71% Favor Requiring Foreign Visitors to Carry Universal ID Card

[Heracles 417]

America - includes minorities as well - however convenient it becomes to cut them out of that definition merely to justify discrimination.

What does being a minority have to do with someone proving that they are legally permitted to reside in a country..

[peejay 327]

pedroh's got a point. I'm never going to be stopped and harassed by the police. I'm not Hispanic, I'm blondish, very pale, I don't have an accent. It would be sort of dumb for me to get up on my high horse and say "I don't mind the new law, and I would show my ID if asked and I wouldn't mind being detained I have nothing to fear!" because when push comes to shove, I know the cops would target Hispanic neighborhoods and Muslim immigrant communities.

And tourism is a big deal. They pushed back the passport requirement for Americans travelling by air to Canada and Mexico past the summer travel season.

Oh puleeze! Enough with the melodrama.

Just last week I went to the urologist and they had the audacity to actually ask me for my driver's license along with my medical insurance card and they actually xeroxed both before rendering services. Do I have a case? Will the SPLC or the ACLU represent me? I have lost a lot of sleep over it you know. I'm terribly hurt that they didn't believe who I represented myself to be and actually required me to prove it. What an outrage!

And here is the clincher. I am 51 years old and was buying beer at the local Walmart recently. They now have a zero tolerance policy and are required to ask everyone for their ID to buy beer. I feel as if I have been raped because they did not believe I'm 51 years old and made me show them my ID. Where is the ACLU on that one? Do they only represent illegal aliens now-a-days?

You know, my dad had jet black hair and brown eyes. Doesn't that qualify me as a victim? I realize he had a Scottish surname and that I have brown hair and blue eyes, but shouldn't the fact that my dad was a bit swarthy count for something? I've lost a lot of sleep over this and I really should be compensated.

I feel as if I live in the USSR or Nazi Germany.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

America - includes minorities as well - however convenient it becomes to cut them out of that definition merely to justify discrimination.

What does being a minority have to do with someone proving that they are legally permitted to reside in a country..

As mawilson pointed out - the result of these new policies would likely be institutional racism.

You guys are acting like this is some big deal, it isn't. When Robin was registered in school last week we were there with several hundred people. They took his name, entered his information in a computer, took his picture with a web cam and printed out his card in about 3 minutes. The card had all his information on it a bar code and his picture. If a small town high school can do this don't you think we could do the same thing at the POE's? Scan the persons passport and visa, take his picture and fingerprint and print out the card. Hand him the card and tell him to carry it with him at all times. When he leaves take the card back and update the database by scanning the card.

You guys make this sound like it would take a major crash project on the order of the moon landings for God sakes. All your really doing is pleading for the enablers.

Pleading for enablers? Hardly. It would be one thing to suggest that a new Federal ID program be created for USC's only. Another entirely to extend to include foreign travelers as well. Either way there's a very real cost and practicality issue - a cost for visitors in addition to any tourist visa they are required to get. If they don't need a visa then unless you are suggesting doing away with the VWP entirely (which won't happen) - then we're looking at that cost being subsidised by the taxpayer, which given the fantastic cost of being processed for an LPR card will be a bitter pill to swallow for many. You may want to pay for it. I don't.

Edited August 20, 2007 by Number 6

[Dan J 277]

pedroh's got a point. I'm never going to be stopped and harassed by the police. I'm not Hispanic, I'm blondish, very pale, I don't have an accent. It would be sort of dumb for me to get up on my high horse and say "I don't mind the new law, and I would show my ID if asked and I wouldn't mind being detained I have nothing to fear!" because when push comes to shove, I know the cops would target Hispanic neighborhoods and Muslim immigrant communities.

And tourism is a big deal. They pushed back the passport requirement for Americans travelling by air to Canada and Mexico past the summer travel season.

Oh puleeze! Enough with the melodrama.

Just last week I went to the urologist and they had the audacity to actually ask me for my driver's license along with my medical insurance card and they actually xeroxed both before rendering services. Do I have a case? Will the SPLC or the ACLU represent me? I have lost a lot of sleep over it you know. I'm terribly hurt that they didn't believe who I represented myself to be and actually required me to prove it. What an outrage!

