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March 30, 2005
National IDs
Lamar Alexander has a column about National ID cards and he takes the same basic position I think I take on it. We pretty much have them already with State Driver's licences and Social Securtiy cards, so me might as well do it right. He writes,
For years state driver's licenses have served as de facto national ID cards. They have been unreliable. All but one of the Sept. 11 terrorists had a valid driver's license. Even today, when I board an airplane, security officials look at the front of my driver's license, which expired in 2000, and rarely turn it over to verify that it has been extended until 2005.I still detest the idea of a government ID card. South Africa's experience is a grim reminder of how such documents can be abused. But I'm afraid this is one of the ways Sept. 11 has changed our lives. Instead of pretending we are not creating national ID cards when we obviously are, Congress should carefully create an effective federal document that helps prevent terrorism -- with as much respect for privacy as possible.
Posted by Pete at March 30, 2005 11:08 AM
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