As I've said on many occasions, If I could live forever by giving up my enjoyments I still wouldn't do it. Life is for living. I never expected to last as long as I have so every day is a new adventure and joy.
The one truism about life: you'll never get out of it alive.

 

Anybody bothered by that Vehix commercial that's in Spanish only? I'm trying to put my finger on why it bothered me so, even though I speak Spanish.

 

I think this commentary says it all...

http://www.writingsbyskyangel.com/sk...skys_blog.html

 

I am glad that she is alive but there should be some sense of remorse for irresponsible lies and deception.

 

Yet more infringement in the post-9/11 world:

Congress weighs 4 IDs for licenses

By Donna Leinwand, USA TODAY
Thu May 5, 6:15 AM ET

It soon could be a lot more complicated for Americans to get driver's licenses.

Congress is on the verge of passing a plan that could discourage illegal immigration by requiring applicants for state-issued driver's licenses - roughly 70 million people a year - to produce four types of identification at motor vehicle offices.

Most who apply for new licenses - and presumably, those seeking renewals - would have to prove that they are in the USA legally, document their Social Security number and home address, and show a photo ID. Motor vehicle department employees then would have to verify the documents with federal databases, a potentially lengthy process that could mean an end to same-day license renewals.

States now typically require new drivers to produce proof of age and one or two other forms of ID, usually including a photo. Less is required of those renewing licenses; Maryland and a few other states allow renewals by mail. That could change under the Real ID Act, which along with extra security at airports and workplaces could represent the most significant differences in daily lives to stem from post-9/11 security concerns.

The act is likely to be passed by the House today and the Senate next week as an attachment to an $81 million emergency spending bill for the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. If states did not comply within three years, their driver's licenses could not be used as ID to board a plane or to enter certain federal buildings.

President Bush has expressed support for the act, which has created an uproar among state officials and civil liberties groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union. The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates that it would cost states more than $500 million. "The number of documents is staggering," says the conference's Cheye Calvo. "You're not going to get your license in one day anymore. Over-the-counter driver's licenses will no longer exist."

The ACLU says the act threatens' Americans' privacy by creating links between databases that could be used to make licenses into de facto national ID cards that could be used to track residents' activities.

The Congressional Budget Office says it would cost states $100 million over five years. The act's author, Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., says, "If somebody has to stand in line a few minutes more (for a license), that's a small price to pay than having thousands or tens of thousands of people die in a terrorist attack."

 

Now that I know about it, I'm bothered by it.

I don't think I'd argue that it shouldn't be done, but a society where people can't communicate is doomed to fall apart. Communication almost requires a common language.

This is why I'm against things like bilingual education, despite being a civil libertarian in most ways.

 

And your point is?

There are already more interconnected governmental and corporate databases in existance than you can shake a stick at without your arm falling off. And, regardless of any statements to the contrary, your social security number is already your national id.

You don't need a driver's license to drive. Just ask anyone with 5 DUI's. I, personally, would rather have more verification when a universally accepted form of identification is issued.

 

I guess it just strikes me as killing a fly with a nuclear weapon. I wonder how many real potential suspects will be turned up as a result of all this effort, weighed against the inconvenience to the millions of people that apply for/renew drivers licences yearly, and the impact on state's budgets for the costs to do this processing. I seriously doubt the feds will be funding this for the states; here in Illinois we're already in a severe budget crunch, with public transportation and education on the verge of major cuts in funding. How will this program be funded?

I understand about the cross-connected databases, and that wasn't my concern; you go to the grocery store, swipe your store discount card and your credit/debit card and they have you targeted for advertising. Ditto for buying something on the internet. It takes what, 5 minutes for someone to bring up your entire history? It's the norm for the times we live in.

 

Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. I'd personally prefer that drivers' licenses be used only as a license to drive, not for general purpose identification. People could always get a passport.

 

Tom,

I do agree that the startup costs of the program could be high but if biometrics werre added to the cards then future renewals could be even quicker than they are presently.I would envision that if properly instituted (ha ha..fat chance with any governmental initiative) the ID requirement would only be for the initial license issuance. And, although I agree that the drivers license should be only used to for driving, we are getting back into the National ID debate. Should there be one? Should it be optional (if you are going to fly, you need a national id)? I don't know. There are good points and bad points to any scheme. More debate is needed .