I used to be a staunch Republican. Then for a while I was simply calling myself a Conservative. Now it appears that title doesn’t even fit anymore. I’m just glad Ron Paul is on the Republican ticket this time. I would’ve voted for him in ’88 when he ran on the Libertarian ticket, and I’ll definitely vote for him this time.

Proponents of this new legislation will be quick to remind privacy advocates and the other “paranoid” that this is strictly voluntary. The question must be asked though, for how long will this remain voluntary? Especially when DHS is strongly supporting this and even offering a bonus to the state for it’s early adoption of the REAL ID program.

From the article:

“The agreement allows state residents to apply for the $40 voluntary driver’s license, which will be loaded with proof of citizenship and other information, beginning January 2008. “

Other information? I don’t like the sound of that. I hope anyone who is signing up for this new license will find just exactly what “other” information the state is putting out there for everyone to see. My main concern with RFID is the obvious inherent security weaknesses of this technology. For logistics and inventory management at retail chains like Wal-Mart, it may be a great solution. However, from a privacy perspective, it’s a nightmare. And Chertoff is just plain wrong when he says that the REAL ID program will deter identity theft and proliferates privacy protection.

For an even better writeup, as usual, check out Homeland Stupidity’s posting about Washington’s new licenses.

The scariest part of this entire experiment is this quote from another news story covering the article above:

The Mail notes that no proof of identity was required when the passport was delivered, but the vulnerabilities exposed mean that the problem goes far beyond the occasional passport being cloned after its delivery has been intercepted. Because it’s feasible to steal the data without detection, it’s perfectly possible that insiders could intercept large numbers of the millions of new passports delivered every year.

Also, this quote should be a real wake-up call for anyone still supporting biometric/RFID passports:

By the end of the afternoon, we had stolen enough information from the passport’s electronic chip – including the woman’s photograph – to be able to clone an identical document if we had wished.

More significantly, we had the details which would allow a fraudster, people trafficker or illegal immigrant to set up a new life in Britain.

So again, the government, and in this case that’s Britain AND the United States, have done a terrific job at making things harder for normal, honest citizens, and easier for the malicious and ill willed slime to continue in their fraudulent ways. It has been reported that in Britain thousands of passports have already gone missing.

Are people seriously not ever going to wake up and realize this is not doing ANYTHING for reduction in terrorism and crime, which has been the main argument of this bipartisan agenda? I encourage everyone who has taken the time to read this entire post to read each of the article’s I have referenced. Also, please continue to stay involved and aware of current legislation in your area and of course, keep checking theprivacyguy.com for other privacy news updates and commentary.