Real ID hubs not yet defunded for 2011

BTC -  In a legislative recalculation, a proposal to retroactively defund appropriations for the Real ID hubs did not pass as previously anticipated, according to Jim Harper at the Cato Institute.

The defunding proposal was expected to pass as part of an annual budget bill drafted by Democrats before the 112th session commenced.  In an effort to fight overall budget expenditures, Republicans worked instead to pass a temporary spending measure over a year long budget.

Congress is expected to resume discussion of the annual budget in March.

States, advocates wrestle identity taxation without adequate representation

A trend to push conservative civil libertarians towards Democratic representation is evolving for challengers of the national identity agenda. The trend affects states who endorse the surveillance industrial complex and whose interests create competition among Republicans maintaining career partisan allegiances. Opposing the Real ID card program has an ability to create division amongst Republicans, the weaker party among Legislative, Judicial and Executive branches.

North Carolina identity activist Jim Palmer of NCard.info was asked by Rep. Mitch Gillespie (R) to seek support on the anti-Real ID effort from state level Democrats.

"Mitch Gillespie is so unconcerned, he is willing let all of our personal and private data be put into a centralized database including our biometric facial features that can and will be hacked. Since 2005, over 263 million personal records have been breached," said Palmer whose back and forth with Rep. Gillespie resulted in his dropping the issue via e-mail.

Gillespie's retort was telling about the balances of power currently dominated by Democrats.

"This thinking shows you don't understand anything about the political process. I will remove you from my contacts. You need to contact Sen. Queen in the future, " said Gillespie, who later quailed " ..maybe a democrat will get elected."

The fight to secure drivers licenses in North Carolina has been visceral. There are at least 2 North Carolina grassroots organizations that are single issue focused on Real ID and identity surveillance. It does seem like the North Carolina Democrats took up opposition to the national ID issue so that any worthwhile legislative effort would be sure to drop dead. Earlier this year, Rep. Cole adopted NCard's trusts, stringing them along. In the end Cole was found stalling, using his "support" as a placeholder for representation during the legislative session.

Economic development dominates legislative concerns in a state with one of the highest unemployment rates of the nation. An immigration reform carrot holds less sway with North Carolina's citizens than it would in a border state like Texas, where an Enhanced Drivers License seems more pragmatic. Economic leverage from banking interests and local unemployment rates propel the difference.

BIOMETRICS, IDENTITY FRAUD & LOCAL MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISIONS

Palmer claims national financial pressures have created a spike of internal DMV fraud. Fraudulent activity may seem like a way to pay down debts and stay afloat in a time of high unemployment for some.

"As the economy worsens, DMV employees around the country are getting tempted from offers of $250 – $1500 for a fake id. Some have gone as far as changing the information on an existing license such as image, height and weight. So much for biometrics helping in cases like that and it opens the door for those named on the license for id theft,"says Palmer.

Biometrics and drivers license divisions seem to have a simpatico relationship. Some claim biometrics actually help stop immigrant identity fraud. However, those opposed to the current Real ID program believe border fence and corrupt anti-immigration advocates are creating false solutions to real problems in order to keep the broken system in place. The benefits of dirt-cheap wage labor, without the fuss of human rights or health insurance benefits, maintains local profitability for businesses. The same businesses who rely on current immigration trends to just stay afloat. If that makes the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative's demand for pro-biometrics propaganda look good, that's what gets in the mainstream news.

With so much to lose, key political challengers become targets for media hit pieces.

TROUBLED CHAMPIONS IN THE CAROLINAS

While Anti-Real ID representation is getting the cold shoulder from some state level Republicans, transpartisan national champions of the anti-Real ID effort appear to have been targeted for smears in the Carolinas.

North Carolina Senator John Edwards (D) opposed the national ID card program. After a presidential bid in 2008, it became apparent he had more power in Washington and nationally than the local bankster cronies running North Carolina. It is no accident that he has been weakened politically by media sharks who continue to call up an outed affair.

