Re: ID card from hell

[tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)]

The ID card issue that has been brewing, and recently is showing signs
of coming to a boil, is one of the most important issues we face. Far
more insidious than Clipper, if a universal "smart card" is injected
into all sorts of transactions and interactions. You all know what I
mean: one's cash/ATM card is issued by the government (with a
countersign by the bank), health card, passport, etc.

But here I want to refute Duncan's refutation, so I will quote highly selectively:

...
> Mandatory carry not (yet) proposed.  Also Ontario Driver's License should
> suffice.
...
> How to handle tourists/Canadians/etc.
...
> Already in the Health Security Act.  Doesn't *prevent* treatment just
> records it.  You can claim to be an illegal alien, etc. 
...
> Doesn't cover driver's licenses issued by any other nations which are also
> legal for domestic driving (even by US citizens who are 'non-residents').
...
> Books?  Doubtfull.  Again what about tourists.

Etc.

Many of Duncan's refutations boil down to "What about tourists?"

The answer for the Feds is simple: temporary ID cards for tourists.

This has several aspects, and solves (for them) several pressing
problems:

1. Tourists entering the U.S. (and ditto for what other countries do)
are issued a temporary ID card at Customs. ("What about Canadian and
Mexican entry points?" They already stop drivers, albeit briefly, and
a $20 entry fee for non-citizens would cover quick generation of a
temporary ID, complete with photo, hologram, barcode, all the usual
junk.)

2. This temporary ID acts as a time-valued visa, good for 3 months, 6
months, "Green Card," etc. It times out, either locally (chip--not
such a great idea, technically) or in a data base (much more probably,
for security reasons, speeds of networks, etc. reasons).

3. The card acts essentially like the one citizen-units would receive,
perhaps not fully authorizing certain things.

Comment: It is not too much "work" to generate such a temporary ID,
especially with a "reasonable" entry fee. Nor would it slow down
border crossings in a way that would threaten massive
complainings...most border crossers would already have the cards, or
would with time have them. Those that don't, would be shunted aside as
the crossings, as part of Customs entry, to be photographed,
fingerprinted, etc. The anti-terrorism folks will like this, so will
Immigration and Naturalization, etc. The only complainers--aside from
ideological opponents like us--will be those intending to overstay
their visas (which this will help to stop--the card will cease to be
valid and the holder will find himself cut off from ATM machines,
employment, and schools for his children (no big deal, I hear Duncan
say, but consider the implications for most people, the visibility of
"truant" children, the day-care issues, etc....for most immigrant
families, this would be a devastating economic blow, and would likely
"out" them).

4. Employers, even for casual work, would be required to check these
cards, possibly even "work credentials" would have to be negotiated
jointly at some office. (I haven't thought too much about the details,
but I'm beginning to. And the possibilities are diabolically clever.
Just as "permits" are so often necessary in these Beknighted States,
so too could such mutually arranged work permits be required. Solves
the "Zoe Baird" problem and helps to surface the underground economy.
Electronic "point of sale" terminals, similar to cash machines, could
make this "painless." Even if cash is not outlawed--a different, and
even more controversial topic--such "work permits" could be enforced
in various way. Frankly, they already _are_. For example, here in
California I would be happy to pay some Mexicans to do yard work...but
I avoid this because of reports of stings, arrests, prosecutions, and
heavy fines. (The Beknighted States, as not all of you may be aware
of, operates on the principle of Deep Pockets Terror: those with the
money are soaked with heavy fines and threats of civil forfeiture. The
tax authorities then get involved, collecting back taxes the employer
was supposed to withold (funny, I thought it was my leaf-raker Juan's
job to settle up with the IRS?), assessing fines and collection fees,
and so on. Others, like Social Security, also get into the act.)

Well, this is getting too long, so I'll close.

I basically agree with Duncan's noble sentiments. I just don't think
it likely  that the "What about the tourists?" argument will stop the
national ID juggernaut once it begins to move.

And other countries, already enamored of tight controls, passports (I
had to surrender my passport at many hotels in Europe...multiple
purposes for this, of course)., etc., will likely play ball with the
U.S. on such an ID card.

Thanks to Duncan for giving me a place from which to launch this
essay.

And everyone go out and read or reread Brunner's "The Shockwave
Rider."

--Tim May


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