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US Lawmakers Eyeing National ID Card

Posted by timothy on from the oh-wait-didn't-we-mention-this? dept.

According to Wired (and no big surprise, considering the practicalities of implementing massive changes in medical finance), US lawmakers "are proposing a national identification card, a 'fraud-proof' Social Security card required for lawful employment in the United States. The proposal comes as the Department of Homeland Security is moving toward nationalizing driver licenses."

2 of 826 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Government can be effective by mh1997 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    People love saying government is stupid and can never do anything right, but that's not true with everything. Currency is one example: there is enough political will and a real-world need to prevent counterfeiting (fraud). Government puts a good deal of effort into preventing counterfeiting, and the penalty is quite harsh and is well-enforced. While not 100% fraud-proof, they have done a pretty good job. I have not had a problem with being given counterfeit money recently, and I don't know of anyone who has.

    The problem with counterfeiting money is that it causes people to lose confidence in the "value" of the money. They don't trust the money and it loses more value. Unfortunately, our government is now monetizing debt (just printing money) and people are now losing confidence in the dollar. As more people lose confidence in the dollar, the "value" is decreased. Our money is will soon get to the point that it doesn't make sense to counterfeit anymore. Perhaps many counterfeiters are already at that point and that is why you haven't been given counterfeit money...or maybe the counterfeit money is really good and you don't notice.

  2. Re:And what's the problem here? by Grishnakh · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    There's lots of people who live to 90 and 100 these days. Who are you to say that 80 is enough? What about a 50-year-old with cancer? Should they die too?

    How about we stop wasting money on wars in the middle east over oil, and leave the barbaric Muslims alone to govern themselves instead of trying to "liberate" them from one barbarian just to have another one take over? Then we'll have a lot more to spend on healthcare for everyone. And if we cut the greedy insurance companies out (something the politicians don't want to do), and truly reform the system so it's effective and efficient (and retrain doctors so they aren't just pharma-backed drug pushers), then it won't cost so much.