For those with open eyes - politicians are known to have numerous dalliances, sometimes deviant sex, with anyone from prostitutes to government aides if they allow self delusion to set in. Sexual indiscretion and power are potent cocktails for anyone who assumes a lot of responsibility. The stage is perpetually set for political entrapment. When it's no longer expedient to keep each other's secrets, indiscretion is political capital. Threat of ruin is a threat of force.

As part of the 2008 post-election coverage, the press refreshed Edwards' outed affair as news. Edwards became the target for a media campaign feeding frenzy. It is our assessment that the North Carolina Senator provoked a political enemy enough to convene with a smear campaign. If the only obstacle to material compliance in North Carolina on a federal ID card program was Senator John Edwards, opponents might have found a way to ground him.

The problem with politicians today is they have no moral high ground left. They do what they want, have political opponents assassinated, employ lawyers to uphold thinly veiled double standards between themselves and the public and allow the corporations to shot call in their offices. Even the idealists believe U.S. politicians are little more than mobsters with a good haircut. It's low living at the highest levels of power. This is why every 2-4 years you have a chance to elect someone different.

Case in point, Jim Palmer asserted that North Carolinians who care about their identity have an opportunity to elect someone who stands strong on the issues other than Mitch Gillespie regardless of party.

In 2009, extramarital affairs do not oust people from elected positions. What does oust the "monogamy-challenged" is public funding of private indiscretion and further entrapment by the press. This is currently consistent with the media beating conservative Governor Mark Sanford is sustaining after the outing of his affair. At last report, Sanford had returned the money.

Smear campaigns are the last line of fire before all out floor skirmishes take place over controversial issues, such as national identity. We, the people, have representation from elected officials who are corruptable, human and sometimes too politically weak to take up the charge. If there is no one left qualified to represent us, the dedicated must persist in finding someone who will represent them.

North Carolina private identity advocate Jim Palmer is doing just that.

"[It's been] another Session with Mitch [Gillespie] ignoring the voice of We the People. Perhaps he won’t be reelected. My fingers are crossed. My emails are being sent out across the district."

Obama Exonerates CIA & Bybee Get's a CA Job

This up from the Courage Campaign:

Hi, Have you heard that one of President Bush's torture advisors is now a federal judge in California? In August 2002, Judge Jay Bybee wrote a horrific memo enabling the torture of detainees -- including waterboarding -- at Guantanamo Bay. In 2003, he was confirmed to a seat on the important Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Instead of sitting on the federal bench, he must be held accountable for his role in the unspeakable crimes that took place at Guantanamo Bay under President Bush. The Courage Campaign is helping a diverse group of California progressive activists who are working to pass a resolution at this Friday's California Democratic Party convention demanding that the U.S. House of Representatives begin impeachment proceedings against Judge Jay Bybee. This resolution is the first step in holding Judge Bybee accountable for what he has done.  Will you join me in signing your name as a supporter of impeaching Judge Jay Bybee and urge your friends to do the same?: http://www.couragecampaign.org/ImpeachBybee

DIAC II : Return of Jedi Mind Trick

World Net Daily reported 4/7 report, concerning a declassified document released by DHS. Here's a sample of what's in it.

Homeland Security on guard for 'right-wing extremists'
Returning U.S. military veterans singled out as particular threats
c/o WorldNet Daily

From the(U//FOUO) Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment

(U//LES) The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specific
information that domestic rightwing* terrorists are currently planning acts of violence,but rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears aboutseveral emergent issues. The economic downturn and the election of the firstAfrican American president present unique drivers for rightwing radicalization and recruitment.

— (U//LES) Threats from white supremacist and violent antigovernment groups
during 2009 have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry
out violent acts. Nevertheless, the consequences of a prolonged economic
downturn—including real estate foreclosures, unemployment, and an inability
to obtain credit—could create a fertile recruiting environment for rightwing
extremists and even result in confrontations between such groups and
government authorities similar to those in the past.

BTC Opinion Editorial:
The Idiot's Guide to Talking Down Hysterical Democrats
(Rated-MA)WARNING
**ANONYMOUS BTC POST WRITTEN BY A DRAG QUEEN***

Truth is as much of a responsibility as it is a burden. I say this with a comic conscience.

