Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
So, back to the card: It is up to the people to weigh in on not only whether the card is a good idea, but how it should be applied and used, and why. Do not depend on the politicians to do it for you, that is the biggest mistake this country can make (something demonstrated on a regular basis). Make the government listen to its people, or be prepared to swallow the consequences.
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I don't want mandatory ID cards. Among the problems with them: at what age are they required? Are school-age children required to carry ID at all times--and if so, what's the penalty for losing those cards, because some kids will. Are infants required to have ID's?
Who will pay for these ID cards, what agency will spend its resources on collecting data & delivering cards, and how often would children's cards have to be re-issued?
I have a state ID card, not a driver's license, and it sometimes confuses people who check for ID. I've often heard of passports and military ID cards being refused as legal ID by cashiers who aren't familiar with them; yet another form of ID will cause years of annoyance and hassle in random situations.
The question of "who has the right to demand to see the ID, and in what circumstances" needs to be addressed *FIRST*, not as an afterthought of "of course we should have ID, and then figure out how it'll be used." The related issue of "what happens when your ID is lost or stolen?" is also important, as is "what penalties will exist for people who misuse their authority to demand ID?"
Right now, those are incidental questions, because paper ID is not mandatory. If it becomes a requirement for all citizens (of a city, state or nation) to carry ID, they become big issues, where the misapplication of laws can allow for discrimination and outright damage.