I rise in strong opposition to HR 418, the REAL ID Act. This bill purports to make us safer from terrorists who may sneak into the United States, and from other illegal immigrants. While I agree that these issues are of vital importance, this bill will do very little to make us more secure. It will not address our real vulnerabilities. It will, however, make us much less free. In reality…

A state lawmaker said Thursday that the state should not be funding a national ID card.

"If the federal government ... wishes to create a society that really is big brother, we don't want to pay for it," Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, told the Senate State Affairs Committee.

His bill would prohibit state employees from spending money to comply with the federal Real ID Act. The law, which was passed in 2005, calls for a standardized set of requirements that states would have to meet to issue driver's licenses. It also would require states to maintain a database with their driver's information and to share it with other states.

Supporters say those efforts will hinder terrorists.

Source - Juneau Empire

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Governor Brian Schweitzer is the ?left?s answer to Ron Paul,? according to one Arizona blogger.

Really? It?s hard to visualize the Last Best State?s governor ? known for wearing flashy bolo ties and taking a canine companion named Jag to work ? being a kindred spirit with the unassuming Dr. No.

But the Texas Congressman and Montana?s alpha male Democrat do share a common cause: They are both passionately opposed to the REAL ID Act.

Source - USA Daily

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Every year, about 1,000 domestic violence victims legally change their Social Security numbers in an attempt to elude people who may pose threats, and many more change their legal names, according to figures compiled by advocacy groups.

But hiding from stalkers may become more difficult under a federal law called the Real ID Act that's scheduled to take effect on May 11.

Source - C|net

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Today, Jiménez and Krikorian debate the Real ID law. Previously, they weighed the positives and negatives of tougher enforcement, assessed the presidential candidates' immigration credentials and determined whether restrictionists have reason to be satisfied with their efforts. They'll conclude their debate tomorrow by discussing the future of immigration reform.

Source - Los Angeles Times

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Editor's note: A May deadline looms as just one flash point in a political showdown between Homeland Security and states that oppose Real ID demands. This is the last in a four-part series examining the confrontation. Today's installment is a set of frequently asked questions, or FAQ, that we hope explains how the Real ID law affects you.

The Real ID law is touted by Homeland Security officials as an anticrime and antiterror measure, but is steadfastly opposed by some state governments on privacy and sovereignty grounds. Computer scientists also have raised concerns about how its creation of a national interlinked database would work in practice. Keep reading for more on Real ID.

Source - C|net

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