THE TRUTH: Obama's people are flipping out over all the racist gun nuts who hate homosexuals in a chain of fear-reaction.

Ok? There. I said it. You guys are no better than FOX when they coke up before the newscast.

So what's really news here? The fact that there is an Extremism and Radicalization branch.

"Federal efforts to influence domestic public opinion must be conducted in an overt and transparent manner, clearly identifying United States Government sponsorship. "

I'm impressed. This is the difference between Napolitano and that clod Chertoff. You may hate the office, but there's a fairness involved here. [Democrats] handle people's feeling's better. Look at Obama, his personal pandering to the elites aside , his smoothness cannot be denied. Just think if Billy Dee Williams had a political career instead of becoming the Tanqueray spokesperson.

I still can't stand most of his cabinet appointees, especially Rahm Emmanuel's Nazi ass. I won't spit on him or anything. I just can't stand his intolerance. He needs to come out of the closet. I think that will make America a safer place to be for homophobic bigots. That's right, Rahm. Be the bigger man. Don't run it like Orwell's Animal Farm. Right now a dead MILK man is outshining you. He did a lot more for democracy than you are doing. Queens need to arm themselves against bigoted idiots. The argument is AC/DC. LIVE WITH IT!!

For those of you who missed a few days at Jesus School and/or those who missed Margaret Cho's last DVD : YOU DON'T GET TO CONTROL SEX BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS.

Let God handle it. It's a private matter. If "god's chosen people", would wake up and start fighting for something they could actually control the world would be a different place. I would LOVE to see the Christian Coalition go on the warpath against bestiality, human sex trafficking and child rapists. They would win if they did.

For KKK hoodies in the back woods hundreds of miles away from Washington, high on Listerine and incest: don't shoot brown people. No matter how insistent the Grand Vizzer is. That guy is not going to do your jailtime or volunteer to get raped in your place once you're in federal prision. It won't work out.

CA Eats the Chip ; MN Rally on "Dangerous ID"

Does anyone remember when California joined the Real ID rebellion? Just a fad.

California's crime of cosmetic-do-nothing-politics strikes again. Just left of Lou Dobbs- the manual air pump for Real ID Act's plastic inflatable immigration policy - you will find the freshly passed piece of crap also known as California Senate Bill SB60. The Democrats who greenlighted this gem of a bill have cleared the way for DHS to store Californian's identity documents if they want any kind of a license. You have no idea how much this is going to suck.

Which Flavor: Fascist-lite or PrimoFascism?

People who go along with this bill are going to have the option of submitting their documents into a database or not. It is the middle of the road for people who are sorta playing ball with Real ID. It doesn't really help the stave off the development of fascist products for California, it just redirects it. They are still going to dump billions of their tax dollars into developing the databases but at least you have a choice of bypassing identity theft and being sorted with non-citizens OR submitting your social and birth certificate into a database where more than likely you will have your identity stolen. For Californians more concerned with restoring infrastructure and education with taxes, it leaves them holding the bag. For Californian's struggling with identity security it gives them a way out, but they'll more than likely be harassed like an illegitimate citizen. For undocumented workers, nothing will change. They will supply falsified social security numbers and birth certificates and drive away with no rights, still beholden to a greedy jerk paying slave wages and living under the radar. For idiots who crave convenience and security over their civil liberties, by forking over their documents to the DMV they will have their identity sold to the highest bidder and begin their worst nightmare, only to be relived again and again.

Here is your salty moment of truth. DO NOT ACCEPT ANY VERSION OF REAL ID ACT COMPLIANCE. Stand on the 10th Amendment. Everyone in this scenario gets a raw deal except the tech contractors and those who benefit from identity trafficking.

I am so tired of this neo-conn schlock. It inspired me to think of Lou Dobbs and his grating and incessant immigration polls. So we here at BeatTheChip decided to do our own poll on Lou Dobbs.

IN OTHER NEWS....

In today's Washington Times, The Lord's most conservative newspaper on this special planet we call Earth, there was a report of a RON PAUL SUPPORTER handing out literature to Stop Real IDs. STOP AND LOOK!!

