REAL ID Update: West Virginia Says No, North Carolina Says Yes
By my last count, seventeen states are seeking to reject Real ID, in large part because of privacy and civil liberties concerns, but also because the federal government is not contributing enough to the program’s enormous cost.
The debate going on over this "national ID" program continues unabated in the states, with some moving towards legal rejection, others moving towards acceptance.
First the good news from West Virginia, as reported in the Charleston Daily Mail:
After seeming dead in the morning, a bill objecting to a federal driver's license law passed the Senate Wednesday night after passionate debate. The measure, ultimately passed with three dissenting votes, would block state participation in the REAL ID Act, which aims to create a national standard for driver's licenses and other identification cards in the name of homeland security.
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"As West Virginians, we have some tolerance of the federal government, but very little,'' the Randolph County Republican said. Noting that the Senate bill was supported by the American Civil Liberties Union as well as the National Rifle Association, Barnes said the REAL ID Act amounts to a violation of privacy because it would tie state DMV computer records in with a national database.
But alas, not all states are as forward thinking on this big brother power grab, as North Carolina moved the opposite direction. Channel 14 out of Charlotte reports:
Unlike 17 other states, North Carolina is moving full steam ahead with the plan. This summer getting that license to drive will change big time. The change is in response to security changes.
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In the years ahead federal requirements will include showing a birth certificate or passport to prove identity. The process will allow DMV workers to scan that information to make sure you are who you say you are. DMV officials admit it could also create longer lines.
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Officials in 17 other states disagree and are not going along with the plan. The problem for residents of those states is they will then need a passport to enter any federal building or board any flight by 2014 at the latest.
I will be on a conference call on Friday with a coalition of California organizations dedicated to preventing the REAL ID act from ever becoming law in our state. So stay tuned, I'll have a lot more info on this critical issue in coming days and weeks.
5 comments:
Unfortunately, while this bill passed the Senate in West Virginia, it failed to pass the house, being sent to a "committee" to be buried, where no floor vote could be taken. Governor Manchin and the DMV was against the bill, not caring about defending and protecting either the State's sovereignty on domestic policing or privacy of the citizens.
Tyranny...Plain and simple.
Those supporting this are traitors.
If I never see the inside of of another so called federal building it'll be too soon. who cares. As far as commercial flights...opens up a whole new market of private aircraft flying. To heck with the crooks at the airlines.
RealID...starts innocently enough. However, when you have to have it to make purchases and those purchases are recorded in the national database, there just might be a problem for you folks who are going to take the mark. When your friends at the IRS see that you made x amount of dollars and you spent xxx amount of dollars, they're gonna want to know where the extra xxx's came from. No more ebay, selling your car for cash, or anything for that matter. A cashless society that monitors your every purchase and expense. I'm refusing this...I don't want anything to do with their NEW World Order.
Death to tyrants!
i may have to make wv my residence the real id is totally uneeded and unwanted thank god some states are resisting this federal insanity
I just came back from the DMV here in Moundsville, WV and sorry to inform you all but this is happening. I was issued a temporary DL ID good for 60 days while I await UPS to deliver my REAL ID! This story is bogus and needs updated! Looks like WV is for REAL ID!
I just came back from the DMV here in Moundsville, WV and sorry to inform you all but this is happening. I was issued a temporary DL ID good for 60 days while I await UPS to deliver my REAL ID! This story is bogus and needs updated! Looks like WV is for REAL ID!
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