Liberty MavenDon’t let them pass the PASS Act – It’s really the REAL ID Act
July 8th, 2009 10:32 am | by Mike Miller | Published in Big Government, Civil Liberties, Constitution, DownsizeDC.org, Liberty, Politics, congress, privacy | 3 Responses
D o w n s i z e r – D i s p a t c h
Quote of the Day: “Security is mostly superstition.” — Helen Keller
The American people have rejected the REAL ID Act, and the national ID card it would create. The politicians claim they can fix REAL ID by replacing it with something called the PASS ID, to be enacted by the PASS Act, S. 1261.
The PASS Act is a fraud. PASS ID is REAL ID by another name. Jim Harper at the Cato Institute has done a fabulous job of dissecting all the frauds involved in the PASS Act. If you care about the details then we highly recommend that you read his short analysis.
We’re going to focus on just one detail here. One fear about REAL ID is that you would need it to have a job, or do anything really. But what if you were denied a REAL ID because of mistaken information or some bureaucratic blunder? Think, for instance, of all the non-terrorists who have ended up on the terrorist watch list. In that case…
You would become a non-person.
To address this concern the PASS Act would enable you to access and change your own personal information. Sounds good, right, but think again…
What you can access to change, others can access to steal.
In fact, a terrorist could probably do it, and maybe even get a PASS ID with which to commit a terrorist act using your identity.
In other words, a REAL ID, or a PASS ID, which we supposedly need in order to protect us from terrorism, could actually become a tool for terrorists.
This is what happens when politicians and bureaucrats try to devise vast, complex, top-down schemes to protect us from every conceivable danger and problem. Such ambitions are utopian and ultimately harmful.
We agree with the late great Helen Keller, who again provides our quote of the day (we have used this one before, and we’ll use it again): “Security is mostly superstition.”
It’s a simple fact — the world is full of dangers, and we’ll never be rid of them all. We must focus our efforts to protect ourselves on the things that really matter. Some dangers are significant, but most are not. We assert that…
The danger posed by terrorism is probably temporary and extremely insignificant compared to other risks we face daily, like lightening strikes, automobile accidents. and warring drug gangs. By contrast…
Huge, and permanent, dangers are posed by centralized, government databases and national ID cards. Any such scheme will ensnare all of us in endless complications, many of which we cannot now imagine.
Tell your congressional employees to repeal the REAL ID Act and reject the PASS Act.
Use your personal comments to point out that the drive for an electronic national ID system is inherently contradictory, because measures to protect citizens from being harmed by the system will make it easier for terrorists to exploit the system, while attempts to protect the system from terrorists will end up harming innocent citizens. To exceed the 43,290 messages we sent last month we need to send at least 1,874 messages today. You can send your message at DownsizeDC.org’s “Repeal REAL ID” campaign page.
Please also Digg this message on our blog, so more people will see it and take action.
If this issue really concerns you, please also consider taking extra action through our “I Am Not Afraid” campaign.
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Perry Willis
Communications Director
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
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July 8th, 2009 at 5:38 pm (#)
In the Senate–NOW–the legislators are voting on E-Verify? Call your Senator and–DEMAND–E-Verify NOW–as a permanent tool! 202-224-3121
This is the right time to release a bombardment of general public voices on any Senator or Congressman around the country. Do not relieve the harsh pressure on either party to–MANDATE PERMANENTLY E-VERIFY? Our voices, faxes, emails and phone calls are burning up the wavelengths, demanding E-Verify? Not on a voluntary basis–BUT FOREVER. Not just for new employees, but for everyone who gets a paycheck, old and new? This symbolizes to me that the–AMERICAN WORKER–is being recognized? That our public servants in Washington have been hesitant to cut funding, or even reduce the power of E-Verification system that identifies and removes illegal labor from the workplace. This law must be enforced with heavy handed sentences of all employers who ignore the easy computer check?
All inconsistencies can be rectified at the Social Security office, not a place were illegal immigrant labor will dare to venture?
Removing illegal aliens from the country by orderly ATTRITION-would save our nation plenty–plus give jobs back–rid us of more criminals–stop chain migration and the immediate beginning of OVERPOPULATION. The politicians are heavily influenced by big business with campaign contributions and gifts. That why our immigration laws are weakened, tabled or even killed when reaching the House and Senate. E-Verify nearly was washed away, 287(g) the local police arrest law, has conveniently faded, along with the REAL ID act and the immigration raids have vanished into obscurity.
Perhaps after all the ACLU, US Chamber of Commerce, Council of Foreign Relations, church, special interest lobby are not going to win this time? Thank heavens we have a few relentless patriotic AMERICANS, such Senator Sessions who have been determined to undermine the open border, free trader zealots, who want uncompromising illegal cheap labor? In the incumbent elections we should make an example of all politicians, who defy the publics demands. Letting up now will just give them enough leeway, to use E-Verify in the future as bargain chip, in the ongoing discussion for AMNESTY. We have the immense power and we must use it? For more details go to NUMBERSUSA, CAPSWEB & AMERICAN PATROL. Not liberal newspaper lies, but facts. YOU DECIDE IF YOU WANT AN OVERPOPULATED FUTURE? REMEMBER THAT THE 1986 AMNESTY WAS FULL OF FRAUD, NEVER ENFORCED AND A TRAVESTY.
Removing illegal aliens from the country by orderly ATTRITION-would save our nation plenty–plus give jobs back–rid us of more criminals–stop chain migration and the immediate beginning of OVERPOPULATION.
Perhaps after all the ACLU, US Chamber of Commerce, Council of Foreign Relations, church, special interest lobby are not going to win this time? Thank heavens we have a few relentless patriotic AMERICANS, such Senator Sessions who have been determined to undermine the open border, free trader zealots, who want uncompromising illegal cheap labor? In the incumbent elections we should make an example of all politicians, who defy the publics demands. Letting up now will just give them enough leeway, to use E-Verify in the future as bargain chip, in the ongoing discussion for AMNESTY. We have the immense power and we must use it? For more details go to NUMBERSUSA, CAPSWEB & AMERICAN PATROL. Not liberal newspaper lies, but facts. YOU DECIDE IF YOU WANT AN OVERPOPULATED FUTURE? REMEMBER THAT THE 1986 AMNESTY WAS FULL OF FRAUD, NEVER ENFORCED AND A TRAVESTY.
July 9th, 2009 at 1:29 pm (#)
[...] LibertyMaven.com [...]
July 11th, 2009 at 3:11 pm (#)
This is dumb.