Ron Paul enthusiasts cheer alternative agenda for GOP

ST. PAUL, Minn. | Rep. Ron Paul's "Rally for the Republic" pledged to bring the Republican Party "back to its roots" on Tuesday, drawing about 10,000 at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis.

Mike McHugh, a Republican activist and Ron Paul supporter from Virginia, handed out information on the pending Real ID Act, asking supports to refer to it simply as the "Dangerous ID."

Mr. McHugh thinks the card would open the door for massive identity theft by creating a federal database that would be vulnerable to hackers.

"I am not a conspiracy theorist," Mr. McHugh said. "But this will allow people's movement and information to be tracked."

An overall optimism was shared by rally attendees as they cheered for their hero. In between speakers and musical entertainment, clips of Mr. Paul flashed across the screen, quoting Hope for America.

Mr. McHugh was undaunted by the meager media coverage, saying, "There is no such thing as a lost cause."

New and IMPROVED!! DHS throws $$ at Real ID Mandate

Real ID - REAL UNPOPULAR : DHS Digs Deep to Make it Happen

Unfunded mandate.  Two words ringing in the ears of DHS, who sincerely believe that funding is the only problem with moving Real ID forward.  The grain of truth to this is that only 5-7 US states have not filed any legislative resolution to block Real ID's passage, primarily due to lack of state funding.  The moment of truth has arrived in the fight for US privacy;  the DHS is now making a way to feed the greedy bellies of government contractors, Viisage/L1 Technologies and the other Big Brother, Digimarc with the 2008 Real ID Demonstration Grant Program. Even with the grant program - which isn't all that much-  I think states are onto something in the ambition of keeping the money away from DHS on this one.

Put Up or Shut up: Life in post Iraq-recession

Escalating gas and food prices, costs of living and the declines of the housing market have left American's and their states sadly hurting financially.  DHS has run afoul of growling state taxpayers unwilling to fork over the network start-up costs of hundred's of millions of dollars to finance the new world order- uh, I mean new WORLD CLASS - IDs.   More calculating state governments made "license revision" budget requests in previous legislative sessions.  When federal regulations were released for Real IDs in January 2008, the wheels were oiled to move forward with implementations for your new 3D face prints and radio frequency ID chipped licenses. If you live in one of these states, more fighting is ahead against implementation.

If you have a problem with this, go press these people and tell them to STOP IT.  They are the ones pandering to the DHS so identity thieves can just feast on all the means you have to be who you are with the great new insecure technologies YOU are paying for.

The problem?  Broadcasters don't get to discriminate on who gets their message.  Radio Frequency ID chips to be found in some Real IDs can be picked up by anyone with a UPC gun -a fact frequently posted on this blog.  Joe-Identity-Thief doesn't have to do much to get your information out of the DMV databases either. The ACLU has been fighting hard to stop the finance of any feature that leaves American IDs open for the unique exposures we are staring down right now with current DHS regulations.

It also appears that our government is currently obsessed with getting your picture in 3d. That's also a little unnerving.  They need to relax.   The contensions with the FISA wiretapping nonsense and the FEMA-Halliburtons secret prisons may cause you to think maybe our government doesn't really think we can run our own show without them.    What has the average American done, except pay taxes, that requires THIS MUCH surveillance? Most Americans are waking up to the new McCarthyism.  Today, when I hear the word "terrorism" from a public official all I hear is :"You are now losing more of your American born freedoms- now pay up!" I digress..

Real ID's mean more controls at airports and at federal facilities.  If TSA gives you the heebie jeebies, you can fly general aviation.  However, this is a symptom of the problem: the DHS making irrational demands on your American identity;  not because they really need to know about you flying out for your heart surgery in Des Moines.  It's about having to answer to them about that.  You didn't do anything wrong.  

Hey US government - this goes both ways - you question us : we question you.  We are all American's here, but there is a line. Real IDs cross that line.  The 5-11 Campaign exists because an overindulged corporate oligarchy stepped in and made a decision for us and was passed without public input or states vote in HR 1268 - brought to you by G.W. Bush Inc.  Now we have a duty to ourselves to stop you from moving this forward.