[Pc_Support] Identity Theft to be even harder to fight with new ID card ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Mon, 2005-05-09 at 12:19 -0400, Justin M. Keyes wrote:
> My problem with a national ID is fear of the government.

Actually, it is fear of certain aspects of the federal government, I'm
sure.  The reality is that the federal government is just a facilitator
to bigger issues in the majority of these cases.

At the same time, I am so entrusted with things by the federal
government.  I'm a citizen who has given up certain freedoms, willingly,
in order to see that it is protected.  Because I understand the federal
government has to guarantee that trust in ways beyond what they consider
for a normal citizen.

My ultimate point was that for citizens that are not so entrusted, it's
a little overboard.  I don't think the government needs to be wary of
Joe American who has a private sector job.

The overwhelming majority of security issues to this nation are coming
from people so entrusted with either information (e.g., classified
information) or credentials (e.g., pilot licenses) or immigrants until
they are citizens (which takes a good decade plus now in many cases).

And if the government wants you to use a dedicated ID to board a plane,
or collect federated social services, that's understandable to a point
as well.  But as a general ID that _everyone_ uses?  With a database
that has _so_ much information -- especially for financial purposes?!

No, I'm very much against that.  In my case, I fully accept the fact
that I should be tagged, bagged, labeled, fingerprinted, filed and
watched.  But for Joe citizen, the right to _not_ be fingerprinted and
otherwise cateloged _until_ you actually commit a crime or are so
entrusted with federa linformation/credentials is right that _must_ be
preserved IMHO.

Otherwise the federal government will only hurt itself and our great
nation.

Furthermore, I actually trust portions of the federal government and
those who ensure its national security.  They are Americans who stand up
for their rights, and put perspective into everything they do.

But I've found that Banks do not, will not and continually wish to apply
uneven, double-standard law to their business and innocent Americans.
Same deal with the media as well.

-- 
Bryan J. Smith                                 b.j.smith at ieee.org 
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Beware of those who define their preference in terms of hate of
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