National ID Card
I know linking to something that Instapundit has linked to is a “coals to Newcastle” exercise, but I thought this op ed on National ID Cards was interesting. The author claims that not only would a National ID Card NOT make us safer, it would makes us LESS safe.
Whether he’s right or not, I have to say I’ve always been kind of fuzzy on how a National ID Card would make us safer. It’s always been kind of an “Underpants Gnomes” argument:
Step 1: Issue National ID Card
Step 2:
Step 3: Security
Can anybody fill in Step 2 for me?
April 13th, 2004 at 3:53 pm
Step 1: Issue National ID Card
Step 2: Establish massive enforcement bureaucracy to track everybody’s movements around the country and adding criminal penalties for not having your ID Card with you, leading to lots of people in this new bureaucracy having job…
Step 3: …security.
April 13th, 2004 at 5:26 pm
Oooooh….now I get it!
April 13th, 2004 at 5:45 pm
Now you know where all those new jobs are coming from when the Dems win…..
April 13th, 2004 at 7:00 pm
1. Issue RFID chips. Cards are passe’.
2. Jack-booted thug population, elected and unelected, severely culled by packs of gun-toting citizen.
3. Liberty.
3a. Security improves as people get back in the habit of taking care of themselves and their communities.
Hey, I can dream, can’t I?
No?
OK, you can chip me now.
The guy across the hall where I work is a little old ex-Russian, the classic elderly physicist stereotype. He’s lived in the belly of the beast.
Awhile back I asked him what he thought the strongest warning signs of tyranny were.
Having to present your papers on demand was the only item on his list. Once justifing your movements or location to the Powers That Be becomes routine, the game’s over.
April 13th, 2004 at 8:03 pm
We’re getting there.
April 13th, 2004 at 8:38 pm
1. Issue National ID Card
2. And then a Miracle Occurs*
3. Security
*Thanx to Bill Whittle from Chapter One of his culture-war-book-in-the-works. Used to quantify a step in a process that is required, but that can only happen thru Alien technology or magic.
April 13th, 2004 at 11:19 pm
Step 1: Issue National ID Card
Step 2: Get counterfiet National ID card
Step 3: (False sense of ) Security
I can already get a complete set of US ID stuff at the local flea market, as documented on the local news. Fakes will probably be on the market sooner than the real ones.
April 14th, 2004 at 8:30 am
Step 2: Steal more underpants.
Great analogy!