The TSA "Won't Be Fooled by Your Fake ID Again"

DON'T TRY TO GET AWAY WITH IT!

c/o Jaunted

"TSA spokespeople have been making much of how this will be "fantastic" for efficiency and will get people through checkpoints faster. No it won't. Checkpoints get backed up because of bottlenecks at scanning machines not at document verification. Why can't TSA just say "listen, there's been this security loophole and we've known about it and we've been dealing with it but now we're permanently plugging it up." What is it with these guys and being just flat terrible transparency and accountability?"

:::MORE HERE:::

The Maine Curiosity

BTC -- Maine has tread a rocky road to success and compromise towards resolving Real ID compliance and State boundaries. Rep. Ben Chipman, a freshman elected on an Independent ticket, used Maine's legislative history and his experience on a local People's Veto initiative to gain support and sponsorship for An Act To Protect the Privacy of Maine Residents under the Driver's license Laws [LD-1068]. The bill has been recently re-worked to include an Amendment; which united partisan interests and gained a nod from the Governor.

Rep. Chipman discusses the bill, the Amendment, the legislative priorities for LD-1068 and Maine's conflicted history with Real ID.

Maine takes up State Repeal of Real ID - WLBZ reports

SEE ALSO: MCLU, "Real ID repeal.. For real this time, No..Really."

Maine Lawmakers Trying To Get Rid Of Real ID For Good

CIS reports on proliferation of zombie legislation

BTC - It's like no one listens when I scream "THE ZOMBIES ARE SHUFFLING!" Except, Jim Harper.  What am I talking about?  The Center for Immigration Studies released their legislative agenda about the natural, incremental progress of Real ID - or the federalizing your drivers licenses.

Jobs are not as plentiful to kick down to local or national contractors. So they'll hang onto dear life to that little gold star or the holographic laminate they are paid to produce so they can keep the lights on.  Life is so sad when all we are left with is sympathy for the economic cannibalism of the American taxpayer.

What am I supposed to say?  Hey, Janice you didn't look fat on Jesse Ventura's Conspiracy Theory? GO 9-11 Commission? What should I do?  Shout in the faces of people who can clearly see Real ID is a gutted zombie sloth which relies on the public's attention deficit and short term memory to survive?  How about the fact that Real ID compliance gets dumped off at the 3rd rail because there are like 4 or 5 different national identity programs trying to spin off in Washington because Real ID didn't exactly take off?  It would be easy to kill but certain folks are really attached to it.  So why isn't it really really dead?

The national identity proponents don't yet have the FIAT identity capital or the control that a comprehensive national identity program promised to deliver SO THEY KEEP TRYING.

WHAT?

"We'll lose federal funding" or "What about the 9-11 Commission report reccomendations?" or "What will they replace Real ID with once it's gone?" or "What about illegal aliens with the drivers licenses?"

These are the excuses going in my ears when I say, "Let's repeal Real ID."  We still want to disconnect one of the most totalitarian measures of social control known to human history from American life.  We are talking a national ID card program here. Real ID doesn't just compromise privacy and cause discomfort to civil libertarians - it's a sure shot way for the government to criminalize you for being because IT CAN.

I think John Stewart cut up the 9-11 Commission credit cards for leaving the first responders for dead. I think Naomi Klein showed the world what crisis/disaster (global interventionist) capitalism is really about.   I think CIS' strategy for whipping up an immigration/identity distraction this spring should be swapped for HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET JOBS FOR AMERICANS, LIKE YESTERDAY?

You don't want Real ID benchmarks and incremental rigor mortis running your life?  Pick up a phone or get off your duff and get down to your State and federal leaders office and demand a repeal.  Then it won't be your fault, because you did something.

Nevada resumes regular license issuance today

BTC - Nevada resumes regular license issuance today for licenses. The option to get a "gold starred" federal license compliant with the Real ID Act expired after a 120 day trial period, ending April 30, 2010.  The local legislature is expected to schedule a hearing to review the effectiveness of the new license programs later this week, according to Rebecca Gasca of the  ACLU-NV.  


