exactly what it is trying to accomplish. Don't read the propaganda, but check out exactly what it does. I get the feeling there is too much false info flowing out there, and not enough of the actual bill itself being debated.
