Wednesday, March 17, 2004
A National ID Card? Careful, please.
Mr. Kristof make the case for a national ID card; well, he makes half the case.
He argues that the current system of state-issued drivers licenses is vulnerable to issuing cards to people who may produce easily-forged documents to receive a license. This is true, making a fake SS card or Birth Certificate isn't that difficult.
However, he doesn't explain how a national ID would work, and how it would make it harder to get one. He just assumes that it would be more difficult. I give him the fact that a national database with every citizen with their picture would make receiving a card harder, but certainly there would have to be a way to get oneself put into the system. How would new citizens apply? Would permanent residents receive one?
Unless the system is carefully constructed, there may be a weak link in it where forged documents could allow someone to get a national ID card, despite our best attempts. And then, because we assume the system is foolproof, the national ID could turn into a license to commit terror in the eyes of terrorists. Also, what if citizens try to commit terrorist acts, like members of a 'sleeper cell' could? Then the ID card would do little.
Also, Mr. Kristof argues that the federal government is already infringing on civil liberties with current ventures such as Camp X-Ray in Gitmo. Just to throw this out there: do we really want to give the federal government the power to have a national database and ID card if they're already infringing on our civil liberties? Won't this simply be another inch in the growing march towards a police state?
Mr. Kristof should explain in detail how such a system would work, because the effectiveness of such a system lies in the details; right now all he leaves us with is too many important questions unanswered. Making an argument for such a system successfully, only to see a poor implementation come about, would in fact only decrease the security of the people of the United States. Not to mention infringe on the civil liberties of everyone with no benefit of safety.
He argues that the current system of state-issued drivers licenses is vulnerable to issuing cards to people who may produce easily-forged documents to receive a license. This is true, making a fake SS card or Birth Certificate isn't that difficult.
However, he doesn't explain how a national ID would work, and how it would make it harder to get one. He just assumes that it would be more difficult. I give him the fact that a national database with every citizen with their picture would make receiving a card harder, but certainly there would have to be a way to get oneself put into the system. How would new citizens apply? Would permanent residents receive one?
Unless the system is carefully constructed, there may be a weak link in it where forged documents could allow someone to get a national ID card, despite our best attempts. And then, because we assume the system is foolproof, the national ID could turn into a license to commit terror in the eyes of terrorists. Also, what if citizens try to commit terrorist acts, like members of a 'sleeper cell' could? Then the ID card would do little.
Also, Mr. Kristof argues that the federal government is already infringing on civil liberties with current ventures such as Camp X-Ray in Gitmo. Just to throw this out there: do we really want to give the federal government the power to have a national database and ID card if they're already infringing on our civil liberties? Won't this simply be another inch in the growing march towards a police state?
Mr. Kristof should explain in detail how such a system would work, because the effectiveness of such a system lies in the details; right now all he leaves us with is too many important questions unanswered. Making an argument for such a system successfully, only to see a poor implementation come about, would in fact only decrease the security of the people of the United States. Not to mention infringe on the civil liberties of everyone with no benefit of safety.
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