Governor Gibbons issued an executive order to move forward with the Real ID program late last year due to national security pressures following a failed terrorist attack over Christmas 2009.


The State of Nevada passed a resolution requesting the repeal of the Real ID Act in 2007.

UTAH BEATS THE CHIP - HB 234 passes to Governor's desk

BTC EXCLUSIVE

Utah's bill to opt out of the Real ID Act , HB 234, has passed both chambers of the State legislature and is now on the way to the Governor's desk today. The bill was signed by the Senate President late afternoon.

Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, author of the bill, introduced HB 234 at the beginning of the Utah legislative session. He then watched it rocket through the local legislature after mounting public outcry over decisions to move forward with implementation of Real ID regulations for drivers licenses.

SPECIAL PODCAST AUDIO INTERVIEW

http://beatthechip.podOmatic.com/player/web/2010-03-08T18_19_11-08_00

Rep. Sandstrom interviews about HB 234

Sheila Dean's Podcast

Anti-Real ID Bill picked up by Ron Paul

BTC EXCLUSIVE

WASHINGTON - Based on reports from Liberty Coalition mover, Michael Ostrolenk, Representative Ron Paul has picked up a legislation to comprehensively repeal the Real ID Act of 2005 with no substitutions.

Several privacy, civil liberty and technology coalitions increased discussions about the Real ID Act calculating efforts towards a comprehensive repeal late last year. A draft was hatched during that time. Congressional leaders were solicited in order to seek a repeal. Rep. Ron Paul was the first to step up to the plate.

More news on coalition based developments to come.

Prospects fade for quick Real ID repeal

BTC - It's either kick the can or repeal it the correct way.

c/o GovExec.com

Congress appears increasingly unlikely to repeal a sweeping driver's license law by the end of the year, which may force the Homeland Security Department to grant blanket waivers to states unable or unwilling to issue licenses that meet federal security standards.

Without the waivers or a congressional repeal, the Real ID law goes into effect Jan. 1. Officials across the country fear that would set off a situation that could include a requirement that tens of thousands of airline passengers go through secondary screening at airports every day.

Senate Democrats have been unable to get an agreement from Republicans to bring legislation to the floor that would repeal Real ID, which many federal and state officials say is unworkable and some consider an unfunded mandate from Washington.

FLOGGER: Will a False Crisis Revive REAL ID?

National ID bashing with Cato's, Jim Harper

by Jim Harper

I’ve written here before about how the National Governors Association is seeking to peddle state power over driver licensing and identification to the federal government in order to cement its role as a supplicant for states in Washington, D.C.

NGA is currently seeking to drum up a false, end-of-year driver license crisis to convince Congress to pass a new version of REAL ID called PASS ID, moving the national ID project forward.

The letter says that states must be “materially compliant” with the REAL ID Act by the end of the year or their citizens will not be able to use their driver’s licenses as identification to board commercial aircraft. This is technically true, in one sense, but it omits some important information.

The statutory deadline for REAL ID compliance was actually a year and a half ago, May of 2008. No state was in compliance then, and the Department of Homeland Security gave out deadline extensions wholesale—even to states that didn’t ask for them.

If Congress takes no action by the end of the year, the DHS will simply do this again. There is no end-of-year driver license crisis.

And it’s no harm, no foul—nobody who has studied identity-based security believes that the national ID law would cost-effectively protect the country. Ignoring or repealing REAL ID are the best paths forward.

The NGA, of course, believes that states will be better off with its preferred version of REAL ID. Some of the sharpest corners are taken off REAL ID in the new ”PASS ID“ version, but states are kidding themselves if they think PASS ID is good for their bottom lines.

As I wrote before—twice!—PASS ID is likely to cost states as much or more than REAL ID. Its requirements are essentially the same, and its implementation deadline—one of the biggest cost drivers—is tighter in some respects than REAL ID.

Will Congress slip PASS ID into law by the end of the year the way REAL ID was slipped into law four-plus years ago? It’ll be interesting to see…

Media gauntlet on POTUS privacy puts Obama in the hotseat

BTC - The POTUS does not have privacy. The Washington Post has made it a point to expose Obama's every move through a widespread national database virulently available to ...anyone.

