Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 25

USA National ID Card

It seems inevitable that the government will soon have a way of tracking everybody -- just to be safe. What do you think / how do you feel??

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

What would be the difference between a national card and my state drivers license?

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Sounds like a great way for Larry Ellison to make some money on support, maintenance, and software upgrades.

Registered: Aug 2001
Location: TX
Posts: 80

Booooo!!!!!

I don't think soooo.... I don't need another hard copy of ANOTHER bad hair day ...

Teri

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

1) Why does the poll only have 1 negative, yet 4 postivie things?

2)

The National ID CARD IMHO is a BAD IDEA! You can never gain back privacy. BUT, drivers lisecences and SS numbers are already used, and legally SS numbers aren't allowed to be used except for taxes, so if it means people stop using those it COULD be good.. (not saying it is)


How woudl this help though? In refrence to the recent attacks, almsot all the terrorists were properly identified...

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

Sounds like a way to restrict our freedom. Also makes me think of Nazi Germany. "Papers, please." Thoroughly and vehemently against.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

Yorick,
I just noticed your sig - been listening to a lot of carlin lately, have some on Real Jukebox spinning on random...

Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 25

The first three are positive and the last two negative, though the third might be regarded as neutral.

At least that's what I intended.

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

quote:

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It seems inevitable that the government will soon have a way of tracking everybody -- just to be safe.

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: at work...
Posts: 736

Let's not forget that no matter how good your computers and databases are, you still need human beings to enter data, distribute cards, validate information, check identification, audit systems, troubleshoot problems, replace lost/stolen cards, etc. Any one of these people with a drug habit, gambling problem, or just too small of a paycheck is an easy target to get false information into the system (and false IDs out of the system). If you think this unlikely, just turn on the TV and listen to the reports of how many convicted felons are checking your bags at the airport. Even if you ignore the potential privacy problems, a national ID system is a feel-good (for some) solution that increases the appearance of security without actually helping much. Whose responsibility will it be to go around checking people's IDs? The same people and agencies who were responsible for ensuring Atta and his buddies were in the country legally? This is not primarily a technology problem, and cannot be solved with a solely technology solution. It is far more important to have policies that make sense and sufficiently well-trained and well-paid people in charge of enforcing those policies, as well as good communication between overlapping government agencies (which would have likely led authorities to at least a few of the terrorists BEFORE Sept. 11th)

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 61

Next step after that is implanting computer chips in us. "Step right on down to your corner bio chip kiosk and get one today!". I'll pass.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1062

quote:

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Originally posted by briker206
Next step after that is implanting computer chips in us. "Step right on down to your corner bio chip kiosk and get one today!". I'll pass.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by K. Cannon

You say this with tongue in cheek, but I'm betting it gets here one day. (Most likely on forehead or hand, but I don't want to get off topic.)

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1062

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
Yeah, I don't think we need _another_ religion thread. ;�~~~

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
Yeah, I don't think we need _another_ religion thread. ;�~~~

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Chicken.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by dietrichbohn
Chicken.

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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore MD, USA
Posts: 717

Robert Heinlein, in his novel TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE wrote:

"When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere.
The best thing about space travel is that it made it possible to go elsewhere."

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Austin, TX USA
Posts: 178

As far as tracking our movements, the credit card companies already do that. Last saturday I got a call from Discover Card telling me that my card had been stolen and used to buy $3000 worth of electronics. I hadn't even missed it yet, and it was only hours after the charges were made. This is the same company that gave me a call when I travelled to the east coast on business. They saw charges coming from an "unusual" location, and just wanted to check up on me.

Creepy.

But they saved me $3000.

Hm.

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ThirdMan

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 708

quote:

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Originally posted by dampeoples
What would be the difference between a national card and my state drivers license?

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

quote:

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Originally posted by GSR13
The biggest difference to me is the fact that a DL is voluntary. Not only that, it is not something you get at birth and are told to keep with you at all times, which this probably would do.

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