And here is the clincher. I am 51 years old and was buying beer at the local Walmart recently. They now have a zero tolerance policy and are required to ask everyone for their ID to buy beer. I feel as if I have been raped because they did not believe I'm 51 years old and made me show them my ID. Where is the ACLU on that one? Do they only represent illegal aliens now-a-days?

You know, my dad had jet black hair and brown eyes. Doesn't that qualify me as a victim? I realize he had a Scottish surname and that I have brown hair and blue eyes, but shouldn't the fact that my dad was a bit swarthy count for something? I've lost a lot of sleep over this and I really should be compensated.

I feel as if I live in the USSR or Nazi Germany.

Its amazing what people will give up for the illusion of security.

Of course, this has been known for awhile "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” From Benjamin Franklin

[Artegal 1]

We should just stitch the flag of our national origin on our shoulders like is done with military uniforms--on the right shoulder if we are legal and on the left shoulder if we are out of status, this will then make it easy for the police and everyone else to see if we are illegally in the USA. Oh but you say this system would be prone to fraud.

Okay just google enough and you find plenty of cases in every state were valid driver’s license, social security, and state issued ID cards were and are obtained fraudulently. A national ID card system would be no more resilient against fraud. In fact once we moved to a “god-like” national database editing a fraudulent entry from a genuine one could be very difficult—as this top-tier national ID system would be the gold-standard for everyone’s identity. Look at all the problems there are with credit reports, social security/IRS records and criminal/ DMV records when an invalid or fraudulent entry makes its way in the system.

Furthermore the national ID database would be abused by government as it has been in any situation where it has been used. Then as others have mentioned the cost would be incredible, already the government can’t cope with issuing passports on a timely manner to US Citizens. If you look at other countries that have National ID cards you will find a huge amount of the citizens of these countries that are not documented. Cost, lack of infrastructure, and distrust of the government are just some of the reasons countries with national ID card systems are not able to fully identify all of the citizens in their populations.

On paper it sounds like a great idea to have a national ID card system—and I remember a few years ago when my state first moved to the biometric based driver’s license. The DMV officer stated that finger printing me and recording the finger prints on the driver’s license would curtail fraud. I responded by stating well how do you know I am who I say I am? She had no answer. As you see the underlying problem—I could take the identity of someone else since the biometric was based on my word and previous driver’s license. Now of course my biometrics are recorded with the driver’s license in my state—but say someone else has obtained a driver’s license in another state in my name—then when we move to a national ID system—who becomes me—me or the other person in another state.

[bszoom42 0]

Just last week I went to the urologist and they had the audacity to actually ask me for my driver's license along with my medical insurance card and they actually xeroxed both before rendering services.

If you are using medical insurance, then yes, the doctor was supposed to photograph your government identification along with the insurance card. Yes, many doctors skip that, but that is what they are supposed to do to make a proper insurance claim on your behalf.

[Heracles 417]

Its amazing what people will give up for the illusion of security.

Of course, this has been known for awhile "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” From Benjamin Franklin

Wrong era..

Do you think Benjamin Franklin would have supported the invasion of America by people of another nation?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

As mentioned earlier - why don't we just go the whole hog and implant microchips in people? If its good enough for man's best friend, it must be good enough for man.

[Heracles 417]

America - includes minorities as well - however convenient it becomes to cut them out of that definition merely to justify discrimination.

What does being a minority have to do with someone proving that they are legally permitted to reside in a country..

As mawilson pointed out - the result of these new policies would likely be institutional racism.

Okay 'apparently' a national ID card will hurt the minority. So what do you recommend the authorities do to protect its citizens and the nation?

As mentioned earlier - why don't we just go the whole hog and implant microchips in people? If its good enough for man's best friend, it must be good enough for man.

Every other nation seems to have 100 times more stringent measures in place to ensure illegal immigrants do not get a free ride. They must all have it wrong then..