How's that for pressure? My thought here is that maybe the Post's database will go away if the federal Government can find a way to keep that from happening to us. I have a suggestion: REPEAL THE REAL ID ACT.

As I have said in the past, the American people do not share the benefits, the immunity or the power of the United States Presidency or of elected officials. We need the dignity of our privacy.

Is having stalkers cool?

It's disturbing and creepy. If someone we knew were singling us out this way, we would go get a court order to restrain them for such behavior. Why the hell should we tolerate it from our government, whatever their excuse is?

Political Blogcritics appraisal of Beat The Chip

"I think the issues you raise on your blog mostly fall on the serious side. RFID and the entire privacy issue are very real threats which need to be exposed and opposed. I've written some articles on the subject over the years, but there's so much more going on that I can't give it as much attention in the current environment.

The recent news about being able to read RFID chips from up to 30 feet away with easily obtainable hardware is very troubling.

If you'd ever like to write on the subject for blogcritics[...]We'd love to have more participants in the Politics section. - Dave Nalles, Blogcritics online.

ACLU pronounces Real ID "dead"; introduces repeal legislation

News Release CommonDreams.org

WASHINGTON - July 31 -
In a welcome move, legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives to repeal the discredited Real ID Act of 2005. The REAL ID Repeal and Identification Security Enhancement Act of 2009, introduced by Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN), would repeal Real ID and replace it with the original negotiated rulemaking process passed by Congress as part of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. Twenty-five states have already rejected Real ID, citing its high cost, invasiveness and the bureaucratic hassles it creates for citizens.

”Real ID is essentially dead. It’s time for it to be formally repealed and replaced with a process that works, one that protects civil liberties and license security,” said Michael Macleod-Ball, Acting Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “Rep. Cohen took a big step forward by moving to eliminate this failed law and providing much-needed safeguards for our civil liberties.”

The Real ID Act of 2005 directs states to issue a federally-approved driver’s license or other form of ID that would be necessary for airline travel and become part of a national database. Like state governments from coast to coast, the American Civil Liberties Union has long opposed the Act as too invasive, too much red tape and too expensive.

Fifteen states have passed binding legislation prohibiting participation in the Real ID program: Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, Oregon, and Missouri. Ten other states have enacted resolutions in opposition to Real ID: Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee.

Similar to the Akaka-Sununu Senate bill of 2007 and the Allen House bill of 2007, Rep. Cohen’s bill would eliminate most of the requirements that laid the foundation for a National ID card, such as the obligation that all data and systems be standardized. The proposal also requires a collaborative approach, called negotiated rulemaking, which would advise the Department of Homeland Security on how to maximize driver’s license security while minimizing the administrative burden on the states. This approach was initially adopted by the law which implemented the 9/11 Commission recommendations and subsequently repealed by Real ID. Significant privacy protections in the proposal include prohibiting the use of license data by third parties, encryption of the data and adherence to state privacy laws that may provide greater protection. Additionally, Rep. Cohen’s bill would also provide for the establishment of a negotiated rulemaking committee, which would present its recommendations to the Department of Homeland Security.

”States and ordinary Americans have all rejected a National ID card,” said Christopher Calabrese, Counsel for the ACLU Technology and Liberty Project. “Now it’s time for Congress to follow their lead and finally get rid of the Real ID Act by passing Rep. Cohen’s bill.”

To learn more about the Real ID Act or read about its history, visit www.realnightmare.org

Administration Plans to Scale Back Real ID Law

By Spencer S. Hsu
THE WASHINGTON POST 
Sunday, June 14, 2009

WASHINGTON — Yielding to pressure from states that refused to pay for it, the Obama administration is moving to scale back a federal law passed after the Sept. 11 attacks that was designed to tighten security requirements for driver's licenses, Homeland Security Department and congressional officials said.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano wants to repeal and replace the $4 billion domestic security initiative known as Real ID, which calls for placing more secure licenses in the hands of 245 million Americans by 2017. The proposal, called Pass ID, would be cheaper, less rigorous and partly funded by federal grants, according to draft legislation that could be introduced as soon as Monday.