Edited August 20, 2007 by Boo-Yah!

[Dan J 277]

Its amazing what people will give up for the illusion of security.

Of course, this has been known for awhile "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” From Benjamin Franklin

Wrong era..

Do you think Benjamin Franklin would have supported the invasion of America by people of another nation?

It still applies. And as far as your question, why don't you go ask him?

Why are you so quick to give up your privacy, when all you really need to do is pay more tax money to the ICE to take care of the illegal immigration problem. Making everyone have National ID doesn't make the illegal immigrants disappear. They will still be here.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

America - includes minorities as well - however convenient it becomes to cut them out of that definition merely to justify discrimination.

What does being a minority have to do with someone proving that they are legally permitted to reside in a country..

As mawilson pointed out - the result of these new policies would likely be institutional racism.

Okay 'apparently' a national ID card will hurt the minority. So what do you recommend the authorities do to protect its citizens and the nation?

How's about funding and reforming the existing agencies. Allowing them to do their jobs and telling us what they need - rather than political candidates coming up with crackpot ideas.

Every other nation seems to have 100 times more stringent measures in place to ensure illegal immigrants do not get a free ride. They must all have it wrong then..

Every other nation eh? Like.... what... exactly...?

You think illegal immigration isn't rampant in Europe - including those countries which have national ID cards?

[Artegal 1]

Just last week I went to the urologist and they had the audacity to actually ask me for my driver's license along with my medical insurance card and they actually xeroxed both before rendering services.

If you are using medical insurance, then yes, the doctor was supposed to photograph your government identification along with the insurance card. Yes, many doctors skip that, but that is what they are supposed to do to make a proper insurance claim on your behalf.

My wife and I ran into this same problem with a recent medical specialist. They requested a copy of our ID and also took my wife's photo--she was the patient in this case. I found this to be stupid and unnecessary. For one I was the guarantor of the medical bill and I presented two forms of valid ID: a insurance card and a Visa Check Card. And number two we were in that office based on a referral from our Primary Care doctor--so the assumption that we are whom we say we are should have been a forgone conclusion. Those two alone are sufficient. Anyway will not be returning to that doctor.

[Dan J 277]

America - includes minorities as well - however convenient it becomes to cut them out of that definition merely to justify discrimination.

What does being a minority have to do with someone proving that they are legally permitted to reside in a country..

As mawilson pointed out - the result of these new policies would likely be institutional racism.

Okay 'apparently' a national ID card will hurt the minority. So what do you recommend the authorities do to protect its citizens and the nation?

As mentioned earlier - why don't we just go the whole hog and implant microchips in people? If its good enough for man's best friend, it must be good enough for man.

Every other nation seems to have 100 times more stringent measures in place to ensure illegal immigrants do not get a free ride. They must all have it wrong then..

There are citizens who are in the minorities. Even Australians are a minority in this country.

So unless your saying non-white citizens are second class...

[bszoom42 0]

My wife and I ran into this same problem with a recent medical specialist. They requested a copy of our ID and also took my wife's photo--she was the patient in this case. I found this to be stupid and unnecessary. For one I was the guarantor of the medical bill and I presented two forms of valid ID: a insurance card and a Visa Check Card. And number two we were in that office based on a referral from our Primary Care doctor--so the assumption that we are whom we say we are should have been a forgone conclusion. Those two alone are sufficient. Anyway will not be returning to that doctor.

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me, for the doctor to ask for id from the guarantor and the patient. A doctor needs to file his claim directly with the insurance company, and cannot rely on submitting it through your primary care physician. The insurance reimbursement process is not a simple one.

[Heracles 417]

How's about funding and reforming the existing agencies. Allowing them to do their jobs and telling us what they need - rather than political candidates coming up with crackpot ideas.

What about the police? ICE will never be able to cover as much of the country as the police would. The whole point of the ID card is to, for once, make it harder for illegal immigrants to live in this country. Also harder for employers to exploit illegal immigrants.. With such a card, along with a passport and SSN, an employer cannot play dumb and say they did not know they where illegal.