The rebranding effort follows months of talks with the National Governors Association and poses political risks for Obama as well as Napolitano, a former association chairwoman who wants to soothe strained relations with the states without appearing to retreat on a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission.

Commissioners called for federal standards for driver's licenses and birth certificates, noting, "For terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons." Eighteen of 19 terrorist hijackers obtained state IDs, some of them fraudulently, easing their movements inside the country.

The Bush administration struggled to launch the 2005 law, delaying the program as states called it an unfunded mandate and privacy advocates warned it would create a de facto national ID.

Eleven states have refused to participate in Real ID.

In April, a judge blocked the Texas Department of Public Safety from continuing to enforce rules that were part of the state's efforts to comply with Real ID, finding that DPS acted outside its scope of authority.

The Pass ID plan keeps elements of Real ID, such as requiring a digital photograph, signature and machine-readable features such as a bar code. States will still need to verify identities and legal status by checking federal immigration, Social Security and State Department databases.

But it eliminates demands for new databases that would allow all states to store and cross-check such information, and a requirement that motor vehicle departments verify birth certificates with originating agencies.

DHS would have nine months to write new regulations and states would have five years to reissue all licenses, with completion expected in 2016.

DHS Announces Repeal after Texas Weighs In

Over 25 States in Legal Opposition of Real ID Act

AUSTIN - Texas legislators previously concerned about compliance deadlines may heave a sigh of relief as Department of Homeland Security announced it’s move to repeal the federal Real ID Act last week. Other legislators like, Rep. Carl Isett (TX-Lubbock), continue to join the national trend of states moving legislation to reject the federal mandate. Lack of federal funding, serious privacy and civil liberties concerns over Real ID’s regulations provoked 25 states to move legislation against the national ID program.

Representative Isett sponsors the Texas legislation opposing the comprehensive national ID program. Isett sponsored identical legislation last session.

Real ID, passed as a rider on a Tsunami relief bill in 2005, suffered from a big brother reputation, technical networking inadequacies and state’s sticker shock over the price to build a centralized federal identity database from state fusion centers.

According to a report released last month from the DHS Inspector General, fusion centers across the U.S. are inadequately networked, non-existent or vastly underfunded to comply with the federal mandate for identity storage and national identity sharing.

“DHS did not provide timely and specific guidance on how REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards must be marked, best practices for the physical security of facilities, or information on the systems that will be used for verifying applicant documentation. To achieve full compliance with REAL ID standards by 2011, states must connect with electronic verification systems to verify identification documents. Several of the systems needed do not yet exist. Specifically, 18 of 19 states, or 95%, reported that available grant funding was insufficient. Several states referred to the amount received as a “drop in the bucket.” - DHS Inspector Generals Report

During Texas 81st session legislators field concerns about Texans being refused passage into federal buildings and airports based on the program’s federal extension status. According to staffers, DHS has been unclear about the extension standards until now. 

Texas’ federal Real ID extension for compliance will expire December 31, 2009.

Maine Seeks to Repeal Real ID

Some in Legislature say they will attempt to repeal Real ID requirements

Kennebec Journal Online

Now opponents are hoping to repeal parts of the law. And they're hoping the change to a Democratic presidential administration will result in changes to the national law, known as Real ID.

"It really centers around what I see as an erosion of our freedom, our liberties," said state Sen. Dennis Damon, D-Trenton, who is submitting legislation to change the state law. "The supposed safety benefit coming out of this does not balance out with the loss of who we are, and our freedoms."

Under the Maine law, applicants for driver's licenses must prove they are they are state residents and that they are in the country legally. [MORE]

Executive Travel Organization Urges Repeal of Real ID

ACTE URGES REPEAL OF REAL ID  5-5-08 c/o MeetingNews.com

"The Association of Corporate Travel Executives(ACTE) urged the repeal of key sections of the Real ID Act of 2005, in written testimony presented ti the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee last week. According to a statement issued by the association's Global Executive Director, Susan Gurley, ACTE then endoresed and proposed Identification Security Enhancement Act (S.717) as a "realistic and reasonable alternative" to Real ID."  ::FULL STORY HERE::